Berry Crawford first started practicing Zen meditation in 1992. He lived at the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center and practiced as a resident in the mid 1990s. Afterwards, he practiced with Diane “Eshin” Rizzetto in the Ordinary Mind Zen School started by Joko Beck. Later, Berry became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson and in 2022 was authorized to indep…

An Interview with Zen Teacher Eihei Peter Levitt Eihei Peter Levitt is the founder and guiding teacher of the Salt Spring Zen Circle on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, where he resides with his wife, poet Shirley Graham. He was authorized as a Zen teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi by Zoketsu Norman Fischer, founder of the Every…

Katherine Daiki Senshin Griffith is the Head Teacher at the Zen Center of Los Angelos. She started studying Zen in the Rinzai tradition at New York Zendo Shobo-Ji in Manhattan in 1987. At Dai Bosatsu Zendo, she received Jukai in 1994 from Eido Shimano Roshi, with whom she studied until 2000, when she moved to Los Angeles. She became a member of ZCL…

An Interview with Zen Teacher and Priest Teshin Matthew Sweger Teshin Matthew Sweger is the teacher and resident priest at the North Carolina Zen Center. He was ordained as a Buddhist priest in 2004 by Lawson Sachter Roshi, a Dharma successor to Philip Kapelau Roshi. After completing the Harada-Yasutani koan curriculum, Teshin received Dharma trans…

An Interview with Zen Teacher Dr Sono Andrew Tootell Dr Sono Andrew Tootell is an Australian Zen teacher in the Ordinary Mind Zen School. He is the dharma heir of Barry Magid and is an accredited mental health social worker and maintains a private psychotherapy practice. He is the teacher for the OzZen sangha. More about Andrew: https://ordinarymin…

An Interview with Rabbi and Zen Teacher Adam Fogel Adam Fogel is a practicing Jewish Rabbi and long time Zen practitioner with authorization from his guiding Zen teacher, Ruben Habito Roshi, to offer Zen training within the context of Jewish high holiday retreats. He is also a licensed and practicing psychologist in the State of California. More fr…

An Interview with Zen practitioner and Music/Chanting Scholar Stephen Slottow Stephen Slottow is a long time Zen koan practitioner and a professor of music theory at he University of North Texas. He was a professional fiddler and banjo player and an author of a book on the Americanization of Zen Chanting which we will discuss today. More about Step…

Bobby Chowa Werner is a dharma holder, or assistant teacher, in the White Plum Zen tradition. He has been a student of Roshi Anne Seisen Saunders since 2005 at the Sweetwater Zen Center in the San Diego California area. Chowa’s livelihood is in the music industry, composing and producing music for various projects and touring with an acappella doo …

Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and ACPE Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After working more than a decade as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. Koshin began his formal Zen training in 1987, and he is a recognized Soto Zen Teacher by the Ame…

Rev. Keiryū Liên Shutt (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Soto Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadersh…

An Interview with Mushim Patricia Ikeda Mushim Patricia Ikeda is a Buddhist teacher ordained in the Korean Sŏn (Zen) tradition. She is also an author, poet, mentor, and community activist. She teaches meditation retreats for people of color, women, and social justice activists nationally and is a meditation teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center…

Kogen Czarnik is a full Soto Zen priest (Osho) in the lineage of Tangen Harada Roshi. He began Zen practiice in 2003 in Poland, and soon after graduating from college he went to Japan to practice Dharma in a traditional monastic context. Since then, he has been practicing at monasteries such as Bukkoku-ji, Sogen-ji, Tosho-ji (where he did his pries…

Helen Hobart is an ordained Vietnamese Zen practitioner and community leader. In 2010 she was ordained at Plum Village into Order of Interbeing where she was given the dharma name "True Sacred Clouds". She is a board certified chaplain and works professionally in that field. She has been the on the board of directors for both the Sacramento Dharma …

Korin Charlie Pokorny is a Soto Zen priest and was ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1999 and then received dharma transmission from him in 2018. He studied koans with Daniel Terragno under whom he completed Harada/Yasutani koan curriculum. He has a Masters degree from Stanford University in Religious Studies. He currently is a Dharma teacher at …

An Interview with Soto Zen Priest and Teacher Shinko Andreas Hagn Shinko Andreas Hagn is the founder and teacher of Daijihi, a Soto Zen sangha in Viena Austria. He received jukai by Ryuten Rosenblum Roshi, a successor of Baker Roshi in 2011 and was ordained as a priest in 2019. His ordination teacher was Hoko Karnegis, who is in the senior teacher …

An Interview with Soto Zen Priest, Zen Teacher and Author Tim Burkett Tim Burkett is Zen priest, Zen teacher and retired licensed Ph.D. psychologist. Tim was the Guiding Teacher of Minnesota Zen Meditation Center from 2002-2019 and the retired CEO of one of Minnesota's largest non-profit mental health agencies, People Incorporated. He was among Suz…

An Interview with Soto Zen Priest David Isurushin Shapiro. David Shapiro is a Zen priest in the Clear Mind Zen lineage which flows through pioneering Soto Zen priest Sōyū Matsuoka Roshi. He received Dharma Transmission from John Shoji Sorensen Roshi and lives and practices in Reno, Nevada. He is a retired rehabilitation specialist and has worked wi…

Tatsudo Nicole Baden is a Dharma Successor of Zentatsu Baker Roshi in the Dharma Sangha Soto Zen Lineage. She has been practicing Zen since 2001 and received Dharma Transmission in 2017. She graduated as a psychologist from the University of Oldenburg in 2008. She also trained at the ‘School for Body Mind Centering’ for four years. Since 2009 she h…

Hozan Alan Senauke is a Soto Zen priest, Zen teacher, folk musician and poet residing at the Berkeley Zen Center, where he currently serves as Abbot. He is a former Executive Director of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship (BPF), holding that position from 1991 to 2001. Senauke received Dharma transmission from his teacher Sojun Mel Weitsman in 1998 duri…

Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik Roshi is the Abbot of the Buddhist Temple of Toledo. He received Dharma Transmission from Rev. James Myoun Ford Roshi in 2014. He begain his practice in 1987 with John Daido Loori Roshi at the Zen Mountain Monastery in New York and received jukai from him in 1998. He later studied with Daido Loori's dharma heir Bonnie Myotai Tr…

Seiso Paul Cooper is the guiding the guiding teacher for the Two Rivers Zen Community and also for the Realizational Practice Studies Project. He was ordained as a priest and received dharma transmission from Soto priest Sojun Diane Martin. Seiso is also a practicing psychoanalyst and is the author of numerous books including his most recent: "Psyc…

Rev. Edward Keido Sanshin Oberholtzer is a Soto Zen priest and a Dharma heir of James Myuon Ford, Roshi. Edward is a member of Empty Moon Zen, and has practiced Zen for the past twenty years. He is the head teacher of the Joseph Priestley Zen Community. More About Edward: - https://www.josephpriestleyzen.com/ - https://www.emptymoonzen.org/ More Ab…

Taylor Guthrie is Doctoral Student and teacher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Oregon. He runs the The Cellular Republic Youtube channel that makes neuroscience accessible without being dumbed down. In this podcast episode we explore the "Social Self" and its relationship to Buddhism and suffering. Talor's Channel: https://www.…

Shana Smith is an assistant Zen teacher under Valerie Forstman in the Sanbo Zen tradition and a long time Yoga teacher. She is the facilitator of Florida Sanbo Zen and she continues her studies under Henry Shukman, Valerie Forstman and Ruben Habito. She is additionally an author and singer songwriter. More about Shana Smith: - https://oaktreeintheg…

David Jitsusan Vititoe has been practicing Zen since 2005 and received Dharma Transmission from Fusho Roshi in 2019. Dave is a Lay Monk in the Open Mind Zen school and is a current member of the Lay Zen Teacher’s Association. He currently lives in Melbourne, Florida. More about David and Open Mind Zen: - https://openmindzenmelbourne.com/ More about…

A high-level look at how and why the brain creates a sense of self-identity and how this relates to the Buddhist concept of the five aggregates. We also explore why having a self-identity can lead to pervasive human discontentment. For more on the Simplicity Zen Podcast: - https://simplicityzen.com/Af Simplicity Zen

Marc Lesser is a Soto Zen priest and head teacher of Mill Valley Zen in Marin County California. He was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for 10 years including director of Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He received dharma transmission in the Shunryū Suzuki lineage by Dairyu Michael Wenger. Marc is a speaker, facilitator, workshop leader, …

Zen, Martial Arts, Budo and Shugyo - An interview with Rinzai Zen Practitioner Jim Tabor Jim Tabor is longtime Rinzai Zen practitioner and a founding board member of the Korinji Rinzai Zen monastery Foundation. He is one of the moderators of the Rinzai Zen Discussion group on Facebook. In addition to Zen training, Jim has been a practitioner of cla…

Ruben Habito Roshi is the founding teacher of the Maria Kan-non Zen Center. He is a former Jesuit priest and now a Zen teacher practicing in the Sanbo Zen lineage which was founded by Yaustani Roshi in Japan. He received Dharma transmission from Yamada Koun in 1988. He is a faculty member at Southern Methodists University Perkins School of Theology…

Dr. Jud Brewer, a practicing Buddhist, is the director of mindfulness research as well as a professor at Brown University. Additionally, he is the executive medical director of behavioral health at a digital healthcare company called Sharecare. He has published numerous scientific studies as well as two books. Those books are the Craving Mind and U…

Corey Hess is a longtime Rinzai Zen practitioner who studied with renowned Zen master Shodo Harada Roshi in Japan. He maintains the Zen Embodiment website, The Energy Collective practice group and the Internal Process with Corey Hess Facegroup. Corey joins us for a second time and this episode we discuss non-directed body movement, Qigong, energy w…

Doug Kraft is a Buddhist teacher, Counselor, author and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. He has a Masters in Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley. His most recent book is "Resting in the Waves". In this podcast episode we discuss his practice journey and explore various topics pertaining to what science tells us abo…

Gregory Wonderwheel is a prolific translator of Buddhist scriptures and an apprentice Zen teacher under Daniel Terragno at the Rocks and Clouds Zendo in Sebastopol, California. https://wonderwheels.blogspot.com/ Simplicity Zen Podcast: https://simplicityzen.com/Af Simplicity Zen

Tony Wallin-Sato is a Zen practitioner, author, poet, program director for Project Rebound (a program to help formally incarcerated individuals succeed in the CSU system) and a board member of the Boundless Freedom Project (an organization that brings Dharma and mindfulness to incarcerated individuals). Tony generously shares his inspirational stor…

An interview with Rinzai priest and Zen teacher Sozui Schubert. Sozui Schubert is the teacher at Hidden Valley Zen Center in San Marcos California. She was ordained by legendary Zen Mater Shodo Harada Roshi and studied with him for decades at Sogen-ji, his monastery in Okayama, Japan. At the instructions of of her teacher, she has helped establish …

Rafe Jnan Martin began Zen practice in 1970 and is a lay transmitted koan teacher who received Inka from Danan Henry Roshi in 2012. In 2016 Rafe received Full Dharma Transmission as an independent teacher and Dharma Heir of Danan Henry Roshi. He has been a student of various teachers in the Harada/Yasutani line including Danan Henry Roshi, Philip K…

An interview discussion that explores the science of Zen. Neil Schmitzer-Torbert is a Professor of Psychology at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN where he teaches courses and conducts research on memory and learning. He is a Zen practitioner and runs a website called the "Neural Buddhist" which explores the intersection of Zen and neuroscience.…

Heather Shoren Iarusso is currently the director and head of practice for San Francisco Zen Center’s online practice center. She moved to Tassajara in 2008 where she lived for a total of seven years while completing twelve, 90-day practice periods. At Tassajara she served such roles as Ino (head of the meditation hall), Tenzo (Head Cook), Shika (Gu…

Mark Doyu Albin was a longtime student of the legendary Rinzai Zen Master Shodo Harada Roshi in Japan. After a long period of monastic Zen practice he is now practicing as a shiatsu therapist, meditation guide, mentor, and translator. Mark lives in Southern Germany. https://www.markalbin.com/en/ https://simplicityzen.com/…

Note: Sorry about Jiryu's sound being a bit muddy. I have improved it as much as I can. Jiryu Rutschman-Byler is a Soto Zen Buddhist priest and teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, with dharma transmission from Sojun Mel Weitsman. He lives and teaches at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, where he served as Tanto (Head of Practice) and is slat…

Tim Ryuko Langdell is a board-certified hospice chaplain and is both the head priest and guiding teacher at the StillCenter Zen Center in Pasadena, California.His dharma name, Ryuko, means “Dragon Tiger.” He holds an Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology and a Ph.D. in Psychology from University College London. He is an author of sev…

Mary Mocine is the founder of and head priest at Clear Water Zendo in Vallejo California. She was priest ordained by Sojun Mel Weitsman in 1994, was Shuso (or head student) at Tassajara monastery in 1998 and received Dharma Transmission in 2005. She practiced professionally as a lawyer and has offered mindfulness retreats at Tassajara and at Spirit…

Here is the same Guogu Interview but with the audio fixed. The volumes between me and Guogu have been normalized by a software transform. If you tried listening before but the volume changes were too distracting, please give this a try.Af Simplicity Zen

Yujiro Seki is the director, cinematographer and editor of the upcoming documentary titled “Carving the Divine - Buddhist Sculptors of Japan” which explores the ancient practice of wood carving Buddhist statues in Japan called Busshi. Today Yujiro is launching a crowdfunding campaign to fund the release of this film to the general public. I was abl…

Guogu is a Chan teacher, author, and Buddhist scholar. He is the founder and teacher of the Tallahassee Chan Center. He is a professor of Religion at Florida State Univeristy. He received inka from legendary Chan teacher Sheng yen. More on Guogu and the Tallahassee Chan Center: - https://tallahasseechan.org/ - https://guogulaoshi.com/ More on Simpl…

Deborah Eden Tull is the founder of Mindful Living Revolution. She is a Zen meditation and engaged dharma teacher, public speaker, author, and sustainability educator. She trained for seven and a half years as a Buddhist monk at a silent Zen monastery and has taught engaged dharma for over 20 years. She is an author of multiple books with her most …

Shaku Kojyu is the abbot of the Daishu-in West Rinzai Zen temple in rural Northern California. He came to Daishu-in West in 2007 and was ordained in Kyoto the following spring. He practiced traditional Rinzai Zen at the training halls in Daitoku-ji and Kosho-ji for ten years before returning to America. More about Shaku: - https://daishuinwest.org/…

Taiun Michael Elliston began practicing Zen in 1966 With Matsuoka-Roshi at the Chicago Zen Buddhist Temple. He was ordained as a Zen priest in 1970 by Matsuoka-Roshi and in 1983 received full Dharma transmission. Has also studied with Sayrin Barbara Kohn of the Austin Zen Center and Shohaku Okumura of the Sanshin Zen Community. He is the founder an…

Scott Thorton is a long time Zen practitioner in the Sanbo Zen tradition where he is an assistant teacher. He has been as student of Ruben Habito Roshi at Maria Kannon Zen Center in Dallas Texas for 22 years and now is a member of Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe New Mexico where he lead to residency program. He is a musician and a professiona…

David Chadwick began his Zen study under Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in 1966. Ordained as a Zen priest in 1971, he later wrote Suzuki's biography, “Crooked Cucumber”, as well as “Thank You and OK!: An American Zen Failure in Japan”. With a great deal of help, Chadwick is poo-bah of Cuke Archives (http://cuke.com/), preserving the legacy of Shunryu Suzuki …