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 independently teach Zen. He is a koan student of Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell in the Open Mind Zen School and was authorized by him as an Assistant...

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 Everyday Zen Foundation, and received Preceptor Transmission in the White Plum Lineage from Roshi Egyoku Nakao. Salt Springs Zen...

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 ZCLA in 2001 and began her studies with Roshi Egyoku.  She joined ZCLA’s staff as Program Steward in 2010 and the Teacher’s Circle in 2016.  Sensei...

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 transmission from Sevan Ross, a Dharma successor to James Myoun Ford Roshi.   Teshin recently received Inka from James Myoun Ford Roshi, completing...

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://ordinarymind.com.au/ More about Simplicity Zen Podcast: https://simplicityzen.com/

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 from Adam: https://mindfuljudaism.com/ More about Simplicity Zen Podcast: https://simplicityzen.com/

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 Stephen: https://music.unt.edu/faculty-and-staff/stephen-slottow More about Simplicity Zen: https://simplicityzen.com/

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 wop quartet, The Alley Cats. Chowa is also on the management team for Duwara Consciousness Foundation, which provides services for San Diegans...

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 American Zen Teachers Association, White Plum Asanga, and Soto Zen Buddhist Association. He serves on the Board of Directors at the Soto Zen...

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 leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those...

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 in downtown Oakland.  She was a board member of the San Francisco Zen Center.  In September 2015 she received an honorary Doctor of Sacred...

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 priest training in temple's monk hall or sodo).   Additionally, he practiced in monasteries in South Korea. He is currently serving at Enso House, a Zen...

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 Center and the Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group (SBMG).  At SMBG she has been board president, serves on the scheduling committee and has...

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 the Brooklyn Zen Center and is a member of the teaching faculties at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in California and the Union Theological...

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 in Sanshinji lineage of Okumura Roshi.  He has worked as a chaplain to prison inmates and the homeless population. More about Shinko: -...

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 Suzuki Roshi's and Katagiri Roshi's first students and received dharma transmission from Sekijun Karen Sunna in the Katagiri lineage in 2000.  He...

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 with many vulnerable populations including disabled veterans and disadvantaged teens. More about Simplicity Zen Podcast: -...

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 has been living and practicing either at the Crestone Mountain Zen Center or at the Zen Buddhist Center Schwarzwald (ZBZS) in Germany. At present,...

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 during a ceremony at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.  He is founder of the Clear View Project which provides Buddhist-based resources for relief and...

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 Treace. He is also a professional Jazz Musician and Aikido teacher. More About Jay: - https://www.buddhisttempleoftoledo.org/ More about the...

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: "Psychoanalysis and Zen Buddhism" which was published March 1st of this year. - https://tworiverszen.org/teachers/ -...

 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 About Simplicity Zen Podcast: - https://simplicityzen.com/ 

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.youtube.com/ @thecellularrepublic9844  Simplicity Zen Podcast: https://simplicityzen.com/ Science of Zen: https://scienceofzen.org/

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://oaktreeinthegarden.com/ - https://www.facebook.com/events/2836011783210449/2897603463717947 More about the Simplicity Zen Podcast: -...