Ep. 591 – The Intimate Way of Zen with James Ishmael Ford, Zen Buddhist Priest & Ordained Minister
Discussing his new book, The Intimate Way of Zen, Nondual spiritualist James Ishmael Ford joins Raghu for an exploration of our relationship to all things. This time on Mindrolling, Raghu and James explore:James’ upbringing and how his maternal grandmother was the spiritual orientation for his familyHaving an intimate relationship with all thingsThe goal of discovering what this life truly is Spiritual friendship which is deep, profound, and life-changing Unconditional love and considering our judgment of others Trying to see others as trees, as Ram Dass taught Combining Bhakti Yoga with the wisdom of Buddhism Flirting with nihilism, cynicism, and new-ageism Exploring the work of Carl Jung and James HillmanThe resurgence of psychedelics in today’s culture The many paths and doorways into enlightenment Check out the books referenced in this episode: Zen at the End of Religion, If You're Lucky Your Heart Will Break, and of course, The Intimate Way of Zen. About James Ishmael Ford, Zen Buddhist Priest & Ordained Minister:James has walked the spiritual path for more than fifty years. He's danced with Sufis, studied with Christian mystics, lived in Buddhist monasteries, and eventually was ordained a Zen priest. Later, he was also ordained as a Unitarian Universalist minister. James' path has taken him to a life "between" several traditions, bringing him into a nondual spirituality. Trying to unpack what that actually means in his life, and with a tip of the hat to Erasmus, James claims a physiology of faith; a Buddhist brain, a Christian heart, and a rationalist stomach. You can learn more about James on his website and keep up with his most recent project, the Unanswered Question Newsletter, HERE.“For me, the goal is to find 'what is'. I originally framed it as 'Is there a God?’ I realized I had the question wrong, and at some point it was 'what is God?'. Today, I would say, 'what is this?'” – James Ishmael FordThis episode is sponsored by Reunion & Dharma Seed: Mindrolling is brought to you by Reunion. Reunion is offering $250 off any stay to the Love, Serve, Remember community. Simply use the code “BeHere250” when booking. Disconnect from the world so you can reconnect with yourself at Reunion. Hotel | www.reunionhotelandwellness.com Retreats | www.reunionexperience.orgJoin Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern and Duncan Trussell for a conversation about finding our own voice, our own expression, and our own way of connecting with people. Learn more about this FREE online gathering - AUTHENTIC PRESENCE: FINDING YOUR OWN VOICESee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.