Zenju was raised in the Church of Christ where she was an avid reader of the Bible and adored the true teachings on Christ’s path well into adulthood. She also participated in ceremony with Ifá diviners from Dahomey, Africa and studied Yoruba. She holds a Ph.D. and formally worked for decades as a social science researcher, development director for non-profit organizations and those serving women and girls, cultural arts, and mental health.
She is the dharma heir of Buddha and the late Zenkei Blanche Hartman (in photo) in the Shunryu Suzuki Roshi lineage through the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC). She was Shuso (head Student) with Kiku Christina Lehnherr and her Dharma Transmission was completed by Shosan Victoria Austin. Zenju’s practice is influenced by Native American and African indigenous traditions.
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In this interview, we will be asking important questions such as:
What does Zen mean to you?
How is the Zen different/unique from other sects of Buddhism?
What kind of expectation do people have when they come to Zen practice?
What is the difference between therapy and dharma?
Is it wrong to look for spirituality in Zen?
What does “Zen is good for nothing” mean?
What are the benefits of Zen?
When do we see the benefit of Zen?
What is the difference between shikantaza and zazen?
What is the right posture of zazen? What the purpose of staring at the wall while sitting? What is the story behind “the white wall”?
How many hours do you expect to meditate if you are a beginner and how many hours do you meditate?
How could zen help to overcome difficult circumstances/situations such as discrimination (racism/sexism/homophobia)?
How can we do simple Zen meditation at home? Or can we do it?