Kokyo Henkel, Teacher at Santa Cruz Zen Center
Kokyo Henkel leads a new generation of Buddhist scholars and is currently Head Teacher at Santa Cruz Zen Center. Kokyo's interests include looking at how the classic original teachings of Buddha-Dharma from ancient India, China, and Japan are still very much alive and useful in present-day America to bring peace and harmony to this troubled world.
Click to listen to his Dharma Talk on The Heart Sutra
Setsuho Jikakan (Jen Hohman)
Jen Hohman lived at Jikoji from 2008 to 2011, and received Jukai in October, 2009. Setsuho Jikakan (“Snow Phoenix,” Jen's Dharma name) recently returned to Jikoji as a temporary resident after six years of managing a busy yoga studio in Mountain View. She currently teaches hot yoga in the Bay Area, and has an interest in alternative healing and vegan meals. In January 2016, Jen was diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer, and will discuss how falling softly on her cushion helped her navigate the landscape after devastating news, and gave her the courage to follow an unconventional path to regain her health and find joy in everyday events.
Shoho Michael Newhall
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.
Cliff Isberg
Tokuho Cliff Isberg received dharma transmission from Shoho Michael Newhall in 2015. A longtime student of Kobun Chino, he serves as one of Jikoji's oversight managers. This talk will be posted to our “Podcasts”page after 11.25.18.
Myoan Grace Schireson, PhD
Ben Connelly
Ben Connelly is a Soto Zen teacher and Dharma heir in the Katagiri lineage. He also teaches mindfulness in a wide variety of secular contexts including police and corporate training, correctional facilities, and addiction recovery and wellness groups. Ben is based at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center and travels to teach across the United States. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Rebecca Nie
Rebecca Nie received the transmission from The Venerable Zen Master Hwawun Yangil, a patriarch of the Korean Jogye Order. She is the 24th generation lineage holder of the order. Rebecca has taught Zen in the United States, Canada, and Bhutan. She is the Professional Advisor of Stanford Zen Society, where she leads weekly meditation sessions, meet with students one-on-one, host visiting teachers, and partake in interfaith dialogues. To listen to Rebecca’s talk, click HERE.
Doug Jacobson
Shoho Michael Newhall
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.
Hans Vanja Palmers
Zen Priest Hans Vanja Palmers, Dharma Heir of Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi , in 1989 together with the Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast founded Puregg, Haus der Stille ('House of the Silence') in Austria. Amongst other initiatives, Vanja Palmers is also co-founder of the meditation center Felsentor ('Rock Gate'), a small Zen-Buddhist inspired community which finds guidance in the meditative and contemplative traditions of all religions.
Kokyo Henkel
Kokyo Henkel leads a new generation of Buddhist scholars and is currently Head Teacher at Santa Cruz Zen Center. Kokyo's interests include looking at how the classic original teachings of Buddha-Dharma from ancient India, China, and Japan are still very much alive and useful in present-day America to bring peace and harmony to this troubled world. This talk will conclude Genzo-e Sesshin - June 23th - 26th, led by Kokyo.
Doug Jacobson
Doug Jacobson, a Jikoji Resident, recently received Dharma transmission from Shoho Michael Newhall. In his professional life he is a civil/tunnel engineer. He serves as Jikoji's maintenance oversight manager (MOM), and also assists prisoners with Buddhist practice. Doug’s talk can be found HERE.
Eric Remington
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.
Shoho Michael Newhall
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. A link for this dharma talk will appear after December 9th. To listen to Mike’s recent talk on 10.21.18, please click HERE.
Eric Remington
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. This talk will be posted on our “Podcasts” page after Nov. 11th. Eric’s 3.18.18 talk can be found here.
Shoho Kuebast
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.
Carolyn Dille
Carolyn Dille is a poet and writer who facilitates creativity retreats and workshops for both groups and individuals. She has been practicing Buddhist and other meditative forms for over 30 years and teaches dharma in the Vipassana Insight and Soto Zen traditions. She holds dharma transmission from Angie Enjo Boissevain and is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s CDL program.
Kecia Doolittle
Yingzhao Liu
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 of global citizens and their steady movement toward connection.