Monthly Archives: April 2023

Bread Loaf Mountain, Vermont Joshin Byrnes is the founder and Guiding Teacher of the Bread Loaf Mountain Zen Community in Vermont. He is also active in Bernie Glassman’s “Zen Peacemakers” and continues the tradition of Street Retreats that Bernie had conducted, bringing Zen practitioners to live among the homeless in urban centers Joshin’s life storyContinue reading “Joshin Byrnes”

Endless Path Zendo, Rochester, NY Rafe Martin’s Endless Path Zendo is located three blocks from the famous Rochester Zen Center established by Philip Kapleau. “You went toe-to-toe with the Kapleau people?” I ask, in surprise. “No,” he assures me. “My wife and Roshi Kapleau and I were very, very close. His daughter says we wereContinue reading “Rafe Martin”

Dharma Rain, Portland, Oregon Gyokuko Carlson is the retired abbot of the Dharma Rain Zen Center in Portland, Oregon, which she co-founded with her husband Kyogen Carlson, who died in 2014. The two met at Shasta Abbey, the primary teaching center of the Soto teacher, Jiyu Kennett. Although Gyokuko served as Kennett’s attendant for aContinue reading “Gyokuko Carlson”

Benevolent Zen Sangha, Providence James Córdova was a member of the Boundless Way community in New England, which – as he puts it – “sort of split apart, and then I was affiliated with Greater Boston Zen Center for a while, and then we sort of split apart from them, and now we’re doing anotherContinue reading “James Córdova”