Clark Strand was a Zen Buddhist monk. Now he writes books of love poetry to Kali Ma and manifestos to the Dark.

In this conversation, we trace his spiritual path from childhood Protestantism through monasticism and massage school — ultimately leading him into deep devotion to the Divine Mother.

Listen in, as we step into the Dark together.

Clark Strand has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than thirty years. The author of several books including Waking the Buddha, Meditation Without Gurus, Waking Up to the Dark and Now is the Hour of Her Return, Strand has written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the Washington Post/Newsweek “On Faith” blog. He is the founder of Way of the Rose, a growing nonsectarian rosary fellowship open to people of any spiritual background, with members around the world. He lives on a dark road with no streetlights in the southern Catskill Mountains.

we discuss —

• the many paths of spiritual devotion
• the patriarchal traditions of many world religions
• how Clark encountered the Divine Mother
• feeling safe in the dark
• why Now is the hour
• human civilization vs human culture
• the power of simple-hearted devotion
• writing poems for Kali
• remembering our birdsong

LINKS

If you enjoyed the episode, check out —

• Many Mothers + Many Lifetimes: Ancestral Connection w–Perdita Finn

More about our guest —

• The Way of the Rose.org
• Waking Up to the Dark, book by Clark Strand
• Now is the Hour of Her Return, book by Clark Strand

Mentioned in the episode—

• The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
• The Gospel According to the Dark

Free Resources —

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