Rev Gengyoku Tim Wicks is a disciple of Abbott Rinso Ed Sattizahn and has been practicing at San Francisco Zen Center since 2001. He was priest ordained in 2014. Tim is a leader of the Meditation and Recovery sangha, working with people in addiction recovery.
He was trained by Zenkei Blanche Hartman in sewing buddha's robe and is a sewing teacher at San Francisco City Center.
Tim is a fine artist who lives and works in San Francisco.
Joe Hall is Tanto (practice leader) at Jikoji Zen Center. His energy is enthusiastically focused on the nexus between Lay Practice and the Monastic world and he is fascinated by the ways in which we interpret the world and the means by which physical motion trains the mind. He wakes up in the morning excited to witness the ongoing birth of American Zen. His favorite words are Sublime, Exquisite, and Ravissant.
Junsei Jana Drakka runs a 'street ministry' - popularly known as 'The Zendo Without Walls'- taking the Dharma teachings of loving kindness and total acceptance out of the temples and into the streets. Teaching in shelters, hospices and low-income hotels offers the possibility of peace of mind to all without exception. Junsei travels widely sharing 'Harm Reduction Meditation' in universities, zen centers, hospitals and shelters.
Eric and Ying will talk about nature and the dharma. At 18, Ying arrived in the U.S from China. Now she leads design efforts for emerging markets at LinkedIn. She’s also a translator and interpreter, and an experiential and outdoor educator. She has traveled to five continents and 30 countries, always affirmed by people's relationship with the environment they live in--their creativity and spirituality in everyday life. At a young age she envisioned a world without borders and is constantly inspired by the next generation.
Eric Remington was an early student of Kobun, Jikoji's Founder, in the early 1970s. After years spent studying with Kobun and founding a school for children, Eric was ordained and subsequently trained at Tasajara Monastery for a year. He became a biologist and naturalist before living for several years in the desert, and recently joining Jikoji as a Resident.
Cliff Isberg likes to talk about zen practice from the perspectives of science and of western monastic and biblical traditions. At 80, and after almost 50 years of practice, he received Dharma Transmission from Shoho Michael Newhall. Cliff collects and maintains an online archive of the teachings of Jikoji's founder, Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi. He also serves as Jikoji's administration oversight manager.
After meeting Kobun Chino Roshi in Austria, Shoho received priest ordination in 2000 from Vanja Palmers and traveled to US/Tassajara to receive training. Having studied at all three centers of the SFZC, Shoho became resident of Jikoji in 2009. By 2010 she moved to join her partner Kokyo's life in Santa Cruz. Since then she picked up training in the Tibetan Nyingma tradition, which also led her to study in Nepal, where she recently finished studies Buddhism at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute, and stayed to assist in recovery efforts after a devastating earthquake.
Eric and Ying will talk about nature and the dharma. At 18, Ying arrived in the U.S from China. Now she leads design efforts for emerging markets at LinkedIn. She’s also a translator and interpreter, and an experiential and outdoor educator. She has traveled to five continents and 30 countries, always affirmed by people's relationship with the environment they live in--their creativity and spirituality in everyday life. At a young age she envisioned a world without borders and is constantly inspired by the next generation.
Eric Remington was an early student of Kobun, Jikoji's Founder, in the early 1970s. After years spent studying with Kobun and founding a school for children, Eric was ordained and subsequently trained at Tasajara Monastery for a year. He became a biologist and naturalist before living for several years in the desert, and recently joining Jikoji as a Resident.
Joe Hall is the Tanto (practice leader) at Jikoji Zen Center. His energy is enthusiastically focused on the nexus between Lay Practice and the Monastic world and he is fascinated by the ways in which we interpret the world and the means by which physical motion trains the mind. He wakes up in the morning excited to witness the ongoing birth of American Zen. His favorite words are Sublime, Exquisite, and Ravissant.
Renshin Bunce received priest ordination from Zenkei Blanche Hartman in 2003, and dharma transmission from the late Myogen Steve Stucky in 2013. She teaches sewing at San Francisco Zen Center and has a weekly sitting group in San Mateo. She lives on the peninsula where she works as a hospice chaplain.
Ian Hakuryu Forsberg began zazen practice in his teens and was ordained by Kobun at Haiku Zendo in 1977. Ian practiced with Kobun and the Sangha in California at Haiku Zendo, Hidden Villa Ranch and later at Jikoji. In 1987 he went to Taos for three months to help build Hokoji Zen Center and never did leave. Ian is now the Resident Teacher at Hokoji and builds homes in Taos.
Onryu Patrick Teverbaugh, Practice Leader, was ordained as a priest in 1999 and received Dharma Transmission from Katherine Thanas in January, 2011. He organizes activities for Santa Cruz Zen Center's Global Sangha, those interested in practicing with social and environmental issues.
These activities include a weekly lunch for a local homeless shelter, a weekly recovery group, and marching in the local LGBT parade. Patrick also helps coordinate Contributing Memberships, fundraising events, and shares the role of Ino, managing zendo roles and activities.
Junsei Jana Drakka runs a 'street ministry' - popularly known as 'The Zendo Without Walls'- taking the Dharma teachings of loving kindness and total acceptance out of the temples and into the streets. Teaching in shelters, hospices and low-income hotels offers the possibility of peace of mind to all without exception. Junsei travels widely sharing 'Harm Reduction Meditation' in universities, zen centers, hospitals and shelters.
Joseph W Hall is Tanto (practice leader) at Jikoji Zen Center. His energy is enthusiastically focused on the nexus between Lay Practice and the Monastic world and he is fascinated by the ways in which we interpret the world and the means by which physical motion trains the mind. He wakes up in the morning excited to witness the ongoing birth of American Zen. His favorite words are Sublime, Exquisite, and Ravissant.
Shoho Michael Newhall was ordained and transmitted by Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi. Prior to his installation as Jikoji’s Resident Teacher, he taught art and Buddhism at Naropa University, the Art Institute of Chicago, and other universities in the midwest. He leads sesshins and meditation workshops at Zen centers in the U.S. and Europe. Shoho has also practiced and studied with Keibun Otogawa in Japan, Dainin Katagiri Roshi, and Tenshin Reb Anderson.
Ron Jones, Ph.D. is a Spiritual Counselor and workshop leader in San Jose, CA. He has spent most of his adult life focused upon attempting to understand life's secrets. As a young man in his twenties, he reached out to meditation teachers and experienced what he later learned was a spiritual awakening. Since then, he has followed the paths that beckoned him, ending up on a yoga meditation path for 40 years that has intensely deepened his experience of "The Light". As an ordained Spiritual Counselor of AIWP*, he counsels, teaches and trains seekers of any path to also deepen their contact with the light within themselves. With counseling sessions and workshops he guides seekers through the challenges they face in expanding into their inner light.
Imam Abdul Johnson began his career with the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) as a Muslim Chaplain in 2010. For 2 years, he volunteered at various institutions across the state of California and was hired as a fulltime Chaplain in 2012. Imam Johnson is the President of Associated Chaplains in California State Service (ACCSS) which is the professional association for all State Chaplains in California and also the Vice President of Muslim American Chaplains Association (MACA), the professional association for all Muslim Chaplains in California state service.
As a Chaplain, Imam Johnson focuses on reforming the soul and rehabilitating the mind by utilizing a holistic approach. To aid in this effort, last year he launched the U.N.I.T.Y. (U’r Not In This Yourself) Lecture Series. This program has brought guest speakers from all over California to impart words of advice and inspiration to hundreds of incarcerated men. Topics ranged from “Financial literacy” to “Science, Astronomy and Zen”. Imam Abdul Johnson credits his approach to reformation to his teacher, the late, world renowned leader of the American Muslim Community, Imam W. Deen Muhammed.
Imam Johnson currently resides in Fresno, CA with his wife Courtney and is the proud father of 5 children.
Tersar Tulku Yingrik Drubpa was born into the Khangsar tribe of Golok, a pastoral, nomadic society in eastern Tibet. His Dharma name is Padma Thubten Rigdzin. From a young age, he received instruction in the precious Buddhist scriptures and sacred essential heart-essence teachings from many Lamas and Tulkus. He was recognized by Gomma Khanpo Lotsul as the reincarnation of Tulku Dordra. Lama Tashi Phuntsok predicted that Tersar would promote Buddhism around the world.
Junsei Jana Drakka runs a 'street ministry' - popularly known as 'The Zendo Without Walls'- taking the Dharma teachings of loving kindness and total acceptance out of the temples and into the streets. Teaching in shelters, hospices and low-income hotels offers the possibility of peace of mind to all without exception. Junsei travels widely sharing 'Harm Reduction Meditation' in universities, zen centers, hospitals and shelters.
