Opening Dharma Access: Listening to BIPOC Teachers

Secular & Buddhist teacher Mushim Patricia Ikeda in convo with Rev. Liên on how mature practice can help us deal with the current conditions of our world.GUESTMushim Patricia Ikeda is an internationally-known secular mindfulness and Buddhist teacher working primarily with justice activists and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) meditation practitioners and with people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. A core teacher at East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, California, she is an author whose writing has been published in Lion's Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma and various anthologies. Mushim was selected by Lion's Roar Buddhist media magazine as one of twenty-six "Great Buddhist Teachers" in the January 2022 issue. Connect with Mushim at:Website:  www.mushimikeda.comFacebook:  www.facebook.com/mushim.ikedaBluesky:  mushimikedaX / Twitter:  @MushimCA1Instagram:  mushimikedaLinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/mushim-patricia-ikeda-5307279/HOST:REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

June Kaililani Tanoue, Kumu Hula, reads her blog post, "Dwell Nowhere and Browse That." Listen as she reflects on a conversation with her husband Roshi Robert Joshin Althouse. Together they are cofounders of Zen Life & Meditation Center of Chicago. You can find the written piece on the Halau i Ka Pono website.About JuneJune Ryushin Tanoue, B.S., MPH is co-founder of Zen Life & Meditation Center. Practicing Zen since 1993, she received Transmission in 2014 as a fully empowered Zen Teacher/ Zen Buddhist Priest and Inka as a Roshi in 2022.June is a Kumu Hula and founded Halau I Ka Pono, the Hula School of Chicago in 2009.   Read June's piece, "The Hula Sutra" at Lion's Roar. zlmc.orghalauikapono.orgHalau I Ka Pono FacebookInstagram: @JuneTanoueJune's blog posts: https://halauikapono.org/news

June Kaililani Tanoue, Kumu Hula, talks about how to practice observing our thoughts rather than holding onto them, whether times are easy or tough. Hear about how June started Halau I Ka Pono as an offshoot of the Zen Life & Meditation Center after she moved to Chicago, and how Hula is the dance of being a pillar in one's community. About JuneJune Ryushin Tanoue, B.S., MPH is co-founder of Zen Life & Meditation Center. Practicing Zen since 1993, she received Transmission in 2014 as a fully empowered Zen Teacher/ Zen Buddhist Priest and Inka as a Roshi in 2022.June is a Kumu Hula and founded Halau I Ka Pono, the Hula School of Chicago in 2009.   Read June's piece, "The Hula Sutra" at Lion's Roar. zlmc.orghalauikapono.orgHalau I Ka Pono FacebookInstagram: @JuneTanoueJune's blog posts: https://halauikapono.org/news

In the season 4 premiere, Rev. Liên Shutt and Rev. Dana Takagi discuss the need to continue to forward Asian American and Asian Diaspora Buddhist voices in these tumultuous times. Thank you to everyone who has listened so far, and continue to tune in!It's not too late to take our listener survey! Respond by March 21st and get access to an exclusive meditation recording by Rev. Liên: "Tenderhearted Buddhas for these Times". 

On season 3, we co-created and witnessed an amazing example of how the Net of Indra weaves and connects. We heard from 13 Buddhist practitioners and teachers of Asian American or Asian Diaspora heritage, and in their own words, spoke to what the AA/AD Buddhist experience is for them. Season 3 is officially a wrap! Thank you to everyone who listened with us, and we hope you join us for more Asian American/Asian Diaspora forwarding conversations and offerings in season 4. Full list of guests, and their featured episodes, in order:Co-hosts Rev. Liên Shutt and Rev. Dana Takagi - Forwarding Asian American & Asian Diasporic Buddhist Experiences with Rev. Liên Shutt & Rev. Dana TakagiChenxing Han - Reflections with the 2024 May We Gather Co-OrganizersMihiri Tillakaratne - Bodhi Leaves: The Asian American Buddhist Monthly Co-Associate Editors Rev. Jean Paul (JP) de Guzman - O'kagesama-de (All thanks are due to you...)Paula Arai - There is No Buddhism Without WomenSharon Suh - Silence is Not the WayFunie Hsu - Reflections with the 2024 May We Gather Co-OrganizersBo Hee Moon - Meeting with My Asian Sangha TonightRyan Lee Wong - Zen Practice As Community BuildingRam Appalaraju - Eco-Dharma Care Yenkuei Chuang - Insight Dialogue & Further Relationality Rev. Duncan Ryūken Williams - Reflections with the 2024 May We Gather Co-OrganizersLisa Nakamura - Platforms for Zazen: The Cushion to the Computer Noel Alumit - Bodhi Leaves: The Asian American Buddhist Monthly Co-Associate Editors 

Rev Dana follows up on her dharma talk from the last episode dropped on February 18th. She adds to her perspective on the current historical conditions of our time in the United States, talks about breath practice, and offers a chant she's used often for the dying, from Thich Nhat Hanh.Check out the 2011 book Dana discusses in this episode:More Beautiful and More Terrible: The Embrace and Transcendence of of Racial Inequality in the United States by Professor Imani Perry Ph.D, JD

Hello, listeners of Opening Dharma Access, for February, we're doing things a little bit different by offering you some meditations and Dharma talks on current conditions as 2025 brings to the United States a whole bunch of difficult circumstances: the L.A.  fires; the current administration.This dharma talk is from co-host Rev. Dana Takagi. Dana speaks on what wisdom could look like in times like these, and how to expand our vision as well as awareness about our current national systems work, and the history of how they were built over time, as they are being dismantled. May it be for the benefit of all beings.Your hostREVEREND DANA TAKAGI (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and zen priest, practicing zen since 1998. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian American history at UC Santa Cruz, and she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies. 

Meditation to find stability in the midst of current threats in our world: nationally, world-wide, and with climate justice. -- Given at EBMC BIPOC SanghaREV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Pathis being used for one of it's original purposes! Join us in takingThe Dharma of Being Antiracist: Accessing Skillful Engagement for Healing (for all racial locations) Feb. 17-May 12, 2025.See all her offerings at EVENTS

Hello, listeners of Opening Dharma Access, for February, we're doing things a little bit different by offering you some meditations and Dharma talks on current conditions as 2025 brings to the United States a whole bunch of difficult circumstances: the L.A.  fires; the inauguration.NOTE: This talk was given at a BIPOC group, addressing specific fears & issues of people of color in extremely challenging U.S. political and social justice contexts. May it be for the benefit of all beings. REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Pathis being used for one of it's original purposes! Join us in takingThe Dharma of Being Antiracist: Accessing Skillful Engagement for Healing (for all racial locations) Feb. 17-May 12, 2025.See all her offerings at EVENTS

RAM APPALARAJU was brought up as a Hindu and has been on a spiritual path since 90's, first studying Vedanta and pursuing Buddhism since 2012. After years of practice he chose to pursue a path of service and became a chaplain focused on Ecology as well as supporting marginalized people in prisons and homeless shelters. He is now on the faculty at Sati Center for Buddhist Studies' Eco Chaplaincy program. He also serves as a board member and an advisor at several nonprofits focused on climate education and offers various services to marginalized communities. Connect with Ram on X/Twitter: @Mindful_Ram

As today marks a disturbing time for many of us, I offered a Healing Space today at the same time as the swearing in. It was informal and my aim was to offering 3 aspects of healing: Acknowledging what is with tools we've learned from Buddhism and practice. Second, to attend to the impacts of hurt and harm in ourselves & with each other. Third, committing to enacting qualities and ways we can stay connected and thrive in the net of life which includes us all.Host:REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

What does "caring" really mean? Listen in on this fascinating conversation on Nature, Dharma & Caring for self and the Earth between Ram Appalaraju and Host Rev. Liên Shutt.RAM APPALARAJU was brought up as a Hindu and has been on a spiritual path since the 90's, first studying Vedanta and pursuing Buddhism since 2012. After years of practice he chose to pursue a path of service and became a chaplain focused on Ecology as well as supporting marginalized people in prisons and homeless shelters.  He is now one on the faculty of Sati Center for Buddhist Studies's Eco Chaplaincy program. He also serves as a board member and an advisor at several nonprofits focused on climate education and offers various services to marginalized communities.  Connect with Ram on X/Twitter: @Mindful_RamHost:REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

When considering what to offer for her ODA practice, Lisa considered chanting or reading from a more traditional Buddhist text such as the Heart Sutra. She found, instead, that reading the words of Audre Lorde resonated more deeply in her body at this time. And co-host Dana Takagi offers some context on Lorde from Lisa before she reads.  Please enjoy, Lisa Nakamura reading an excerpt from "Learning from the 60s", a talk given by Audre Lorde as part of the February 1982 celebration of Malcolm X Weekend at Harvard University. LISA NAKAMURA (she/her) is the Gwendolyn Calvert Baker Collegiate Professor of American Culture and Digital Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is also a core faculty member of the Asian American Studies Program, the Film, Television and Media department, and the English department at Michigan. Lisa is the author of four books on racism, sexism, and the Internet and her book “The Inattention Economy: Women of Color and the Internet” is forthcoming in Fall 2025 from University of Minnesota Press. She has published research on Asian stereotypes in massively multiplayer online games, the connections between virtual reality, empathy, and racial and disability justice, the overlooked role of indigenous women in postwar electronics manufacture, and on cross-racial and cross-gender role play in anonymous digital environments like chatrooms and games. lisanakamura.net

LISA NAKAMURA (she/her) is the Gwendolyn Calvert Baker Collegiate Professor of American Culture and Digital Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is also a core faculty member of the Asian American Studies Program, the Film, Television and Media department, and the English department at Michigan. Lisa is the author of four books on racism, sexism, and the Internet and her book “The Inattention Economy: Women of Color and the Internet” is forthcoming in Fall 2025 from University of Minnesota Press. She has published research on Asian stereotypes in massively multiplayer online games, the connections between virtual reality, empathy, and racial and disability justice, the overlooked role of indigenous women in postwar electronics manufacture, and on cross-racial and cross-gender role play in anonymous digital environments like chatrooms and games. lisanakamura.netYour hostREVEREND DANA TAKAGI (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and zen priest, practicing zen since 1998. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian American history at UC Santa Cruz, and she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies. 

YENKUEI CHUANG was born a Taiwanese girl before she became an American woman. As a licensed psychologist, somatics and mindfulness teacher, she is passionate about helping people heal and find freedom, belonging, and power in the richness of their intersectional identities. Yenkuei loves to eat, cook, dance, do nothing and everything.IG handle: yenkueichuangPublications:Erased No More (Lion's Roar), On Decolonizing My Mind (Blog), Yesterday I Died (Mindfulness), Dukkha of Racism (Arrow Magazine), Development of Bicultural Competence (Stanford Ph.D. dissertation), Politics of Biculturalism (Contemporary Psychology), and upcoming memoir Blood, Sweat, and Dharma

Yenkeui Chuang & Rev. Liên dialogue on some "edges" of "Diasporic Asian Americans," overseas Asian practices, and then Insight Dialogue. Yenkeui shares fascinating details of the interconnections from all the different traditions she's practiced in. Come listen!YENKUEI CHUANG was born a Taiwanese girl before she became an American woman. As a licensed psychologist, somatics and mindfulness teacher, she is passionate about helping people heal and find freedom, belonging, and power in the richness of their intersectional identities. Yenkuei loves to eat, cook, dance, do nothing and everything.IG handle: yenkueichuangMentioned in podcast: insightdialogue.orgPublications: Erased No More (Lion's Roar), On Decolonizing My Mind (Blog), Yesterday I Died (Mindfulness), Dukkha of Racism (Arrow Magazine), Development of Bicultural Competence (Stanford Ph.D. dissertation), Politics of Biculturalism (Contemporary Psychology), and upcoming memoir Blood, Sweat, and DharmaHost:REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

In a continuation of the previous episode conversation with Dr. Paula Arai, Paula shares an in-depth overview of her current "embodied" research on the often unacknowledged contributions to Buddhism that are at the foundation of its continuation throughout history, in part because of the perceived simplicity of these acts of generosity and practice. PAULA ARAI (she/her) (Ph.D., Buddhist Studies, Harvard University) holds the Eshinni & Kakushinni Chair of Women and Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Steeped in ethnographic research, she takes an embodied approach to her work and finds poetic immersive storytelling a potent medium for conveying experiences of transformative healing.Her publications include:Women Living Zen (Oxford University Press)Bringing Zen Home (University of Hawaii Press)Painting Enlightenment: Healing Visions of the Heart Sutra (Shambhala Publications)The Little Book of Zen Healing: Japanese Rituals for Beauty, Harmony, and Love (Shambhala Publications)Explore her website to read some of Paula's poetry, stay up to date on appearances, and learn more about her. Your hostREVEREND DANA TAKAGI (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and zen priest, practicing zen since 1998. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian American history at UC Santa Cruz, and she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies. 

Dr. Paula Arai talks with Dana about being brought up by her Japanese mother, and how she realized the way that she embodied Buddhism in her body and mind not through intellectual study or what Westerners view as formal practice, but through the simple actions and embodied guidance of her mother. PAULA ARAI (she/her) (Ph.D., Buddhist Studies, Harvard University) holds the Eshinni & Kakushinni Chair of Women and Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Steeped in ethnographic research, she takes an embodied approach to her work and finds poetic immersive storytelling a potent medium for conveying experiences of transformative healing.Her publications include:Women Living Zen (Oxford University Press)Bringing Zen Home (University of Hawaii Press)Painting Enlightenment: Healing Visions of the Heart Sutra (Shambhala Publications)The Little Book of Zen Healing: Japanese Rituals for Beauty, Harmony, and Love (Shambhala Publications)Explore her website to read some of Paula's poetry, stay up to date on appearances, and learn more about her. Your hostREVEREND DANA TAKAGI (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and zen priest, practicing zen since 1998. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian American history at UC Santa Cruz, and she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies. 

Rev. Liên Shutt and Bo Hee Moon continue their conversation on Asian American diasporic identity, and Bo Hee reads the finished version of her poem "Meeting with my Asian Sangha Tonight."Read the poem here!Guest:BO HEE MOON was adopted at three-months-old from South Korea. Her poems have appeared in AGNI, Poetry, swamp pink, and others. Omma, Sea of Joy and Other Astrological Signs, published by Tinderbox Editions, is her debut collection of poems. She previously published under a different name.Read Bo Hee's Order her POETRY Book, Omma, Sea of Joy and Other Astrological Signs, at BoHeeMoon.comOther writings also at:Afterlives: An AGNI Portfolio of Asian Adoptee Diaspora Writing

Listen in to hear how Bo Hee Moon was inspired by practice in the 3-month course "Lotus Rising from Mud: A Path for Anti-Asian American Restoration. Guest:BO HEE MOON was adopted at three-months-old from South Korea. Her poems have appeared in AGNI, Poetry, swamp pink, and others. Omma, Sea of Joy and Other Astrological Signs, published by Tinderbox Editions, is her debut collection of poems. She previously published under a different name.Connect with Bo at:BoHeeMoon.comAfterlives: An AGNI Portfolio of Asian Adoptee Diaspora WritingHost:REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

GuestRyan Lee Wong is author of the novel Which Side Are You On, a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. He lived for two years at Ancestral Heart Temple and is the Administrative Director of Brooklyn Zen Center.Some of Ryan's publications include:Which Side Are You On, his novel published in 2023. Every Past Life All At Once, a critical essay on the films Past Lives and Everything Everywhere All At Once on The AMP.The Buddha on TV: Nam June Paik's fraught relationship to Buddhism, on PBS: American MastersCheck out his website to read more and stay updated.IG: @ryanlwong 

GuestRyan Lee Wong is author of the novel Which Side Are You On, a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. He lived for two years at Ancestral Heart Temple and is the Administrative Director of Brooklyn Zen Center.Some of Ryan's publications include:Which Side Are You On, his novel published in 2023. Every Past Life All At Once, a critical essay on the films Past Lives and Everything Everywhere All At Once on The AMP.The Buddha on TV: Nam June Paik's fraught relationship to Buddhism, on PBS: American MastersCheck out his website to read more and stay updated. IG: @ryanlwong Your HostREVEREND DANA TAKAGI (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and zen priest, practicing zen since 1998. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian American history at UC Santa Cruz, and she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies. 

Enjoy this short guided meditation from Sharon Suh, called, "Compassionate Touch Meditation."Guest:SHARON SUH is professor of Buddhism at Seattle University and author of Being Buddhist in a Christian World: Gender and Community (2004); Silver Screen Buddha: Buddhism in Asian and Western Film (2015); and Occupy This Body: A Buddhist Memoir (2019). She focuses on racialized trauma experienced by people of color and emphasizes the importance of embodiment. She's also President of Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women. Her upcoming book, Emergent Dharma: An Anthology of Asian American Feminist Buddhist Women scheduled for Fall 2025.Links to social media:www.mindfuleatingmethod.com; @mindfuleatingmethodIn addition to books mentioned in bio: •.      “Western Buddhism and Race,” co-authored with Joseph Cheah, Oxford Research Encyclopedia (Oxford University Press, May 2022).• “Jeong as the Expression of the Interrelationality of Self and Other in Korean Buddhist Cinema” in Edward Y. J. Chung and Jea Sophia Oh, eds. Emotions in Korean Philosophy and Religion: Confucian, Comparative and Contemporary Perspectives.” (Palgrave, 2022).• “Taking Refuge in the Body to Know the Self Anew: Buddhism, Race, and Embodiment,” Embodying Knowledge: Asian and Asian American Women's Contributions to Theology and Religious Studies, ed. by Kwok Pui Lan (Palgrave MacMillan).• “We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming to Bring You This Very Important Public Service Announcement . . .”: aka Buddhism as Usual in the Academy,” in Emily McCrae and George Yancy, eds., Buddhism and Whiteness: Critical Reflections (Rowman & Littlefield). •Suh. Sharon., “Buddhist Meditation as Strategic Embodiment: An Optative Reflection” in Flashpoints for Asian American Studies, ed. by Cathy Vials-Schlund. (Fordham University Press, 2017).•Suh, Sharon. A., “Buddhism and Gender” in Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, ed. by Michael Jerryson. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016):635-649.•Suh, Sharon A., “Buddhism, Rhetoric, and the Korean American Community: The Adjustment of Korean American Buddhists to the United States” in Richard Alba, Albert J. Raboteau, and Josh DeWing, eds., Immigration in America: Comparative Historical Perspectives. (New York: New York University Press, 2009):166-190.

A layered and engaging discussion with Prof. Sharon Suh on what "Asian American Buddhism can be defined as; including the refusal to be silenced.Guest:SHARON SUH is professor of Buddhism at Seattle University and author of Being Buddhist in a Christian World: Gender and Community (2004); Silver Screen Buddha: Buddhism in Asian and Western Film (2015); and Occupy This Body: A Buddhist Memoir (2019). She focuses on racialized trauma experienced by people of color and emphasizes the importance of embodiment. She's also President of Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women. Her upcoming book, Emergent Dharma: An Anthology of Asian American Feminist Buddhist Women scheduled for Fall 2025. Links to social media:www.mindfuleatingmethod.com; @mindfuleatingmethodIn addition to books mentioned in bio: •.      “Western Buddhism and Race,” co-authored with Joseph Cheah, Oxford Research Encyclopedia (Oxford University Press, May 2022).• “Jeong as the Expression of the Interrelationality of Self and Other in Korean Buddhist Cinema” in Edward Y. J. Chung and Jea Sophia Oh, eds. Emotions in Korean Philosophy and Religion: Confucian, Comparative and Contemporary Perspectives.” (Palgrave, 2022).• “Taking Refuge in the Body to Know the Self Anew: Buddhism, Race, and Embodiment,” Embodying Knowledge: Asian and Asian American Women's Contributions to Theology and Religious Studies, ed. by Kwok Pui Lan (Palgrave MacMillan).• “We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming to Bring You This Very Important Public Service Announcement . . .”: aka Buddhism as Usual in the Academy,” in Emily McCrae and George Yancy, eds., Buddhism and Whiteness: Critical Reflections (Rowman & Littlefield). •Suh. Sharon., “Buddhist Meditation as Strategic Embodiment: An Optative Reflection” in Flashpoints for Asian American Studies, ed. by Cathy Vials-Schlund. (Fordham University Press, 2017).•Suh, Sharon. A., “Buddhism and Gender” in Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism, ed. by Michael Jerryson. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016):635-649.•Suh, Sharon A., “Buddhism, Rhetoric, and the Korean American Community: The Adjustment of Korean American Buddhists to the United States” in Richard Alba, Albert J. Raboteau, and Josh DeWing, eds., Immigration in America: Comparative Historical Perspectives. (New York: New York University Press, 2009):166-190.Host: REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

Enjoy this short dharma talk from Reverend Jean Paul Contreras deGuzman. GUEST REV. DR. JP DEGUZMAN (he/him) is minister's assistant at the 103-year-old San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple and received tokudo ordination at Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan in 2023. He teaches history and Ethnic Studies at Windward School and UCLA where he earned the University Distinguished Teaching Award. His publications include:Lions Roar: "The Pure Land is in the West"Everyday Buddhist: "The Dharma of a Turkey Sandwich" Wheel of Dharma: "Mindful Action in Mindless TImes: A Buddhist Response to Injustice" Young Buddhist Editorial: "Gratitude For My Mom"Explore his website to learn more about his academic publications as well.

Rev. Dr. Jean-Paul Contreras deGuzman talks about how he came to Jodo Shinshu Pureland Buddhist practice coming from a Catholic family and after moving forward from a traditional path as an academic. He and Dana Takagi have an enlivened discussion about the importance and power of cultural gatherings like Mochi-tsuki for sangha and the wider community, and the role of pop culture references in Rev JP's talks in the San Fernando Valley. REV. DR. JP DEGUZMAN (he/him) is minister's assistant at the 103-year-old San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple and received tokudo ordination at Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan in 2023. He teaches history and Ethnic Studies at Windward School and UCLA where he earned the University Distinguished Teaching Award. His publications include:Lions Roar: "The Pure Land is in the West"Everyday Buddhist: "The Dharma of a Turkey Sandwich" Wheel of Dharma: "Mindful Action in Mindless TImes: A Buddhist Response to Injustice" Young Buddhist Editorial: "Gratitude For My Mom"Explore his website to learn more about his academic publications as well. Your HostREVEREND DANA TAKAGI (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and zen priest, practicing zen since 1998. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian American history at UC Santa Cruz, and she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies. 

Dana provides us with some reflections and meditations on this season of ODA so far, inspired by some of the discussion around Asian joy in the last episode with Mihiri Tillakaratne and Noel Alumit. She talks about Asian American versus Asian Diaspora being claimed by some of our conversation partners on the podcast. Dana also talks about a colleague Gary Okihiro, who passed away on May 20th, and his deep impact on expanding the field of Asian American studies to go beyond solely the history of oppressed minorities. Co-Host: Reverend Dana TakagiDana (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and also a zen priest. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian Am history at UC Santa Cruz, she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies.  Zen practice since 1998. Check out more of Dana's work:2022: Sutra and Bible: an Interview with Duncan Ryūken Williams2020: Most Intimate, Ordinary Way, Recollections of Katherine Thanas  (co-eds. with Eugene Bush; 2nd printing 2022)

In this rich and joyful conversation, Rev. Liên and Rev. Dana talk with Mihiri Tillakaratne and Noel Alumit, the co-founders and co-associate editors of Bodhi Leaves: The Asian American Buddhist Monthly at Lion's Roar. Bodhi Leaves is the first published series of its kind, highlighting and focusing on the experiences and perspectives of Asian American Buddhist practitioners. We learn about Mihiri and Noel's views on their own identities and spiritual backgrounds, as well as about how Bodhi Leaves got started and visions for its future. MIHIRI TILLAKARATNE (she/her) is an associate editor at Lion's Roar focusing on Asian American Buddhist experiences. She has a PhD in Ethnic Studies and Gender, Women, and Sexuality (UC Berkeley) and a M.A. in Asian American Studies (UCLA). She studied Pali and Sinhala Buddhist nationalism in post-independence Sri Lanka at Harvard. Her publications include a documentary on Sri Lankan American Buddhist identity, I Take Refuge, a study published at UC Berkeley: Feelin' Diasporic: Embodied Memory in Sri Lankan America, and an article with South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, Spilling the Tea: Aunty Discipline and Queer Diasporic Child in D'Lo's To T, or Not To T? NOEL ALUMIT (he/him) is an Associate Editor at Lion's Roar, actor and bestselling author. He has a Master of Divinity in Buddhist Chaplaincy from the University of the West, where he is also an Adjunct Professor. He facilitates meditation workshops for LA Artcore and Meditation Coalition. His award-winning books include Talking to the Moon,  Letters to Montgomery Clift and Music Heard in Hi-Fi.Your Hosts REVEREND DANA TAKAGI (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and zen priest, practicing zen since 1998. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian American history at UC Santa Cruz, and she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies.  REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. She is an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). Her new book is Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path.

This is the audio of a recording of Rev. Liên's dharma message at May We Gather 2024: A National Buddhist Pilgrimage for Asian American Buddhists, in Antioch, California. You can also watch the video here. Find out more about May We Gather. Listen to Rev's interview with the co-organizers, Funie Hsu, Chenxing Han and Duncan Ryūken Williams. Also check out the full event summary, either in audio or video form. REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org.

This is the audio of a video of a summary of the events at May We Gather 2024: A National Buddhist Pilgrimage for Asian American Ancestors, Co-Coordinated by Funie Hsu, Chenxing Han, & Duncan Ryūken Williams.Here is a list of the voices, chants, & Dharma Messages you'll hear: (Time-stamps are from the actual YouTube VIDEO Summary):· 0:26- 0:56 O-Daiko drum roll led by Dr. Paula Arai (Institute of Buddhist Studies) and Kansho Bell ringing led by Rev. Harry Bridge (Buddhist Church of Oakland)· 0:57-2:30 Emcee introduction, Funie Hsu/Chhi and Chenxing Han· 2:31-2:57 Chanting of the Three Refuges by Ven. Phra Khru Manas Siriratanathammawithet, Ven. Phra Maha Saichon Santikaro, and Ven. Phra Khru Baidika Jungrak Khemacaro (Wat Mongkolratanaram)· 2:58- 3:33 Recitation of the Hyobyakumon (Pronouncement of Intention) by Rev. Duncan Ryūken Williams (Zenshuji Soto Mission)· 3:34-3:57 Dharma message by Arisika Razak of East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland· 3:58-4:12 Chenxing- Introduction of Offerings+Chanting+Recitation of Memorial Tablets· 4:13-5:07 Chanting of Heart Sutra, led by Ven. Dr. Longyun Shi (American Bodhi Sea Buddhist Association) and presentation of tablet for Yik Oi Huang by Sasanna Yee (Communities as One)· 5:08-5:36 Dharma message by Jee Suthamwanthanee (Bay Area Thai Sangha)· 5:37- 6:08 Dharma message by Rev. Liên Shutt (Access to Zen)· 6:09-6:35  Prayer for Caste Equity by Thenmozhi Soundararajan (Equality Labs)· 6:36-6:54 Chenxing-Introduction of Kintsugi Lotus Offering and Chant· 6:55-7:11 Offering of Kintsugi Lotus by Ven. Hyongjeon and Ven. Hyokeun (Borisa Zen Center), accompanied by chant in Praise of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, led by Ven. Thich Tinh Nghia (Thien Tam Buddhist Temple)· 7:12-7:38 Dharma message by Rev. Grace Song (Won Institute of Graduate Studies)· 7:39-8:30 Dharma message by sujatha baliga (Gyuto Foundation)· 8:31-9:15 Protection Chant, led by Ven. Khammai Sayakoummane (Wat Lao Saysettha of Santa Rosa)· 9:16-9:43 Chanting and Taiko drumming by Diablo Taiko· 9:44-9:53 Daoist conducted by Master E-Man and Sumo Liu· 9:54-10:21 Chenxing- Introducing Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson and her reading of the city's 2021 apology· 10:22-10:55 Mayor Monica Wilson reading the city's apology· 10:56-11:10 Chenxing introducing flower offerings by the family of Angelo Quinto and Yik Oi Huang· 11:11-11:33 Daoist ceremony conducted by Master E-Man and Sumo Liu(Not able to be included in our practice as it didn't have voiced audio -- but will be in the MWG Summary video --  Khenpo Paljor Gyatso leading the draping of Tibetan blessing scarves, or khatas, at Antioch's town marker.) Link to website of May We Gather 2024: A National Buddhist Pilgrimage for Asian American Ancestors  HOSTREV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org.

Funie Hsu, Chenxing Han, and Duncan Ryūken Williams are the co-organizers of May We Gather, a collaborative project of commemorative healing, by and for Asian American Buddhists and their spiritual friends. What began in 2022 as a response to the uptick in violence and hate towards Asian Americans, has continued into 2024, as a second iteration of May We Gather, this time in the form of ritual memorial, and also as a precious and much needed space for gathering and community. In this interview, the three co-organizers share their reflections on the 2024 event. Watch the entire live stream recording of May We Gather 2024. Learn more about May We Gather. GUESTS:FUNIE HSU (she/they) is an Associate Professor of American studies at San Jose State University whose transdisciplinary research interests are shaped by their background as a former public elementary school teacher and a Taiwanese American heritage Buddhist from a working class, multilingual family. Look for their upcoming article in the Review of Education, Pedagogy and Cultural Studies which examines contemporary challenges to mindfulness in US K-12 public schools within the framework of White Christian nationalism, particularly with the perpetuation of positioning Asians and Buddhism as heathen, immoral, and a threat to the US. CHENXING HAN (she/her) is an author, educator, and speaker whose work explores the possibilities that emerge at the intersections of Buddhism, Asian America, spiritual care, and creative expression. She is the author of Be the Refuge: Raising the Voices of Asian American Buddhists and One Long Listening: A Memoir of Grief, Friendship, and Spiritual Care. DUNCAN RYŪKEN WILLIAMS (he/him) was ordained as a Soto Zen Buddhist priest at Kotakuji Temple (Nagano, Japan) in 1993. He served as a Buddhist chaplain at Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in 2000. Currently, he serves as a priest at Zenshuji Soto Mission in Los Angeles and Professor of Religion at the University of Southern California. He is the author of American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War and The Other Side of Zen: A Social History of Soto Zen Buddhism in Tokugawa Japan. CO-HOSTREV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

Rev. Dana shares some of the ways she practices with grief. Mentioned in the episode:World Central Kitchen (website)Dai Hi Shin Dharani (Sutra of Great Compassion) (text)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjSzOHqYBK4 (video)(read this blog post by Dana: https://danatakagizenlife.squarespace.com/blog)Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo (Well-Being Chant) (Access to Zen text and audio)NEW Co-Host: Reverend Dana TakagiDana (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and also a zen priest. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian Am history at UC Santa Cruz, she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies.  Zen practice since 1998. Check out more of Dana's work:2022: Sutra and Bible: an Interview with Duncan Ryūken Williams2020: Most Intimate, Ordinary Way, Recollections of Katherine Thanas  (co-eds. with Eugene Bush; 2nd printing 2022)

NEW Co-Host: Reverend Dana TakagiDana (she/her) is a retired professor of Sociology and also a zen priest. She spent 33 years teaching sociology and Asian Am history at UC Santa Cruz, she is a past president of the Association for Asian American Studies.  Zen practice since 1998. Check out more of Dana's work:2022: Sutra and Bible: an Interview with Duncan Ryūken Williams2020: Most Intimate, Ordinary Way, Recollections of Katherine Thanas  (co-eds. with Eugene Bush; 2nd printing 2022)Mentioned in the episode, her 1993 book on affirmative action: "The Retreat from Race: Asian American Admissions and Racial Politics"https://danatakagizenlife.squarespace.com/Season 3 description:This season, we will have a new focus: Uplifting and Forwarding Asian American/Asian Diasporic Buddhist Experiences in the West.With our guests and audience, we will explore the specificities of Asian American/Asian Diasporic experiences.  We take as given that there are generational differences (hence the historical moment matters!) and we hope to also delve into Asian family norms and values, our inchoate understanding of ancestor worship, issues of identity, representation, stereotypes about sexuality and sexual identity,  and Asian American depression.   A theme we'll be using to help guide our conversations is The Disquiet - a term we are adapting from writer/poet Fernando Pessoa (The Book of Disquiet) - which in our view signals a complex recognition of self, mind, and body.  The evidence for the foregoing includes scholarly research indexed in aggregate statistics on depression, youth suicide, and other issues in immigrant or first-generation families. While Asian Americans are not alone in experiencing trauma, the racial languages and discourses of othering are different for us than for other groups.    What do we hope is the outcome of this podcast?  Our first aim is to give voice to the range and depth of Buddhism in Asian and Asian American generations.  We hope that in doing so, we help to shine a light on the limited or myopic envisioning of race in primarily white sanghas. Asian and Asian American diasporic truths about practice are a teaching for contemporary dharma organizations and centers. We recognize the depth and range of Asian and Asian Diasporic Buddhists is a wisdom mirror for organized Buddhism in the West.  Co-Host: REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTSReach out to us at:   info.access2zen@gmail.com

Rest in this meditation with Rev. Liên, Creator, Producer, & Co-host of ODA, as we transition Seasons. Offered at her weekly Access to Zen Meditation Group. Join us! REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a co-founder of Buddhists of Color (1998) and founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

Listen to this really amazing discussion between the 4 hosts on themes and highlights from all our interviews in Season 2. Listening will "make" you want to go listen to all of our wonderful guest teachers again! Or, check out the ones you've missed!9 bows of love and appreciation for all the Hosts of Season 2!1. LAMA KARMA YESHE CHÖDRÖN is a scholar, teacher, and translator of Tibetan Buddhism at Rigpe Dorje Institute at Pullahari Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal and co-founder of Prajna Fire. In addition to Opening Dharma Access, Lama Yeshe co-hosts Prajna Sparks, a podcast for listening to, contemplating, and meditating on the Buddhadharma. Check out Lama Yeshe's articles published in Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Guide, Lion's Roar Magazine, and Tricyle Magazine. Join the Prajna Fire global community and follow Lama Yeshe on Instagram @karmayeshechodron. 2. SISTER PEACE spent five years in government work before realizing that something was missing. Feeling spiritually bereft, she began practicing at the Washington Mindfulness Community where she encountered the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Compelled by his teachings, she relocated in 2006 to the Plum Village Monastery in France to deepen her mindfulness practice and where she was ordained a Buddhist nun in 2008, and received the Dharma Lamp Transmission in 2017. Sister Peace currently resides in Memphis, TN, where she practices Engaged Buddhism. Sister Peace's writing with Parallax Press.3. DALILA BOTHWELL (she/her) is a Dharma practitioner in the Insight Meditation/Theravada Buddhist tradition and a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader Program.  She served as Deputy Director of New York Insight Meditation Center for nearly a decade where she learned the priceless value of sangha and the role relationships play in embodying the teachings and in creating kinder human beings.  With a formal education in food and nutrition, her practice meets at the intersection of physical and emotional wellbeing while being Black and queer and her love of recovery, nature, community, and justice. A native of the Southwest, Dalila currently lives in Papago / Tohono O'odham territory in Arizona with her handsome pup, Brisco. www.dalilabothwell.com / IG: @moonearthlove4. REV. LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a co-founder of Buddhists of Color (1998) and founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

A 30 minute guided meditation led by Solwazi Johnson at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. It was part of a larger talk he gave called "The Middle Seat." This recording is from DharmaSeed.org. Listen to our latest conversation with Solwazi "What's Values Got to Do With It?" to hear more. GUESTSolwazi Johnson (he/him) teaches mindfulness meditation classes and leads mindfulness meditation retreats and workshops throughout the U.S. and the world. He has practiced mindfulness meditation for over 25 years, focusing on Vipassana since 2003. In addition, he has studied and practiced meditation in many places, including Thailand, Burma, India, and South Africa. He is a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leaders' Training and Spirit Rock's four-year Retreat Teacher Training. In addition, for over five years, he served as the guiding volunteer teacher for the Prison Buddhist Ministry/Mindfulness Meditation Program in a Federal Prison located in Englewood, CO. He is currently with the Mindfulness Mentor Teacher Certification Program.

Solwazi Johnson has a laughter-filled conversation with Dalila Bothwell about his many life experiences before finding the Dharma, and how he believes the Dharma is for every person interested in freedom.GUEST Solwazi Johnson (he/him) teaches mindfulness meditation classes and leads mindfulness meditation retreats and workshops throughout the U.S. and the world. He has practiced mindfulness meditation for over 25 years, focusing on Vipassana since 2003. In addition, he has studied and practiced meditation in many places, including Thailand, Burma, India, and South Africa. He is a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leaders' Training and Spirit Rock's four-year Retreat Teacher Training. In addition, for over five years, he served as the guiding volunteer teacher for the Prison Buddhist Ministry/Mindfulness Meditation Program in a Federal Prison located in Englewood, CO. He is currently with the Mindfulness Mentor Teacher Certification Program.HOST Dalila Bothwell (she/her) is a Dharma practitioner in the Insight Meditation/Theravada Buddhist tradition and a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader Program.  She served as Deputy Director of New York Insight Meditation Center for nearly a decade where she learned the priceless value of sangha and the role relationships play in embodying the teachings and in creating kinder human beings.  With a formal education in food and nutrition, her practice meets at the intersection of physical and emotional wellbeing while being Black and queer and her love of recovery, nature, community, and justice. A native of the Southwest, Dalila currently lives in Papago / Tohono O'odham territory in Arizona with her handsome pup, Brisco.To connect with Dalila in other ways:www.dalilabothwell.comIG: @moonearthlove

A Dharma Talk by Grace Song. Perfect for the beginning of 2024!GUEST:Grace Song is an ordained Won Buddhist Kyomunim, meditation teacher, and advocate of interfaith dialogue. She serves as the Chair of the Won Buddhist Studies Department at the Won Institute of Graduate Studies. She has traveled to many countries to present and lead workshops and retreats on interfaith dialogue, social justice, mindfulness in education, and spiritual practice in daily life. She is committed to embodying the truth of interconnection and invests her time putting into practice her belief that renewing society starts with renewing our inner lives.Social Media with Grace:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/369https://tricycle.org/article/timeless-son/https://tricycle.org/article/mindful-journaling/Connect with her at: https://www.gracesangjinsong.com

An engaging conversation with Grace about creating  space for self, community, & collective inclusion for 21st Century Dharma.GUEST:Grace Song is an ordained Won Buddhist Kyomunim, meditation teacher, and advocate of interfaith dialogue. She serves as the Chair of the Won Buddhist Studies Department at the Won Institute of Graduate Studies. She has traveled to many countries to present and lead workshops and retreats on interfaith dialogue, social justice, mindfulness in education, and spiritual practice in daily life. She is committed to embodying the truth of interconnection and invests her time putting into practice her belief that renewing society starts with renewing our inner lives.Social Media with Grace:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/369https://tricycle.org/article/timeless-son/https://tricycle.org/article/mindful-journaling/Connect with her at: https://www.gracesangjinsong.comHOSTRev. Liên Shutt (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a co-founder of Buddhists of Color (1998) and founder of Access to Zen (2014). As the creator, producer, and host, she launched a podcast series, “Opening Dharma Access: Listening to BIPOC Teachers,” in 2021. In Season 2, she hosts with Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön, Sister Peace ,and Dalila Bothwell. You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.orgHer new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path.See all her offerings at EVENTS

Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Skr. Namastāraikaviṃśati­stotra­guṇa­hitasahita) is a liturgy that consists of twenty-seven verses of praise and reverence dedicated to the deity Tārā. The first twenty-one verses are at once a series of homages to the twenty-one forms of Tārā and a poetic description of her physical features, postures, and qualities.    -  84000 Reading Room Chanted by Pema Khandro Rinpoche and Buddhist Studies Institute dharma friends, using the English translation and melody arranged by the  Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition. The English text used in this practice, with accompanying Tibetan phonetics, is available for free pdf download here, through the courtesy of Maitripa College of Portland, Oregon and the FPMT..................................................................PEMA KHANDRO RINPOCHE is an internationally renowned teacher and scholar of Buddhist philosophy. She is the founder of Ngakpa International and its three projects, The Buddhist Studies Institute, Dakini Mountain and the Yogic Medicine Institute.In her work as a Buddhist teacher, she is an authorized Lama and lineage holder of the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions and was enthroned to carry on the lineage of her predecessor, the first Pema Khandro, an early twentieth century yogini from Eastern Tibet.Khandro-la has led a vibrant world-wide community since 1999. Through the Buddhist Studies Institute, she also offers a complete curriculum of training in Tibetan meditation and Buddhist Philosophy.She has a bachelor's degree in Sociology, a Master's degree specializing in Tibetan studies, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Virginia. Her scholarly research focuses on the history of Dzogchen and on Women in Tibetan Buddhism.Visit Khandro-la's website for more resourcesand learn more about the Buddhist Studies Institute here.   You can find Khandro-la on social media on:FacebookInstagramX (formerly Twitter)

ABOUT OUR GUEST FOR THIS EPISODEPEMA KHANDRO RINPOCHE is an internationally renowned teacher and scholar of Buddhist philosophy. She is the founder of Ngakpa International and its three projects, The Buddhist Studies Institute, Dakini Mountain and the Yogic Medicine Institute. In her work as a Buddhist teacher, she is an authorized Lama and lineage holder of the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions and was enthroned to carry on the lineage of her predecessor, the first Pema Khandro, an early twentieth century yogini from Eastern Tibet. Khandro-la has led a vibrant world-wide community since 1999. Through the Buddhist Studies Institute, she also offers a complete curriculum of training in Tibetan meditation and Buddhist Philosophy. She has a bachelor's degree in Sociology, a Master's degree specializing in Tibetan studies, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Virginia. Her scholarly research focuses on the history of Dzogchen and on Women in Tibetan Buddhism.Visit Khandro-la's website for more resourcesand learn more about the Buddhist Studies Institute here.   You can find Khandro-la on social media on:Facebook Instagram X (formerly Twitter)---HOST LAMA KARMA YESHE CHÖDRÖN is a scholar, teacher, and translator of Tibetan Buddhism at Rigpe Dorje Institute at Pullahari Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal and co-founder of Prajna Fire.Hear more about Lama Yeshe as ODA co-hosts Rev. Liên Shutt and Kaira Jewel Lingo interview her about her Dharma experiences as a practitioner and teacher of color here.In addition to Opening Dharma Access, Lama Yeshe co-hosts Prajna Sparks, a podcast for listening to, contemplating, and meditating on the Buddhadharma.Check out Lama Yeshe's articles published in Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Guide, Lion's Roar Magazine, and Tricyle Magazine.Join the Prajna Fire global community and follow Lama Yeshe on Instagram @karmayeshechodron. 

GUEST:Dr. Rebecca Li, a Dharma heir in the lineage of Chan Master Sheng Yen, is the founder and guiding teacher of Chan Dharma Community. Her books include Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times and the upcoming book Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method. She lives in New Jersey with her husband.Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method, clarifies the practice of  "Silent Illumination," (shikantaza in the Japanese tradition) and outlines the potential "traps and snares" that are encountered on the path to Awakening, as well as the potential remedies. Each chapter illuminates mind habits that cause difficulty to earnest meditation students, including: craving mode (striving for enlightenment), aversion mode (trying to eliminate thoughts completely), trance mode (cultivating a peaceful but foggy mind state), Intellectualization mode (substituting concepts for direct experience), quietism mode (dwelling in a cave of no thoughts), and forgetting emptiness (belief in someplace to arrive at and dwell in).CONNECT with her writings, talks, guided meditation, teaching, buy her book, & see the book tour schedule at www.rebeccali.org

An open, spacious conversation with Dr. Rebecca Li on her practice & teachings on Chan Buddhism and her newly released book, Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method GUEST: Dr. Rebecca Li, a Dharma heir in the lineage of Chan Master Sheng Yen, is the founder and guiding teacher of Chan Dharma Community. Her books include Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times and the upcoming book Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method. She lives in New Jersey with her husband. Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method, clarifies the practice of  "Silent Illumination," (shikantaza in the Japanese tradition) and outlines the potential "traps and snares" that are encountered on the path to Awakening, as well as the potential remedies. Each chapter illuminates mind habits that cause difficulty to earnest meditation students, including: craving mode (striving for enlightenment), aversion mode (trying to eliminate thoughts completely), trance mode (cultivating a peaceful but foggy mind state), Intellectualization mode (substituting concepts for direct experience), quietism mode (dwelling in a cave of no thoughts), and forgetting emptiness (belief in someplace to arrive at and dwell in). CONNECT with her writings, talks, guided meditation, teaching, buy her book, & see the book tour schedule at www.rebeccali.orgHOSTRev. Liên Shutt (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a co-founder of Buddhists of Color (1998) and founder of Access to Zen (2014). As the creator, producer, and host, she launched a podcast series, “Opening Dharma Access: Listening to BIPOC Teachers,” in 2022 with Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön, Sister Peace and Dalila Bothwell. You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.orgHer new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path was released on Tuesday, Aug. 22! To see when it's in your part of the U.S. or is virtual, go to BOOK TOUR INFO.  See all her offerings at EVENTS

GUEST:René Rivera (he/him) is a meditation teacher and restorative justice facilitator working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer Latinx trans man. René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, as a core teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive people, and offers classes and retreats for many Buddhist centers and groups. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender based violence.Find René's talks and guided meditations for EBMC's Alphabet Sangha on YouTube. Here are also a few of his talks and conversations on Spotify on Gender and No Self, Attachment Trauma Repair, Bringing our Mindfulness to Powerand Bringing Compassion to Conflict.Article in Lion's Roar: Finding Nonself on My Gender Journey

GUEST:René Rivera (he/him) is a meditation teacher and restorative justice facilitator working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer Latinx trans man. René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, as a core teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive people, and offers classes and retreats for many Buddhist centers and groups. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender based violence.Find René's talks and guided meditations for EBMC's Alphabet Sangha on YouTube. Here are also a few of his talks and conversations on Spotify on Gender and No Self, Attachment Trauma Repair, Bringing our Mindfulness to Powerand Bringing Compassion to Conflict. Article in Lion's Roar: Finding Nonself on My Gender JourneyHOSTDalila Bothwell (she/her), a Dharma practitioner in the Insight Meditation/Theravada Buddhist tradition and a graduate of Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader Program.  She served as Deputy Director of New York Insight Meditation Center for nearly a decade where she learned the priceless value of sangha and the role relationships play in embodying the teachings and in creating kinder human beings.  With a formal education in food and nutrition, her practice meets at the intersection of physical and emotional wellbeing while being Black and queer and her love of recovery, nature, community, and justice. A native of the Southwest, Dalila currently lives in Papago / Tohono O'odham territory in Arizona with her handsome pup, Brisco.To connect with Dalila in other ways:www.dalilabothwell.comIG: @moonearthlove

A meditation with guidance by words and song!JOE REILLY (he, him) is a singer, songwriter, social worker, and ordained Dharma Teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Joe was raised Catholic and currently studies and practices progressive Catholicism, Native American spirituality, and engaged Buddhism. Joe has been a student of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh since 2004 and is often found singing and writing songs on spiritual retreats. He currently lives in Waawiyatanong/Detroit, where he co-leads the Building Beloved Community Sangha. He is of Cherokee, Choctaw, Italian, and Irish descent and identifies as Native American.Connect with Joe and LISTEN to more of his music at:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joereillymusic/ YouTube, Instagram @JoeReillyMusichttps://www.joereilly.org/music/

GUEST:JOE REILLY (he, him) is a singer, songwriter, social worker, and ordained Dharma Teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Joe was raised Catholic and currently studies and practices progressive Catholicism, Native American spirituality, and engaged Buddhism. Joe has been a student of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh since 2004 and is often found singing and writing songs on spiritual retreats. He currently lives in Waawiyatanong/Detroit, where he co-leads the Building Beloved Community Sangha. He is of Cherokee, Choctaw, Italian, and Irish descent and identifies as Native American.Connect with Joe and LISTEN to more of his music at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joereillymusic/  YouTube, Instagram @JoeReillyMusichttps://www.joereilly.org/music/This EPISODE is in MEMORIAM for Mary Randolph(Rev. Liên covered for Sr. Peace so she could attend to her sister)HOSTRev. Liên Shutt (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a co-founder of Buddhists of Color (1998) and founder of Access to Zen (2014). As the creator, producer, and host, she launched a podcast series, “Opening Dharma Access: Listening to BIPOC Teachers,” in 2022 with Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön, Sister Peace and Dalila Bothwell. You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.orgHer new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path was released on Tuesday, Aug. 22! To see when it's in your part of the U.S. or is virtual, go to BOOK TOUR INFOFor full info on all her offerings: EVENTS

A short, but lovingly offered, meditation from Anushka Fernandopulle. Originally offered on Dharma Seed. Anushka Fernandopulle (she/they) is on the Spirit Rock Teacher's Council and has trained for over 30 years in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in the U.S., India, and Sri Lanka. Anushka lives in San Francisco and teaches retreats and workshops around the world. They also works as a leadership coach and management consultant, influenced by a BA in anthropology and religion from Harvard and an MBA from Yale. Her teaching is informed by nature, creative arts, political engagement and modern urban life.Connect with Anushka at:https://www.anushkaf.org/HOSTRev. Liên Shutt (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a co-founder of Buddhists of Color (1998) and founder of Access to Zen (2014). As the creator, producer, and host, she launched a podcast series, “Opening Dharma Access: Listening to BIPOC Teachers,” in 2022 with Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön, Sister Peace and Dalila Bothwell. You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.orgHer new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path launches on Tuesday, Aug. 22! Join her in-person or livestream at Book Inc BerkeleyFor full info on all her offerings: EVENTS

GUESTAnushka Fernandopulle (she/they) is on the Spirit Rock Teacher's Council and has trained for over 30 years in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in the U.S., India, and Sri Lanka. Anushka lives in San Francisco and teaches retreats and workshops around the world. They also works as a leadership coach and management consultant, influenced by a BA in anthropology and religion from Harvard and an MBA from Yale. Her teaching is informed by nature, creative arts, political engagement and modern urban life.Connect with Anushka at:https://www.anushkaf.org/HOSTRev. Liên Shutt (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a co-founder of Buddhists of Color (1998) and founder of Access to Zen (2014). As the creator, producer, and host, she launched a podcast series, “Opening Dharma Access: Listening to BIPOC Teachers,” in 2022 with Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön, Sister Peace and Dalila Bothwell. You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.orgHer new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path launches on Tuesday, Aug. 22! Join her in-person or livestream at Book Inc BerkeleyFor full info on all her offerings: EVENTS

A multidimensional practice of hearing Dharma, chanting, and silent meditation in the Shin Buddhist tradition, offered by Rev. Mark Unno.Rev. Mark Unno is Professor of Buddhist Studies & Department Head of Religious Studies at the University of Oregon, specializing in Pure Land, Zen, and Shingon Buddhism. He is the 14th generation minister of Shin Buddhism in his family. He is also the President of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies. Click to access the abbreviated Juseige Chant (Song of Praise) that Rev. Mark shares with us in this episode. Visit Rev. Mark Unno's website for more resources.

ABOUT OUR GUEST FOR THIS EPISODEREV. MARK UNNO is Professor of Buddhist Studies & Department Head of Religious Studies at the University of Oregon, specializing in Pure Land, Zen, and Shingon Buddhism. He is the 14th generation minister of Shin Buddhism in his family. He is also the President of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies.Read articles by Rev. Mark Unno at Lion's Roar Magazine onlineVisit his website for more resources---HOST LAMA KARMA YESHE CHÖDRÖN is a scholar, teacher, and translator of Tibetan Buddhism at Rigpe Dorje Institute at Pullahari Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal and co-founder of Prajna Fire.Hear more about Lama Yeshe as ODA co-hosts Rev. Liên Shutt and Kaira Jewel Lingo interview her about her Dharma experiences as a practitioner and teacher of color here.In addition to Opening Dharma Access, Lama Yeshe co-hosts Prajna Sparks, a podcast for listening to, contemplating, and meditating on the Buddhadharma.Check out Lama Yeshe's articles published in Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Guide, Lion's Roar Magazine, and Tricyle Magazine.Join the Prajna Fire global community and follow Lama Yeshe on Instagram @karmayeshechodron.