Densho Quintero Interview

Densho Quintero is a Soto Zen priest and Dharma heir of Shohaku Okumura-roshi (head teacher of Sanshin Zen Community in Bloomington Indiana and Director of the Soto Zen Buddhism International Center). Densho is the director of the Daishin Temple of the Soto Zen Community of Colombia in Bogotá. He started practicing in 1984 and received monk ordination in France in 1987. In 1989, he founded in Bogota a center for the diffusion and practice of Soto Zen. In October 2001, he received Tokudo and the name of Densho in Antaiji, by the abbot Ven. Shinyu Miyaura. After Miyaura Roshi’s death in February 2002, he became student of Shohaku Okumura Roshi. In December 2007 he completed the ceremony of Hossenshiki in Sao Paulo Brazil, with Rev. Dosho Saikawa Sokan. He translated the Book Opening the hand of Thought by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi into Spanish, published in Editorial Kairós in Barcelona Spain in 2009. In November 2006 he published the book Conciencia zen (Spanish Edition) (Zen Consciousness) with Editorial Albatros from Argentina. In March 2009, he received Dharma Transmission from Okumura Roshi. In 2009 he did Zuisse at the two main temples of the Soto Zen School, Eiheiji and Sojiji. He is a full member of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association of North America.

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Ven. Eshu Martin Interview

Eshu Martin has been the guiding force behind the Victoria Zen Centre since his arrival in Victoria in 1995. Ordained by Kyozan Joshu Sasaki Roshi in January 1999, Eshu practiced in the Rinzai-ji lineage of Rinzai zen until February 2008. His continuous practice is complemented by his extensive front-line experience both with youth in the care of the Ministry for Children and Family Development, and most recently with Mental Health and Addictions Services for the Vancouver Island Health Authority. Since November of 2005, Eshu has been dedicated full-time to the practice and development of the Victoria Zen Centre and the Buddhist community on Vancouver Island.

Eshu is also committed to increasing awareness of, and creating more opportunities for, Buddhist practice in the Greater Victoria area. To this end he is the Buddhist Chaplain at the University of Victoria’s Interfaith Chaplaincy, is the past chair of the World Interfaith Education Association (BC) and has been a committee member on the Vancouver Island Health Authority’s Spirituality in Mental Health and Addictions Initiative. A thank you to Eshu Martin for his participation.

On the web: http://www.zenwest.ca/

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Zen Master Soeng Hyang Interview

Zen Master Soeng Hyang (Barbara Rhodes) is the School Zen Master and Guiding Dharma Teacher of the Kwan Um School of Zen. She received dharma transmission from Zen Master Seung Sahn on October 10, 1992. She was one of Zen Master Seung Sahn’s first American students and studied with him since 1972. She was given inka in 1977. A registered nurse since 1969, she works for Hospice Care of Rhode Island. She helped found Providence Zen Center, and lived there for seventeen years, serving in a number of administrative capacities. Zen Master Soeng Hyang has a daughter and lives with her partner, Mary, in Providence.

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Manfred Steger Interview

Manfred Steger is a Zen teacher currently in retirement, authorized to teach by Robert Aitken-roshi of the Diamond Sangha. He co-led the Princeton Area Zen Group with his partner Perle Besserman and is the author of the book Grassroots Zen.

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Mary Mocine Interview

Mary Mocine is a Soto Zen priest in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi currently leading the Vallejo Zen Center (Clear Water Zendo) in Vallejo, California. A Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman of the Berkeley Zen Center, Mary began her Zen practice in 1988 at Berkeley Zen Center and Green Gulch Farm after 18 years of practicing law. I’d like to thank Mary for participating in this project.

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Zen Master Wu Kwang Interview

Zen master Wu Kwang (born Richard Shrobe) is a Zen teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen, a dharma heir of the late Zen master Seung Sahn. He currently serves as Guiding teacher of the Chogye International Zen Center of New York and at Three Treasures Zen Center of Oneonta. Before coming to Zen practice, Shrobe studied with Swami Satchidananda and lived for four years at the Integral Yoga Institute in New York. He holds an MA in social work and studied Gestalt therapy for six years, including some time training with Laura Perls. He has taught psychiatry and Gestalt at the university level and also did undegraduate studies in music, studying piano some of that time under the legendary jazz pianist Barry Harris. To date he has authored two books: Open Mouth Already a Mistake (1997) and Don’t Know Mind: The Spirit of Korean Zen (2004).

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Steve Hagen Interview

Steve Hagen has been a student of Buddhist thought and practice since 1967. In 1975 he became a student of Dainin Katagiri Roshi in Minneapolis and was ordained in 1979. He has studied with teachers in the U.S., Asia, and Europe, and in 1989 received transmission (endorsement to teach) from Katagiri Roshi. He is currently head teacher at Dharma Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A thanks to Steve for participating.

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