Miles Kurosky’s Silver Lining: Buddhism

Portland, Ore.-based Miles Kurosky is what old-time journalists used to call a “great quote.” He’s one of the few interview subjects you’ll find in the music biz these days who’s totally unafraid to step on a few toes to get his point across. And he’s got the musical chops to back up his shoot-from-the-hip posture. Kurosky’s previous band, Beulah, was a true California original, good enough to catch the ear of pop genius Robert Schneider of Apples In Stereo, who released the first Beulah album under the banner of the Elephant 6 collective. As is the case with other creative one-man shows (Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle, for example) the transition from band to solo career is as simple as painting a new name on the office’s glass door. The Desert Of Shallow Effects (Majordomo) is every bit as exhilarating as anything Kurosky has ever cut. Kurosky will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with him and more about Beulah.

Kurosky: I was raised Catholic. After my mom and dad got divorced—and my mother was refused communion by the church—I remained a Catholic. After I received a borderline inappropriate back massage from a priest in the rectory whilst stuffing envelopes, I still remained a Catholic. However, during my senior year of high school, my father went crashing through the windshield of his car, breaking his neck. He would spend the next six months bedridden. Unfortunately, he didn’t have insurance, and soon the family was teetering on bankruptcy. Again, being a good Catholic, I attended Catholic school, which is not free. In fact, it can be quite expensive, especially for someone like my mother, who cleaned houses for a living because she didn’t want her children to become latch-key kids. So there we were, the Kurosky family, broke and broken. My mom explained our situation to the head priest/principal. She asked for more time or the possibility of setting up a payment plan while she looked for a second job. His response was less than Christian. He told her that I would not graduate, and that my transcripts would not be sent to colleges unless she procured the money immediately. Apparently, charity was not a virtue at the school. He left my mother no choice. She would need to beg. Friends, neighbors, it didn’t matter, just beg. That was my last day as a Catholic.

Now, I can hear what some of you are saying: “What’s your fucking point, Kurosky?” Well, my point is that I believe that Catholicism, and the events mentioned above, led me to convert to Buddhism in 2008. Actually, I don’t know if “convert” is the right word. Let’s just say I married into it. My wife was raised a Jōdo Shin Buddhist. In fact, her grandparents helped build the temple in Oakland, and her uncle is the present-day minister of the temple in Palo Alto. When I first met my wife, my knowledge of Eastern religions began with The Tao Of Pooh and ended with Hesse’s Siddhartha. That is to say, I didn’t know shit. During the years that my wife and I dated, I’d pick up a little pearl here or there, but it wasn’t until my wedding day that I actually “got it.” It was right after reciting these words during the ceremony:

I am a link in the Buddha’s Golden Chain of Love that stretches around the world. I will keep my link bright and strong. I will be kind and gentle to all living beings and protect all who are less fortunate than myself. I will think pure and beautiful thoughts, say pure and beautiful words and do pure and beautiful deeds—knowing my karmic actions now will affect my happiness as well as the happiness as others. May every link in the Buddha’s Golden Chain of Love become even brighter and stronger. And may we all achieve peace, harmony and bliss.

Let me tell you, that vow is a daily struggle, but what an amazingly selfless thing to say on one of the most potentially selfish days of one’s life. At that moment, I was sold. Since then, I credit Buddhism for peace, clarity and, most importantly, perspective. In short, I have never been happier. Although, I think getting back into the music business may threaten that tranquility. Even worse, the guy at Best Buy told me and the missus that we were going to hell unless we accepted Jesus Christ as our savior. Well, that’s cool, because if that cocksucker priest gets into heaven, I want no part of it. See, I told you it was daily struggle.

Video after the jump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U5mVC5N2Pc