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 Teacher in June 2023. Simplicity Zen Podcast: https://simplicityzen.com ..read more

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 Circle: https://saltspringzencircle.org/ Simplicity Zen Podcast: https://simplicityzen.com ..read more

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 Senshin was empowered as Dharma Holder in 2018 and was empowered as an independent Zen teacher ..read more

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 his formal Zen training.  He is a member of the American Zen Teachers Association.  T ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 experiencing houselessness. More about Sweetwater Zen Center: https://swzc.org/ More about Simplici ..read more

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 Buddhist Association, New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care and Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.&n ..read more

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 seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society’s reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia ..read more