AboutJoe McSorley Expertise I can answer questions dealing with Taoist philosophy and Zen and not the historicity and religion of Buddhism and its different schools. I studied under Dr. Richard DeMartino and Masao Abe of the Kyoto School of Zen.
Question I am interested in you. In your thoughts, your way, and if you have time I would love to know if other people influence you or do you get your influences from a higher power?
Answer Dear Caroline,
Thanks for your question. It's nice of you to ask about me but this forum is about Zen so I like to keep my answers on that topic and besides I wouldn't want to bore anyone with commentary on my ordinary life. Many of my thoughts are expressed in the emails on this sight if you are so inclined to read them. For a contrasting view of me you can talk to anyone of my eight sisters and get take on it.
When you talk about people influencing me I don't quite know what you mean. When someone instructs me how to play my instruments better or how to cook better they influence me so, from that perspective, I am constantly influenced by people and my environment. As far as people that have had a profound influence on me existentially that would be my original teacher, Dr. Richard DeMartino (Zen and Psychoanalysis, Fromm, Suzuki, DeMartino), who forced me to think critically and deeply without ever offering his view on it. For years I couldn't stand him because he challenged me to defend everything I thought and believed in but it eventually took root and I came to realize his compassion in the way he taught me. He, more than anyone else in my life, has influenced me. The other person would be Dr.Masao Abe Sensei, who was a contemporary of DeMartino's and a student of Suzuki too, and he was as uncompromising as DeMartino. I got to spend a couple of years with him which was a wonderful experience. He was the epitome of the Confucian gentleman.
I don't know what you consider a higher power,that idea is not part of my thinking. Everything is an expression of nature and all is equal, there is no higher and lower.
Take care,
Joe
