Engage! welcomes a new contributor, Tony Staples, a poet who has generously offered his work for the blog. bio: Hello Shaun: I am a 52yr old man living in the UK. I have been a prison officer for 29yrs and retire in a couple of years. I have recently ceased my political activity which lasted… Read More New Poetry from Tony Staples
Pauline Oliveros is a pioneer in the field of avant garde music and a philosophy of music she calls “deep listening.” Her TED talk (below) explains the theory and practice of deep listening. From the website Resident Advisor: Pauline Oliveros is one of modern music’s most important figures, precisely because her work transcends music… Read More Deep Listening with Pauline Oliveros
Video: President Obama Inaugurates the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Patrick Lynch © Darren Bradley “What we can see of this building, the towering glass, the artistry of the metalwork, is surely a sight to behold.” These were the words spoken by President Barack Obama as he inaugurated the most recent addition to… Read More Obama Opens Museum of African American History and Culture
The Triumph of Life: The Last Days of the Buddha, an opera by composed by Timothy Lissimore, directed by Maitreyabandhu, performed at the London Buddhist Centre, UK. This is a brilliant musical score, a great piece of modern performance that should be known throughout the opera world. What amazes me is how much energy and emotion is… Read More Last Days of the Buddha: Modern Opera
I finally hit on what it is that I’ve been seeking in my Buddhist practice that is so missing in the usual sanghas of Buddhism-as-religion: avant-garde Buddhism. I have called it by many names: post-buddhism, x-post-non Buddhism. But “avant-garde’ finally hit the nail on the head. My greatest inspirations in the dharma have been avant-garde artists… Read More Avant-Garde Buddhism
Speculative fiction books with Buddhist themes: I cobbled together this list from a forum discussion saved on Reddit and Wikipedia. Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light: (1967) Buddha (Sam) battles the Hindi pantheon in a future where humans use their technology to assume the role of gods and rulers. Lord of Light (1967) was awarded the 1968 Hugo… Read More Science Fiction w/ Buddhist Themes
Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson are not only two of my favourite musical artists, but my favourite Buddhist power couple. They were both students of Mingyur Rinpoche. Lou was an avid Tai Chi practitioner who practiced the 24-move Ynag form with his last dying breath, Laurie faithfully at his side. Laurie and Lou were married for… Read More Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson: Buddhist Power Couple
