He's what he looks like:
And here's what he looked like from my seat:
That show was fantastic! Well, that's nice but what's he doing here, on One City, the buddhist blog for everyone?
As we walked to Radio City, I said to my husband, "You know, Leonard Cohen is a buddhist."
"Yup," he replied. And then he gleefully said, "So I bet you think his songs are really un-Buddhist!" Hmmm. . . .
Not only is Leonard Cohen a buddhist, but he's a pretty serious one. In August 1996, he was ordained as a Zen Buddhist monk at the Mount Baldy Zen Center. He's a student of Sasaki Roshi, an amazing and influential Rinzai Zen teacher, who recently celebrated his 102nd birthday. Cohen spent most of the 1990s at Mount Baldy, with his own head shaved bald, practicing as a monk. He later published a volume of poetry drawn from his experiences during that time.
What strikes many people about Cohen's songwriting is its depth of feeling. The emotional rawness of some of lyrics can be spectacular. Whether he's writing about lost love in "Chelsea Hotel No. 2" or exulting in the soaring strains of the much covered "Hallelujah," his music expresses a wide emotional spectrum, from the depths to the heights.
As I talked to my husband, I tried to explain how buddhism doesn't mean becoming Spock-like or robot-like. And Cohen's performance was probably the best advocate, dispelling any lingering misconceptions that Zen, or buddhism in general, equals an emotionless equanimity, a flat and featureless terrain devoid of feeling.
I also heard Cohen is currently touring because his business manager made off with all his money. Life keeps happening, even when you're Zen.
And here, for fellow fans, is a very complete set list, thanks to This Week in New York.
Leonard Cohen May 17th @ Radio City Music Hall
Dance Me to the End of Love (1984, VARIOUS POSITIONS)
The Future (1992, THE FUTURE)
Ain't No Cure for Love (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
Bird on the Wire (1969, SONGS FROM A ROOM)
Everybody Knows (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
In My Secret Life (2001, TEN NEW SONGS)
Who by Fire? (1974, NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY)
Chelsea Hotel (1974, NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY)
Waiting for the Miracle (1992, THE FUTURE)
Anthem (1992, THE FUTURE)
--intermission--
Tower of Song (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
Suzanne (1967, SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN)
Sisters of Mercy (1967, SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN)
Take This Waltz (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
Boogie Street (1969, SONGS FROM A ROOM)
Hallelujah (1984, VARIOUS POSITIONS)
I'm Your Man (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
A Thousand Kisses Deep (1969, SONGS FROM A ROOM)
Democracy (1992, THE FUTURE)
--1st Encore--
So Long, Marianne (1967, SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN)
First We Take Manhattan (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
--2nd Encore--
Famous Blue Raincoat (1970, SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE)
If It Be Your Will (1984, VARIOUS POSITIONS)
Closing Time (1992, THE FUTURE)
--3rd Encore--
I Tried to Leave You (1974, NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY)
Whither Thou Goest (THE BOOK OF RUTH)
"Yup," he replied. And then he gleefully said, "So I bet you think his songs are really un-Buddhist!" Hmmm. . . .
Not only is Leonard Cohen a buddhist, but he's a pretty serious one. In August 1996, he was ordained as a Zen Buddhist monk at the Mount Baldy Zen Center. He's a student of Sasaki Roshi, an amazing and influential Rinzai Zen teacher, who recently celebrated his 102nd birthday. Cohen spent most of the 1990s at Mount Baldy, with his own head shaved bald, practicing as a monk. He later published a volume of poetry drawn from his experiences during that time.
What strikes many people about Cohen's songwriting is its depth of feeling. The emotional rawness of some of lyrics can be spectacular. Whether he's writing about lost love in "Chelsea Hotel No. 2" or exulting in the soaring strains of the much covered "Hallelujah," his music expresses a wide emotional spectrum, from the depths to the heights.
As I talked to my husband, I tried to explain how buddhism doesn't mean becoming Spock-like or robot-like. And Cohen's performance was probably the best advocate, dispelling any lingering misconceptions that Zen, or buddhism in general, equals an emotionless equanimity, a flat and featureless terrain devoid of feeling.
I also heard Cohen is currently touring because his business manager made off with all his money. Life keeps happening, even when you're Zen.
And here, for fellow fans, is a very complete set list, thanks to This Week in New York.
Leonard Cohen May 17th @ Radio City Music Hall
Dance Me to the End of Love (1984, VARIOUS POSITIONS)
The Future (1992, THE FUTURE)
Ain't No Cure for Love (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
Bird on the Wire (1969, SONGS FROM A ROOM)
Everybody Knows (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
In My Secret Life (2001, TEN NEW SONGS)
Who by Fire? (1974, NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY)
Chelsea Hotel (1974, NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY)
Waiting for the Miracle (1992, THE FUTURE)
Anthem (1992, THE FUTURE)
--intermission--
Tower of Song (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
Suzanne (1967, SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN)
Sisters of Mercy (1967, SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN)
Take This Waltz (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
Boogie Street (1969, SONGS FROM A ROOM)
Hallelujah (1984, VARIOUS POSITIONS)
I'm Your Man (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
A Thousand Kisses Deep (1969, SONGS FROM A ROOM)
Democracy (1992, THE FUTURE)
--1st Encore--
So Long, Marianne (1967, SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN)
First We Take Manhattan (1988, I'M YOUR MAN)
--2nd Encore--
Famous Blue Raincoat (1970, SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE)
If It Be Your Will (1984, VARIOUS POSITIONS)
Closing Time (1992, THE FUTURE)
--3rd Encore--
I Tried to Leave You (1974, NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY)
Whither Thou Goest (THE BOOK OF RUTH)
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I don't have a URl. Just an E-Mail address. Elizabeth Moore
Ah Leonard, you've written so many of my romances...so many of all of ours. Here's to giving head on an unmade bed (among other sundry images).
I'll have to explore more LC. That is a big hole in my music knowledge.
New Images Posted : Leonard Cohen - Radio City
http://www.msg.com/photos/leonard-cohen-live-at-radio-city-/slide/1/
This guy is amazing!
Actually - I think "The Future" should be playing although - as "My Secret Life" states Cohen's heart is like ice. Perhaps people can come up with what should be playing when I force Cohen to prove that we were lovers. The man is a liar and he can never prove this. He also can never prove that I have sex with Oliver Stone (as he informed my young son's father) but Oliver Stone can personally take the stand and testify to the fact that we never had sex.
An Open Letter From Phil Spector To A Good Friend.
Sunday July 26th
Steven,
I had no voice the day I was sentenced in court on May 30th 2009 due to throat papalomas I had removed 3-days earlier on the 27th.of May. It left me with no voice. I was indeed very upset because when I was asked to address the court, I could not speak for I had no voice. What I wanted to say follows: Be it known that I, Phillip Spector had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the death of Lana Clarkson. And irrefutable science and five of the greatest, most famous forensic scientists all swore under oath that Ms. Clarkson died of a self inflicted gun shot wound, a suicide. They swore by irrefutable science. And while juries and judges lie and make mistakes, science and DNA do not. When their scientific findings and words were ignored is a mystery to me, and hopefully will not be ignored by the appellate court. And I shall return.
But let it also be known that there IS a murderer in the court room and it is NOT Phil Spector, it is Alan Jackson. During the trial he murdered the truth, ,he murdered the constitution, he murdered the law, and he murdered my reputation, and he should not go unpunished for his dastardly deeds. He used his five little “groupies” women, one of whom recently overdosed and died from drugs, and could not be here to testify to slander and lie about me, and victimize me so that he could get his conviction without any scientific proof whatsoever. That’s because he had none. He lied and cheated and double crossed that before along with his cohort Truc Doe whenever they got to it, yes my friends, HE is the real murderer. But, what goes around comes around. And the appellate court will see through his chicanery and smoke and mirrors, and false law and overturn my conviction, and then I will be back stronger than ever, a free man as I should be. Until then, POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Steven, I would like this published verbatim from the beginning of this letter to the end. And tell Chris Paven to also put it on my website.
Thanks, Phillip
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