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PODCAST

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee

I & A Publishing

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

education self-improvement

All Episodes

61:01

The unconscious is the gateway to reality. July 18, 1981

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/06/20

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, discusses the meaning of the Zen saying, “Joy in the morning. Sleep at night. What else?”When we “do not know,” then we don’t concern ourselves with obsessions about outcomes. That is the meaning of “no mind.”Start by discovering what “no mind” is not. Is there a gradual acquisition of “no mind?” Is there an enduring entity called self? Is there a self to improve? Do not accept of reject an answer without learning for yourself directly.Is the thinker different than his

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56:00

Why “What is the purpose of life?” is the wrong...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/06/02

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, discusses Chapter 10 from the Tao Te Ching (Paul Carus translation)"What can be done?"Who by unending discipline of the senses embraces unity cannot be disintegrated. By concentrating his vitality and inducing tenderness he can become like a little child. By purifying, by cleansing and profound intuition he can be free from faults."Who loves the people when administering the country will practice nonassertion."Opening and closing the gates of heaven, he will be like a

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53:02

The role of patience in Zen practice. July 5, 1981

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/05/28

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explores the notion of patience in practice. And time.For nearly twenty years, Hon, a layman, studied under Master Egon. Several of the students went out to the edge of the district and Hon looked up at the falling snow and said, “Snowflakes as nice as these do not fall elsewhere.”We are all in such a hurry. But time is a state of mind—full of anxiety about the future and the past. If you are patient enough, you will not miss yourself. The Buddha sat and sat and sat… in

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53:53

Further exploration of the Mystica Theoligica. Dec...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/05/18

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, further explores the Mystica Theoligica.NOTE: LOLA HAS A BAD COLD TODAY AND A PERSISTENT COUGH. If that bothers you, please skip. But the content of the talk is worth the discomfort, in my opinion.Religious life is like a sculpture… best to take away from life that which is not Him rather than ascribe characteristics to Him.Most of our thoughts and emotions are unconscious. And people think: Oh, how life without emotions and desire would be so colorless. But is that

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60:19

The meaning of the the Mystica Theoligica. Dec 4, 1988

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/05/10

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explores the meaning of the opening of the Mystica Theoligica.“Thou Trinity beyond Being, direct us to the heights of mystical revelation, sublime beyond all thought and light, wherein the simple, absolute and immutable mysteries of Divine Truth are hidden in the translucent darkness of that silence which revealeth in secret. For this darkness, though of deepest obscurity, is yet radiantly clear, and though beyond touch and sight, it overfills our unseeing mind with

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57:06

Watch how you make your choices. Otherwise, how can...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/05/05

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, recounts the tale of the Persian teacher who asked a disciple to place a bag of gold in the middle of a bridge. He is to find a poor man to cross the bridge. The man successfully crossed the bridge where there is a bag of gold which he desperately needs. But he missed the gold. He had been too afraid to open his eyes and never saw it.Our problem is we think know our faults. But we close our eyes to them.You seekers who want freedom… freedom from what?Do you ever watch

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48:01

How often do we think that we—as individuals—are...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/04/28

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, shares the tale of a student who asked his teacher why, after he had fasted and prayed for 30 years that he had still not found God. The teacher’s response: “You could sit for 100 years and it wouldn’t do any good. Selfishness is your barrier.”Lola recounts a long letter to a Roshi where the practitioner listed all his thoughts about spirituality and the universe. The Roshi’s response: “You know too much.” Just accumulating words is not gonna do it.If you acknowledge

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60:08

Meditate for one hour daily, and truly concentrate,...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/04/21

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, continues her examination of Lao Tsu’s Tao Te Ching, now in Chapter 17."The great rulers - the people do not notice their existence;The lesser ones - they attach to and praise them; The still lesser ones - they fear them;The still lesser ones - they despise them;For where faith is lacking,It cannot be met by faith.Now how much importance must be attached to words!"- Translated by Ch'u Ta-KaoIn today’s America, Lola’s exploration of Lao Tsu’s words are more relevant than

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56:15

The One-finger Zen of 9th Century Chinese Master...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/04/13

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, goes into considerable detail early and late in the talk about meditation to help prepare students for a sesshin.Lola talks about how the subject and object become one. One sitting.Master Gutei and his One-finger Zen.Lola discusses various teachings involving the monastery’s Tenzo, or cook. And why this is a very advanced position within the system.She recounts the tale of Dogen Zenji and the cook, and why the cook couldn’t continue his conversation with the master and

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52:13

To meditate no action is required—simply a shift in...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/04/06

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, continues a discussion of Lao Tsu’s Tao Te Ching. Today, Chapter 16 (Suzuki translation) By attaining the height of abstraction we gain fulness of rest. All the ten thousand things arise And I see them return. Now they bloom in bloom But each one homeward returneth to its root. Returning to the root means rest. It signifies the return according to destiny. Return according to destiny means the eternal. Knowing the eternal means

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60:30

How do we cross an icy stream? Exploring the Tao Te...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/04/02

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, continues her exploration of the Tao Te Ching. Today, Chapter 15: The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive. The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable. Because it is unfathomable, All we can do is describe their appearance. Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream. Alert, like men aware of danger. Courteous, like visiting guests. Yielding, like ice about to melt. Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.

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54:31

A detailed exploration of Chapter 14 of Lao Tzu’s Tao...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/03/28

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, provides a detailed exploration of Chapter 14 of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, “Praising The Mysterious.” In it Lao Tzu calls Reason the form of the formless. Reason’s clue.But if we can’t touch it or see it, how are we to understand it? Don’t to endow it with qualities. Don’t describe it. It may appear bright, but it is simply reflecting our brightness. But that is only what we perceive. It is, itself, not bright. Our perception is limited. We perceive in twos. But the Tao

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51:42

Lao Tzu on two fundamental types of meditation. May...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/03/23

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, gives a detailed explanation of Lao Tzu’s notion that there are two basic types of meditation one should practice. One of emptiness only, and one of concentration.Sitting with pure, empty mind:The first he described as meditating without desire. Chuang-Tzu called it “just sitting and forgetting” meditation. During this practice, we empty the mind of all impediments and sit with only pure mind. Easier said than done. Most of us sit, and only once in a while do e

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57:58

More Bible parables that can help you practice Zen....

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/03/14

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, who is also an ordained Christian minister, continues her exploration of Christian parables and how they might apply for Zen practitioners.Jesus spoke, in the book of Luke 5:36-39:“And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.”Your life can be life-denying or life-affirming.You can be religious without being part of

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62:27

Bible parables that can help you practice Zen. Dec 9,...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/03/02

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, who is also an ordained Christian minister, discusses parables from the Bible and how they can help Zen practitioners.Understanding Jesus’ parables is like puzzling with Zen koans. We reach a point with the puzzles and allows them, like a diamond cutter, to work on us. And eventually, in a new state, we begin to understand.We are free. Yet we have no freedom. It’s a paradox. The freedom within, unforced, allows us to mature. But we can choose to ignore the within. We

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51:05

Zen is not a belief system. Zen disturbs the dreaming...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/02/25

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains that enlightenment is not a goal. “A goal is like the horizon. You can never reach it.” The immediate is the ultimate. You have to be aware and wake up to this moment. This moment is eternity.Human beings do a lot of unconscious abstracting. Lola explains.The teacher asks, “Do I have a staff or do I not have a staff?” The monk tries to answer in different ways. Finally he is so frustrated he gives up and leaves. He wanders for 12 years and finally returns to

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51:02

When you learn to accept that you are alone, truly...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/02/21

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, explains that when you sit properly in meditation, your world is gone. You are alone. Absolutely alone. And when you learn to accept this alone, it builds a great strength. Find that alone—and accept it.She asks: you know all about your history, your friends, your work… but do you know you?Without that light within you—that forgotten light—there would be no you. It is the reason you exist. Many of us—at 40, or 50, or 60—hold the same image of God that we developed at

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49:49

Who are you really? Your name is not you. Your photo...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/02/10

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, asks how someone like Hitler could come to power. He was loud, and brash, and gave a secure feeling of strength to those who were insecure.Lola recounts the tale of the Turkish teacher who travels to foreign lands and gathers quite a following. Until some Turks happen onto him and hear the nonsense he speaks. This, she says, is often how we talk to ourselves. We can deceive ourselves for years.She also presents portions of an Ikkyu poem: “The crescent moonBecomes full,

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50:27

We are looking for nothing. Which doesn’t give you...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/02/04

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, reads from renowned Zen teacher, Ikkyu: “If it rain, let it rain; If it rain not, let it not rain; But even should it not rain, You must travel with wet sleeves.”What is religion? It is an inquiry into yourself.The German theologian, Meister Eckhart, once wrote, “There is an agent in the soul, untouched by time. . . God Himself is that agent.Keep looking inside a seed, you’ll find nothing. Because its essence is invisible. It is there, however, that Truth abides.We are

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63:05

Lao Tzu: Existence renders actual. Non-existence...

Talks by Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee ·

2025/01/29

Zen Roshi, Lola McDowell Lee, relates the tale of the monk who questions Chuang Tzu. He begins:Monk: "Much of what you talk about is that which is not of use to us."Chuang-Tzu: "Most of the earth is no use to you."Yin and Yang. Two archetypical poles of Nature. Male and female.Yin is quiet, intuitive. Yang is strong, creative, active. We must come to know the other to be in balance.We constantly swing between Yin and Yang. Aristotle said that we mostly ignore the middle.What does a house consist of

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