Good Zen Teachers in America 

Sad to hear of Zuiko's passing. I sat with her in Cedar Rapids several times. She had a little three legged orange cat who snuggled up in the sleeves of her robe. Good memories... 🙏

Perfect timing! I told my son about you and how you mentioned you liked Shohaku Okumura. As a Muslim with Sufi leanings, I find that you and Shohaku Okumura help me express aspects of Islam and Islamic spirituality better. Approaching Islam as a practice rather than a 'religion' maybe be closer to how the path was intended to be lived.

I also stay away from institutions. I followed a teacher, btw, that insisted that there be no formal institution and hierarchy. It was a small, extremely private group and focused on mostly Chinese Ch’an teachings. The thing was that in absence of a formal hierarchy, guess who’s the boss? And that boss can slip up and be a dictator in a moment of indiscretion. I was asked to leave, but believe me, it was mutual at that point. There’s no recourse in that case, just judgment coming from one direction -and with finality. Not what you think of as compassionate, and I strongly feel it didn’t come from a good place. Still, I counted my blessings, of which there were many, and felt wonderful freedom of beginners mind. Something was freed then. Grateful, for sure, but would not go back.

Your video about ones thoughts simply being thoughts is enough for you to make this list!

Cedar Rapids Zen Center is currently searching for a resident teacher (as per the website)

Julie was her birth name and Tsugen Narasaki Roshi was her teacher.

Ive often called what you describe as "institutional ego." I've also seen it undermine practice environments.

Another insightful talk. Very helpful. You weave it all together! And thank you Ziggy. signed, Actively investigating ordination.. Syracuse NY From Cleveland Once lived in Youngstown Have been to Barberton and Akron.. and have your books

I also wanted to tell you that Bhuddism I noticed that a majority of Bhuddism is marketed as a self help and talks about self help topics which is very similar to a Mega church style sermon.

You're talking about Egregores from Western Occult Terminology. That a Group ov people will have a Personality for the Group, almost as if there was a Entity Created when the Group came together.

Hey, I have an idea: how about opening a small zen center near downtown LA? Regards to Ziggy.

Actually, a great video. Viva Ziggy!!

Very informative upload. Perhaps i will check out the Cedar Rapids Zen Center sometime.

every zen center i have seen runs into contested control of the institution at some point with vicious insider fighting this, imo, is a general characteristic of religious institutions and what you might expect given the usual emphasis on social control

Something I've always wondered about is if in Japan/China there are many different Zen 'Orders'? Here they usually organising around a specific teacher but within the same school? e.g. in Europ/US we have 'Mountains and Rivers Order', ' 'Order of Buddhist Contemplatives', 'Soto Zen Buddhist Association' etc... - they are all Soto Zen but acting independently as different institutions?! im not saying its good or bad and im glad that western Zen is doing its own thing but wondering how this compares to how things are/have been organised in Japan/China?

Best to the magnificent Ziggy

Thank you for this! Know any good places in Las Vegas?

Yeah prolly never gonna have a real zen teacher or sangha unless it just happens so i'll just happily zentertain myself

Hey, to indulge in dualism for a minute, what's the best organization in the world do you reckon? If asked, i'd prolly say it starts at bad and goes downhill from there, but what's your perspective?

Was the Led Zeppelin book any good?

9:00: "Some of the best Zen teachers are those you never heard of." Right. Like, who's heard of Chaitanya Peter Cutler? I asked him if he would like to meet you, but he is perfectly content. No need to meet anyone. A Good Zen Teacher in America? Yes. Does he care so few attend his classes? Not at all.

Ziggy has energy....good! (Better than me!)

I dunno... some people are really good at selling people meditation, I think theres a place for that... as long as there are also deep practitioners and teachers...

When you have sh*t on yhe tip of your nose, everything smells like sh*t! True story!😂

A good Zen teacher would be someone who teaches the importance of physical flexibility and the classic source texts...not their own ideas or ideas that have become associated with Zen over the last few decades. That would exclude... 1. Anything political. 2. Any reference to living in the 'present moment'...which is what insects and people with Alzheimer's do. None of this is taught in any Sutra. 3. Anything based on temporal trends or personal preferences. Buddhist truth is eternal and universal...meaning it doesnt change from year to year or person to person. 4. Any notion of a 'goalless' practice. Again, this is a recent development in Buddhism hatched by people who want an excuse for attaining nothing and just generally being lazy.

Have you ever studied Ken Wilber ?

I like the concept of teacher, not a leader. I prefer to be alone, since institutional religion also repulses me, unconsciously makes the upper lip curl in judgement. You come to your teacher for lessons to practice in the real world so you can learn to adapt to your conditions. "Before enlightenment chop wood, carry water, after enlightenment chop wood, carry water."

Get better Ziggy!

Hopefully he didn't get stung or bitten by something

yes Brad, I agree that Sotoshu is a horrible institution,; they are more like yakuza than disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni

Pema Chodron, Daido Lori 🙏🏻 and his successor Shogun Arnold, I've oft wished to encounter their practice... ❤️🌎🙏🏻

In my experience there really are no good teachers- just good teaching. If you place a "teacher" in isolation with no other people, then are they even a teacher? Good teaching arises between a "student" and a "teacher" when the dynamic is right. Im not trying to be all Zen here. I saw this in school and technical college. I may depend to a degree on the student's energy. Are you stuck and looking for direction or on a path already and looking to gather "wisdom" along the way?

Zen centers should have a drive-thru and offer fries and coke with their enlightenment.

"For me its the only tradition...but a lot of that has to do with the individual people I met." Defining a whole tradition by association with a few individuals you happen to like???

You equate customer and patient - why do you think they are the same ?