Austin Zen Center: Practice Leaders

Zen is practice oriented. Just as an athlete needs a coach or trainer to learn his skill, a Zen student requires a teacher, to fully appreciate the elements of practice, to be encouraged to continue when it becomes difficult, to receive guidance in self-understanding and to be nudged into a stronger practice and more skillful understanding. A small set of practitioners are authorized to work one-on-one with students in this way. A transmitted teacher furthermore can ordain and train priests. Students training in Zen should be meeting with at least one of the practice leaders.

	Barbara Seirin Kohn, Transmitted Teacher and Priest. Barbara spent 15 years at San Francisco Zen Center where she was ordained as a priest by Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi and received dharma transmission from Zenkei Blanche Hartman Roshi. She has been guiding the practice at AZC since 2000. Prior to becoming a Zen student in 1985, Barbara spent her time actively involved in politics and social change, dance, theatre, gallery direction, and being a wife and mother. The arts, Gestalt therapy, and dance therapy were strong influences leading her to the Zen path. As so often happens, it was midlife assessment that sent her from reading about Zen to practicing at SFZC. (more)
John Zenpo Grimes, Senior Priest. John has practiced Soto Zen full time for over 19 years. He began , as have so many others , with a summer at Tassajara Guest Season. In the following years he has lived at City Center, Green Gulch Farm and five more continuous years at Zen Mountain Center holding the positions of work leader, guest manager, meditation hall manager and head cook. He was also assistant to Abbess Blanche Hartman and Abbot Paul Haller and personal attendant to Okusan Suzuki (Suzuki-Roshi's widow) for several years. He moved to Austin in April of 2007.
	Kojin Dinsmore, Senior Priest. Kojin (top in the picture) has been actively involved with the Austin Zen Center since before it was officially founded in 2000. In 2001 he turned his back on his career in academics and technical research and development to drop out and become a monk. After living at Tassjara monastery for a year and a half he was ordained in Austin by Seirin Kohn in March, 2003. He served as shuso in the Fall of 2006. He seems to be a permanent resident of the Zen Center, where he serves in many capacities, from janitor and Web developer to outreach coordinator and residents' director, aside from teaching responsibilities. He is the father of three grownups.