When Tim Kennedy retired from professional practice and teaching Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, he turned to Landscape Painting as a daily practice. Minnesota Zen Meditation Center and Santa Barbara Zen Center have been integral as sanghas in the formation of his meditation practice.. Jikoji and Hokyoji monasteries have been places of refuge for sesshin and retreat. In September 2023 he received Jukai from his teacher Tim Burkett who gave him the Dharma name Ensō.
Volker Kenkō Ecke gave a talk on Not Knowing for SBZC. Kenkō took Jukai in 2005 with Enkyo Roshi at the Village Zendo in NYC and served as Shuso with Anraku Sensei in June 2011. It's a great joy to return to SBZC after shared practice in 2012 and 2019! He currently deepens his practice with the Village Zendo community and teachers, as well as the Oxbow Zen Sangha in Northampton MA, where he lives. Kenkō recently retired from teaching mathematics and mathematics education at Westfield State University.
On Jan 26 at Santa Barbara Zen Center Professor Emeritus Bill Powell led an illuminating reading and discussion of Red Pine's translation of the Heart Sutra, a core text regularly chanted in Zen practice. This introduction helps demystify the profound wisdom of the Heart Sutra. William (Bill) Powell is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies and East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies at UC Santa Barbara. Trained in the philological methods of Buddhist studies, he has translated the works of prominent 9th century Chan (Zen) monk Dong Shan. His recent research explores the intersections of Chinese Buddhism, pilgrimage, and sacred mountain sites.
November 24th's guest speaker, Carolyn Hoshin Jikai Dille has been a dedicated student of Buddhist practices for35 years in the Soto Zen, Early Buddhist, Insight, and Tibetan traditions. She has studied intensively with several teachers in the United States and Asia and has taught in dharma communities since 1996. She carries dharma transmission from Angie Enji Boissevain in the Phoenix Cloud lineage. She is a poet, writer, and editor and has presented and facilitated Dharma and Art retreats and seminars for over 23 years for Insight Meditation Center and Insight Santa Cruz in California and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Massachusetts. She currently serves as a Guiding Teacher for the Floating Zendo online in San Jose.
