Simplicity Zen Podcast

Our guest in this episode is Mitra Bishop Roshi. She received a B.A. from Indiana University, raised two children, and worked in graphic, interior, and architectural design for many years. She first encountered Buddhism while living in Asia. She was ordained at the Rochester Zen Center, where she lived and practiced for many years and received dharma transmission from Kapleau Roshi. Afterwards she traveled to Sogen-ji in Japan to practice under the guidance of the Zen master, Harada Shodo Roshi. She currently lives in New Mexico, where she has founded Mountain Gate. For more information about Mitra Roshi and Mountain Gate: https://www.sanmonjizen.org/ For online Zen training and podcasts: https://simplicityzen.com/

Note: This is the second upload for this episode. The first one just the ending portion of the interview. This is the full version. Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi began practicing daily meditation in 1976. Since then, he has studied Buddhism extensively—investigating and engaging in Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, and Western non-dual traditions. He was authorized to teach in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in 2007 and the Zen Buddhist schools of Soto and Rinzai in 2022. Mugen is a senior student of Roshi Mark Sando Mininberg and a transmitted teacher in the White Plum Asanga—the body of teachers in the Maezumi-roshi lineage. For more on Stephen and his teachings: https://awakeningdharma.org/ Online Zen podcasts and Zen training : https://simplicityzen.com/

Carolyn Seburn is an authorized Dharma successor of Sei’un Roselyn Stone Rôshi of the Mountain Moon Sangha in Toronto and Brisbane. She has been practicing Zen meditation since 1985 and guiding Zen practice since 2015. Married, and parent to two young adults, Carolyn is also a retired wildlife conservation biologist. Carolyn is also appointed a Zen teacher with Sanbo Zen International and is on the teaching staff of Mountain Cloud Zen Centre. For more information on Carolyn to contact her, please visit: https://mountainmoonottawa.org/ For Zen podcasts and online training, visit https://simplicityzen.com/

In this dharma talk by Berry Crawford we will look at the practical ways that Zen allows us to deal with emotionally difficult situations in daily life. For more Zen interviews, dharma talks and online Zen training, visit: https://simplicityzen.com/

Peter Coyote is an actor, narrator, writer and Soto Zen priest. He was ordained as a Zen Priest in 2015 and received dharma transmission in 2016 from Chikudo Lewis Richmond in the Soto tradition of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. For more podcast episodes and online Zen training visit: https://simplicityzen.com/

A conversation with pioneering Zen practitioner and leader Hugh Curran. In this episode we have a conversation with Hugh Curran. He is longtime practitioner, Zen retreat leader and professor of Peace and Reconciliation Studies at the University of Maine. Hugh was a key player in the early years of the transmission of the Harada/Yasutani lineage to North American and offers fascinating insight into this pivotal era. For more Zen podcasts and online Zen training, visit https://simplicityzen.com/

Genpo Roshi is Zen teacher who has trained in and taught within both the White Plum school of Buddhism. He was ordained as a Zen monk in October 1973 under Taizan Maezumi Roshi at the Zen Center of Los Angeles where he later served as Director. In September 1980, he received Dharma transmission as Maezumi Roshi's second successor, and he later received Inka from Bernie Glassman in 1996, making him Glassman's first Inka successor. Over the decades, Merzel has founded and led several prominent Zen organizations. He established the Kanzeon International Sangha in 1982, was installed as the Abbot of Hosshinji Temple in Maine in 1988, created the Big Mind Process in 1999 and served as the President of the White Plum Asanga from 1996 until 2007. For more Zen Podcast interviews and online Zen training you can visit: https://simplicityzen.com/

In this dharma talk we look at the critical importance of attention in Zen Buddhist practice. Gambo Kyogan 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, he became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson under whom he eventually received shiho (2022) and Inka Shomei (2025) in the lineage of Soto priest Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. He has also completed the Open Mind Zen koan curriculum under Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was given dharma transmission in that lineage in 2025. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center where he serves as President. For more Zen podcasts and Online Zen training options visit: https://simplicityzen.com

In this dharma talk we explore the differences between desire vs craving in Buddhism. Gambo Kyogan 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, he became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson under whom he eventually received shiho (2022) and Inka Shomei (2025) in the lineage of Soto priest Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. He has also completed the Open Mind Zen koan curriculum under Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was given dharma transmission in that lineage in 2025. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center where he serves as Vice President. For more Zen podcasts and Online Zen training options : https://simplicityzen.com

In this episode with Kokyo we discuss various topics like solo Zen retreats, koan training, Dzogchen, psychedelics and his hermitage. Kokyo Henkel has been practicing Zen since 1990, in residence at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, No Abode Hermitage in Mill Valley, Bukkokuji Monastery in Japan, and Santa Cruz Zen Center. He was ordained as a Zen priest in 1994 by Tenshin Anderson Roshi and received Dharma Transmission from him in 2010. Kokyo has also been practicing with the Tibetan Dzogchen (“Great Completeness”) teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche since 2003, in California, Colorado, and Kathmandu, as well as other Tibetan teachers in the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions, completing Vajrayana ngondro (foundational practices) in 2020. Kokyo's retreat near Tassajara, called Bright Window Hermitage, welcomes Buddhist practitioners of all traditions. For info about practicing with Kokyo at his hermitage: https://brightwindowhermitage.weebly.... For general information about Kokyo: https://kokyohenkel.weebly.com/ Visit https://simplicityzen.com/ for zen podcast episodes and online Zen training.

Seiso Paul Cooper is an ordained priest and a transmitted teacher in the lineage of Dainin Katagiri. He has practiced and studied in both the Soto and the Rinzai traditions. He began his formal practice in 1980 and received Dharma transmission from Sojun Diane Martin Roshi. He is the founder and former guiding teacher of the Two Rivers Zen Community in Narrowsburg, NY. He currently lives in Barry, Vermont where he founded and leads the Barre Zen Meditation Center. He teaches and practices the shakuhachi as a Zen arts practice. Seiso is a psychoanalyst and maintains a private practice working as a supervisor with therapists in training and with individuals and couples in Montpelier, Vt. He is a published author and his most recent book is entitled “Zen Master Yueh Shan & Thinking's Bad Rap: A practitioners guide”. More about Paul's Book: https://www.hohmpress.com/products/zen-master-yueh-shan-thinkings-bad-rap Visit https://simplicityzen.com/ for Zen podcast episodes and online Zen training .

This a recorded Simplicity Zen Dharma talk by Gambo Kyogan Berry Crawford on the topic of "Showing Up". More information about Simplicity Zen Here: https://simplicityzen.com/ Podcasts Dharma Talks Online Zen Training Speaker Bio: Gambo Kyogan 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, he became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson under whom he eventually received shiho (2022) and Inka Shomei (2025) in the lineage of Soto priest Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. He has also completed the Open Mind Zen koan curriculum under Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was given dharma transmission in that lineage in 2025. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center where he serves as Vice President.

Stephen a long time Zen koan practitioner and a professor of music theory at the University of North Texas. He was a professional fiddler and banjo player and an author of a book on the Americanization of Zen Chanting. This is part 2 of our discussion. You can find our earlier conversation as part of this podcast series. For more on the Simplicity Zen Podcast : https://simplicityzen.com/

In this talk we explore how to work with the Zen Bodhisattva Precepts using an inquiry approach. Speaker Bio: Gambo Kyogan 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, he became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson under whom he eventually received shiho (2022) and Inka Shomei (2025) in the lineage of Soto priest Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. He has also completed the Open Mind Zen koan curriculum under Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was given dharma transmission in that lineage in 2025. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center where he serves as Vice President. More Zen podcast episodes and online Zen training : https://simplicityzen.com/

James Ishmael Ford is a Zen teacher and semi-retired Unitarian Universalist minister. He has dharma transmission from Houn Jiyu Kennett and Inka Shomei from John Nanryu Ji'un-ken Tarrant. He is the guiding teacher of the Empty Moon Sangha. For more about James: - http://www.jamesishmaelford.com/ For more about Simplicity Zen Podcast : - https://simplicityzen.com/

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/

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/

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 and Preceptor in 2019. She is a member of the Lay Zen Teachers Association (LZTA), the American Zen Teachers Association (AZTA), the White Plum Asanga (WPA) and the Zen Peacemaker’s Order of Disorder. Currently, she is a professional actor, comedic performer and writer. More about Katherine and ZCLA: https://zcla.org/ More about the Simplicity Zen Podcast : https://simplicityzen.com/

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. Teshin also served as the Buddhist Chaplain for the University of Rochester for 5 years. Along with his work at the NCZC, Teshin works as a psychotherapist and is trained in Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. More about Teshin: https://nczencenter.org/ More about the Simplicity Zen Podcast : https://simplicityzen.com/

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/