Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding on what it takes to be authentic

Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding on what it takes to be authentic

Author: SGI-USA October 29, 2020 Duration: 27:04

Great artists are authentic. It’s how they are able to connect to enormous audiences, yet each person experiencing the music, or art, feels directly spoken to. What would you do if you could go through life with this kind of genuine, inspiring power?

 

Being yourself, truly yourself, is hard. Today, we speak with legendary Grammy-winning jazz musicians Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding about how Buddhism has helped them become their most authentic selves.

 

P.S. The book mentioned in the episode is called Reaching Beyond: Improvisations on Jazz, Buddhism, and a Joyful Life.

 

Cheatsheet:

 

1:25 Introduction to Wayne & Esperanza

2:41 How Esperanza discovered Buddhism

5:22 Why Wayne started chanting

7:11 How Wayne discovered a deeper purpose to playing music

8:10 How chanting helped Wayne see himself more clearly

12:23 Esperanza on authenticity as a musician

17:35 Wayne on how Buddhism can help you check yourself

19:25 Esperanza on how to unlock your own capacity

20:34 Some notes on Esperanza’s “life force”

21:48 On Wayne & Esperanza’s friendship

23:33 Wayne’s advice to anyone who feels stuck with their art or work

24:57 A key lesson from today’s conversation


It’s easy to lose sight of our own strength when life gets complicated, but what if that inherent clarity and capability never actually left? Buddhability explores that very idea through the lived experiences of everyday people. Host Cassidy Bradford guides genuine conversations with a community of practicing Buddhists from SGI-USA, who share how they navigate real-world challenges. You’ll hear personal stories that touch on everything from mental resilience and physical well-being to navigating career shifts and personal relationships. This isn’t about abstract theory; it’s a practical look at applying Buddhist principles to uncover a more confident and compassionate way of living. Each episode of the podcast feels like a thoughtful dialogue, focusing on how to reconnect with that inner resourcefulness-your Buddhability-amidst the stress and clutter of modern life. The discussions are grounded in the belief that enlightenment isn’t a distant goal, but a potential we can all access right now to improve our own lives and positively impact the world around us. Tune in for honest reflections and discover how this perspective can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary.
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