Yoga – I’m registered as an E-RYT with the Yoga Alliance. A central yoga mentor in my life has been Julian Daizan Skinner Roshi, founder of ZenWays Yoga School (here). The yoga teacher trainings run through Blue Cliff follow the ZenWays yoga teacher training format and are registered with the Yoga Alliance. Another influential teacher for me has been Kawaki? Kitayama sensei, a direct student of Masahiro Oki and long-time yoga instructor based in Nagoya Japan (photo).
PHOTO
Kitayama sensei at her house/yoga and retreat gasshuku in Japan. More info – one more sentence.
I’m currently studying from afar through the teacher…askdjfksdaj
I’ve had the unique opportunity to study and teach Zen Taiso at Bukkokuji Zen Monastery in Fukui, Japan and at Gyokuryuji in Gifu. Taiso is very much imbedded within Japanese culture.
Zen/Meditation – My root teacher is Shinzan Miyamae Roshi of the Rinzai temple, Gyokuryuji (here). I’ve also studied for a few years with Tangen Roshi of Bukkokuji (photo) and done Zen retreats at Ryutakuji in Shizuoka. Shinzan Roshi requested that Blue Cliff Zen Center be started on (Alex’s date) and I was formally made a senior Zen teacher on (certificate date). I continue to study with Shinzan Roshi, who turned 80 in July, as well as with Daizan Roshi (mentioned above), one of his primary dharma heirs. Recently I’ve also started studying with and doing retreats at other Zen communities in the western US/Canada. One teacher whom I’ve learned a lot from is Kim Hoben Hansen of the North Shore Zendo (here).