Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee
This is a series of newly digitized talks by spiritual teacher, Lola McDowell Lee, spanning two decades—from the early Seventies through the Nineties.
Lola was a Zen Roshi whose Rinzai lineage included Doctor Henry Platov and renowned Zen master, Shigetsu Sasaki. Lola was a religious scholar as well as an ordained Christian minister.
While the talks are focused mainly on Zen and Buddhism, Lola drew on many spiritual traditions—including those of Jesus, Plato, Lao-Tzu, the Hindu Vedas, Meister Eckhart and Gurdjieff.
If you find Lola’s talks valuable, more will be posted in days to come. RSSVERIFY
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 53 minutes
- Episodes
- 115
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
A monk asked his teacher, "I am pecking from inside the shell. I beg you, Master, please peck from outside." May 5, 1985
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains that when most of us listen to a teacher talk, what we hear is determined by our conditioning. When one talks to God in his thoughts, he is not talking to God. …
First is learning, called hearing. Then approaching. Then transcending. Lola Apr 14, 1985
During this talk, Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, has a bad cough, which she lightheartedly uses in her discussion about how to hear and how to listen. To listen like a tape recorder, without thinking.…
As illusions drop, as attitudes drop, how relaxing it is to be at ease with yourself. Mar 31, 1985
You are born into pleasure and pain, and eventually emotions develop. Then centuries of conditioning. From your parents, from your culture. How many personalities and faces do you have? All creating …
The depth in saying “I don’t know.” Mystica Theologica. Lola Jul 22, 1985
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, discusses Mystica Theologica by St Dionysias. He said religious experience can’t be described. Like music: as much as you might name notes, no description is adequate to…
Zen masters never tell the truth. July 15, 1985
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, recounts the tale of Zen Master Hogen who studied with Keishin Zenji. Once Keishin Zenji asked him, 'Joza, where do you go?' “Hogen answered, 'I am making pilgrimage aim…
"The mind dwells in the cave of the heart. He who conquers it frees himself from slavery." May 26, 1985
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains how you can ask questions about the meaning of life all day long. But who is the questioner? Usually we take the wrong approach to these questions. The question…
The mightiest fighting rooster does not crow about his might. Jun 24, 1984
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, shares the teachings of Lao Tzu. He was not a brave man. Or a coward. Courage does not play a role in the sage. The mightiest fighting rooster does not crow about his mi…
When you’re silent, there is one mind. When you’re thinking, you are many. Jun 10, 1984
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains how a mirror reflects everything before it. It reflects young you when you’re young. It reflects old you when you’re old. But the mirror isn’t old or young. It …
Examine your past so it doesn’t govern you. The past is dead. Stop living it. Oct 30, 1983
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains how when you’re happy, sad, pleased, unpleased—it’s all in your periphery. It is not really you. When you’re happy, sad, pleased, displeased—it’s all in your pe…
What must wake up in you for you to be awake? Oct 29, 1989
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explores the wisdom of Zen Master Ikkyu. What must wake up in you for you to be awake? Where do you go when you’re in a deep sleep? Buddhism is a religion of the individ…
Once we understand we are not the masters of our thoughts—but victims—we can stop cooperating. Lola Mar 17, 1985
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, recounts tales of Master Fugai. Lola gives a detailed explanation of meditation. How the word meditation, historically, has been thought to mean thinking, pondering. But…
The tale of the visitor who asked Zen master Bankei what miracles he could perform. Aug 6, 1989
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, discusses how we’re all waiting for the most extraordinary teacher. We want only the best. The tale of the visitor who asked Zen master Bankei what miracles he could per…
Easter of 1985 - What Zen practitioners can learn from the story of Christ's Resurrection. Apr 7, 1985
Zen Roshi and ordained Christian minister, Lola McDowell Lee, gives this talk during Easter of 1985. She explores the Resurrection of Christ. You can experience the Resurrection yourself. Your deathl…
Second in a series about using Transactional Analysis in Zen - the Child, Parent, Adult. Lola Oct 13, 1983
Zen Roshi, Lola McDoweel Lee, explains how we all call ourselves an I, but there is only one—which everyone appropriates for themselves. Eventually our thoughts, voices, identifications eclipse the I…
Learning to work with three elements of our identity: the parent, the child and the adult. Oct 6, 1983
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains three parts of our psychology working against each other --the parent, the child and the adult. The child’s impulses and emotions shouldn’t be in control. The p…
Most of us are after power. Control in our situation. A wiseman seeks not. Instead, he cooperates. Nov 27, 1923
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains how most of us are after power—control, authority in our situation. A wise man seeks not. Instead, he cooperates, harmonizes with the situation. The tale of Fre…
Life. Death. And Love. The most important thing for you is your life. Do you ever thoroughly investigate it? Nov 20, 1983
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, discusses Love, Life and Death. When you are filled with love, there is nothing missing. Can you love without a lover? Some people share their loneliness and call it lov…
We can repeat the most profound teachings and remain stupid. What in us is orginal? May 1, 1983
Understanding the noetic quality of mind, the hidden self, through meditation. That is just a matter of sitting, and being who you are. The difference between sailing on a paper boat and a real boat:…
Get beyond the effort of meditation and find real meditation. Jul 3, 1983
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, asks: When you are alone… are you really alone? We treat the ego as an absolute, when, in fact, it is a gap between you and totality. Ask yourself: Who am I? And you’ll …
What is the greatest miracle in the world? Oct 30, 1983
Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explores how it is In the other that we see what we think is us. When we are alone, many of us feel in strange company. It’s possible to see what one’s life is really ab…