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Simplicity Zen Podcast

Simplicity Zen

A Podcast About Zen, Buddhism and Mindfulness. Episodes of this podcast will focus on Zen practitioner interviews, Buddhist and Zen history and investigations of the intersection between Zen and science. Podcast website: https://simplicityzen.com/

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  • 33 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 14 min
  • English

Episodes 33

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  • S1 · E97
    April 7 · 1 hr 46 min

    Ep 97 - Zen Interview with Kokyo Henkel #2 (Zen Podcast)

    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.

  • S1 · E96
    March 18 · 50 min

    Ep 96 - Zen Interview with Seiso Paul Cooper #2 (Zen Podcast)

    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.

  • S1 · E94
    March 3 · 41 min

    Ep. 95 - "Showing Up" (Zen Dharma Talk)

    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.

  • S1 · E94
    February 24 · 2 hr 20 min

    Ep 94 - Zen Interview with Stephen Slottow Part II (Zen Podcast)

    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/

  • S1 · E93
    February 17 · 50 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Ep. 93 - Zen Inquiry with the Bodhisattva Precepts (Dharma Talk)

    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/

  • S1 · E92
    February 11 · 1 hr 22 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 92 - An Interview with James Ishmael Ford (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

  • S1 · E91
    Jan 5, 2024 · 1 hr 18 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 91 - An Interview with Gambo Berry Crawford (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

  • S1 · E90
    Dec 8, 2023 · 1 hr 26 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 90 - An Interview with Peter Levitt (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

  • #89
    Nov 18, 2023 · 1 hr 11 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 89 - An Interview with Katherine Daiki Senshin Griffith (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

  • S1 · E88
    Oct 27, 2023 · 1 hr 45 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 88 - An Interview with Teshin Matthew Sweger (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

  • S1 · E87
    Oct 21, 2023 · 1 hr 23 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 87 - An Interview with Dr Sono Andrew Tootell (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

  • S1 · E86
    Oct 6, 2023 · 1 hr 31 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 86 - An Interview with Adam Fogel (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

  • S1 · E85
    Sep 29, 2023 · 2 hr 38 min

    Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 85 - An Interview with Stephen Slottow (The Zen Lamp Series)

    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/

Showing 21–33 of 33 episodes