A term frequently heard in Shin Buddhist circles is deep listening. More than simply hearing words, deep listening is an openness that gradually allows us to recognize ripples of the Dharma around us.
This page offers a small collection of songs and other voices that have resonated deeply with me. Although not necessarily created with Buddhism in mind, they have helped me learn to listen more deeply over time. Perhaps others may find them similarly helpful.
Music has been intentionally included as a nod to a keynote talk I heard at the 2026 BCA Southern District Conference, where Rev. Dr. Mark Unno suggested that Buddhism is often closer to learning music than to learning philosophy—and that the instrument we gradually learn to play is our own life. As both a Buddhist and someone who has spent years playing various forms of drums, I find that image especially evocative. Before we can learn to play, we must first learn to listen—to the ongoing conversation between sound and silence, rhythm and stillness. Perhaps deep listening to the Dharma begins in much the same way.
"Home, I'm making my way home": Brings to mind refuge and taking refuge in the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
"Light, you're with me in the dark": Reminds me of the light of Amida's compassion, which embraces us and never lets us go
"This burden weighs me down": Echoes the burdens we carry of Greed, Anger, and Ignorance—the Three Poisons that shape so much of human suffering.
My connection: I first heard Asgeir perform this song live in San Diego in the 2010's. Standing in the front row, I remember being deeply moved.
Note: Contains one brief expletive
"I believe that every heart is kind; Some of them are just a little underused": This speaks to me of the profound potential for compassion that exists in each of us.
"We might feel a bit less hardened; We might feel a bit more free": This brings to mind moments when something ordinary suddenly becomes illuminated by the Dharma.
"Turn off the news and build a garden with me": This feels like an invitation to focus on what is most important in our lives, rather than becoming consumed by the constant noise of the moment.
Overall garden theme: A garden requires cultivation over time—preparing the soil, understanding the unique needs of each plant, patiently watering, pruning, and occasionally pulling weeds. The work is never finished, yet each small act contributes to something larger than ourselves. In much the same way, walking the Nembutsu path invites us into a lifetime of gentle cultivation.
My connection: I grew up with my older brother playing Willie around the house. Years later, I had the opportunity to meet Willie's younger son, Micah Nelson, after he performed in San Diego with his band Insects vs. Robots. During our brief conversation, I was struck by his genuine warmth and his remarkable ability to fully see the person standing before him. That encounter has remained with me, and it adds another layer of meaning when I listen to music created by the Nelson family.
The primacy of embodiment: My years studying both Buddhism and traditional West African percussion have helped me appreciate that some things are learned most deeply through embodiment rather than explanation; some things must be experienced, not simply intellectually understood. In different ways, both traditions invite forms of practice that gradually shape how we relate to our communities and the world around us.
The polyrhythm of life: In my view, traditional West African percussion is a lived experience of interdependence. Seemingly independent rhythms exist in constant conversation, together creating a larger whole that none could produce alone. Before we can go deeply into either tradition, we must train our ears to hear both the part and the whole simultaneously. This is likely why the suggestion that Buddhism is often closer to learning music than to learning philosophy—and that the instrument we gradually learn to play is our own life—resonates with me so deeply.
My connection: As a student of traditional West African rhythms, I've traveled to Guinea twice to study under master drummers. On my second trip in 2019, I also had the opportunity to meet artists from Les Percussion de Kouroussa. This clip features part of the Kassa rhythm—which I learned to play and later witnessed played in everyday village life to energize the community as it gathered for field work.
Forthcoming...