Clark Strand is an intrepid spiritual explorer. Raised a Southern Presbyterian, he was on the verge of becoming the abbot of a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monastery when he realized he wasn’t happy. Years of psychoanalysis followed, after which he became the first senior editor of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, a position which brought him into intimate contact with virtually every school of Buddhism in Asia and the West. In the early 1990s he embarked on a 20-year odyssey through the spiritual traditions of the world in search of “Religion 4.0,” a newer, more spiritually-evolved version of religion that was fully compatible with the realities of modern life. The journey took him inside of numerous communities—from Buddhist temples to Hasidic synagogues, Christian monasteries to Hindu cults. Along the way he wrote Meditation Without Gurus; How to Believe in God: Whether You Believe in Religion or Not; and countless groundbreaking articles, including the first comprehensive feature article ever written in English on Internet spirituality.
Strand has founded and led spiritual study groups, taught workshops and retreats, lectured at colleges and universities (both in America and Japan), and has spoken at some of the largest Buddhist gatherings ever held in America. He has an extensive collection of video teachings on YouTube and the Tricycle web site, and has appeared in numerous print and media interviews. A born storyteller in the grand old Southern tradition, he commands the attentions of audiences and offers a comfortable, easy presence at venues of all sizes. Strand also has an extensive international social media presence.
Waking the Buddha on YouTube