Cuke Audio Podcast

With Dor Ben-Amotz

Dor Ben-Amotz is a science professor who, in this podcast, talks about his experience teaching a course in Buddhism and Meditation at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont. He also speaks about how he got into Buddhism and meditation, his time at Green Gulch Farm, and more. Here's a link to the syllabus on the course he taught: https://cuke.com/pdf-2015/Fun_Buddhism_Slides.pdf

Memorial Podcast for Peter Schneider

Peter Schneider began sitting at Sokoji in 1963. He was ordained as a priest by Shunryu Suzuki in 1970 and received transmission from Mel Weitsman. He was at Tassajara for the first years as office manager, then director for a few years, Suzuki's attendant. He and his wife Jane got together there. They lived in Japan many years and on their return to America, founded the Beginner's Mind Zen Center in Northridge, CA, part of LA. Peter, born in 1937, died on January 4, 2025. Go to their cuke page for more and for links to the cuke podcasts with them. cuke.com/people/schneider-jane-peter.htm

The Mystical Theology of Pseudo Dionysius

Pseudo Dionysius was a 5th century Syrian monk who wrote in Greek The Mystical Theology, his most famous work. It's like the Heart Sutra of Christianity, the via negativa, the neti neti (not this not that) of Advaita Vedanta. An appropriate reading for the holiday season.

With Guest Michael Stusser

Michael Stusser founded the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone CA with it's hot cedar enzyme baths. In this podcast he talks about being an apprentice with master gardener Alan Chadwick and with the head gardener of Myoshinji in Kyoto, meeting Shunryu Suzuki, studying with Kobun Chino and Chogyam Trungpa, gardening for years at the Farallones Institute in Occidental CA and more.

With Guest Dennis Marshall - Encore Presentation

This is an encore presentation of a podcast done in January of 2022 with Dennis Marshall who died this November of 2024 just two days before his 93rd birthday. Listen to yesterday's podcast for DC reading his obit from the Crestone Mt Zen Center and his cuke interview. Dennis Marshall was born in Yorkshire, England 93 years ago. About forty years later he went to a lecture at the City Center of the SFZC and was right away sold on Suzuki and the general communal feeling there. About thirty-three years ago he moved to Crestone, Colorado, and since then had been involved with Richard Baker and Dharma Sangha. See his cuke page at cuke.com/Cucumber%20Project/interviews/marshall.html

RIP Dennis Marshall

Dennis Marshall first showed up at the SF Zen Center in 1970. He died in November two days short of 93. In this brief podcast I read the Crestone Mt. ZC news obituary for him and then emails between us that became his Cuke Interview.  His January 2022 Cuke Podcast will  be presented next, hopefully tomorrow. - dc

Reading Betty Warren's Interview

Betty Warren started practicing with Shunryu Suzuki shortly after he arrived from Japan and continued her practice till she died at 89 in 2006. She was a science teacher, anti-war activist, and vision quester. In this podcast I read an interview I did with her thirty years ago - and more. - dc

Reading from Della Goertz's Notebook

Della Goertz began her practice with Shunryu Suzuki soon after he arrived in America in 1959. Herein we read from a notebook she kept with brief quotes and paraphrases from his talks and her encounters with him. There's a great deal on her at cuke.com/people/goertz.htm.

DC Rap on Refuge

 DC Rap on Refuge - like not taking refuge in our hopes and dreams

DC on Visiting

On keeping in touch with those who are ill or isolated. Visiting my monk friend. Visiting a Japanese neighbor now in a convalescent clinic, a touching experience. Visiting Katrinka on the way home and sharing her birthday cake. Chatting with ChaptGPT.