FIND THE GOOD NEWS
WITH BROTHER ORAN PARKER
Old news. Bad news. Fake news. Sometimes you want to shut down and get no news at all!
With Find The Good News I aim to change that by focusing on good people doing good works. I visit with artists, educators, civic & spiritual leaders, musicians, business owners, students, volunteers, and everyday citizens who are using their creativity, resources, and talents to bring hope & happiness to their corner of the world.
In each episode I dig into the hearts & minds of my extraordinary guests. We have street-level conversations about relatable things going on in their lives. I discover the critical life experiences that shaped them, the perspectives that drive them, and the fundamental beliefs that have anchored them to a path of goodness.
NEW EPISODE
EP. 92 - THE RESONANT STRINGS - FT. MEIDO MOORE ROSHI
Abbot of Korinji Zen Monastery and author of The Rinzai Way: A Guide to Practice
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EP. 91 - THE MAGIC FEATHER - FT. DON JOSE RUIZ
Toltec Shaman and author of The Medicine Bag: Shamanic Rituals and Ceremonies for Personal Transformation
RECENT EPISODE
EP. 90 - THE IN ZONE - FT. CHRIS NIEBAUER, PH.D.
Author, No Self, No Problem: How Neuropsychology is Catching Up to Buddhism
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Zen. In the circles I’ve traveled it is a word that is often said and even more misunderstood.
Truth? I am still trying to understand it myself.
More truth? When I feel like I’ve built a nice and sturdy framework for it, the structure I’ve constructed topples to sticks and stones.
I laugh about it. I cry about it. I let go. I start again.
“This,” I think, “is Zen!" But is it?
It’s this question that lies at the heart of my conversation with Meido Moore Roshi, abbot of Korinji, a Rinzai Zen monastery in Wisconsin, where he transmits Zen Buddhist teachings that can find roots as far back as 5th century India.
Meido is an 86th-generation Zen dharma heir and a 48th-generation holder of the lineage descended from Rinzai Gigen.
The Rinzai Zen way, as instructed by Meido Moore Roshi, places particular emphasis on making use of the body as part of the practice, as well as fine arts, and internal energetic work. It was clear to me that he has an elemental connection and appreciation for the natural world, sharing this with his students by incorporating earth, air, fire, and water into their training. While there is certainly an aesthetic to Zen that is quite peaceful and minimalist, Meido is clear that the Rinzai way is much more akin to boot camp than a day at the spa.
In this conversation, Meido graciously helped clarify many of the concepts of Zen Buddhism, not least of all these three; What am I? What is this life for? Why is there suffering? Tucked in the green hills and farmlands of Madison, Wisconsin there is, at this very moment, an abbot and his students sincerely seeking the answers to these very questions. Wisdom and compassion are cultivated. The wheel of the dharma turns. Transmission occurs. I am reminded that it is good to have obtained this human existence.
“This," I think, “is Zen."
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Please note that by submitting you are allowing your content and questions to be used on the podcast. I'll do my very best to use your submission with respect and kindness.
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