Cuke Audio Podcast

With John Steiner

John Steiner came to the San Francisco Zen Center in 1967 a few months before the first practice period at Tassajara and participate in that practice period. I recall him and Bill Lane being the trash collectors and moving materials around. His involvement with peace and environmental work began before then and continues to this day as does his spiritual path. These days he's focusing on getting young people and minorities registered to vote. In this podcast he talks about all this and more. Next week we'll continue our dialogue with John, my dear bodhisattvic friend.

With Guest Rick Wicks

Rick Wicks went to Tassajara briefly in 1971 . He returned there to practice in 1974. In this podcast he tells about living in Sweden for decades, traveling extensively in Asia and Europe, being at Zen Center, and more. He's got a doctorate in economics and is a consultant in that realm. He's worn lots of different hats. He calls himself a successful autistic in the podcast. There's a great deal on and from him on cuke.com. 

With Guest Rhonda Johansen Karzag

Rhonda Johansen Karzag was at Tassajara with her parents for three summers when she was in elementary school. In this podcast she talks about what that was like for her and reads from an account of it she wrote for school when she was in the fourth grade. You can read it while listening if you go to her mother, Toni Johansen Weisberg's cuke page where there's a link to it - in her excellent young handwriting.

With Guest Toni (Johansen) Weisberg 2

Last week's guest, Toni (Johansen) Weisberg, reads from the notebook she created in 1966 at the request of Shunryu Suzuki - with some comments from him.  She calls it  Mad Monkey Mind.

With Toni (Johansen) Weisberg

Toni Weisberg was Toni Johansen in her Zen Center days.  She and her husband Tony came to the  SFZC in 1965. In this podcast she talks about how they got there, her close relationship with Shunryu Suzuki, and more. 

With Guest Lynne (Warkov) Lockie

Lynne Lockie, then Warkov, came to Sokoji in 1960 with her husband Saul Warkov.  She  was a founder of the Minneapolis Zen Meditation Center in Minneapolis that invited Dainin Katagiri to be their teacher. She became a psychoanalyst and  retired recently from teaching mindfulness at the New College in Sarasota., Florida. She is still involved in contemplative practice.

With Linda Hess

Linda Hess came to the SF Zen Center in 1974 after a decade of studies and seeking in India. She has continued returning to India through the years. She became a senior lecturer emeritus at Stanford University in religious studies. She's written three books focusing on the poet Kabir and translating his songs/poems and is working on another.  The Bijak of Kabir 1983, Bodies of Song, Kabir Oral Traditions and Performative Worlds in North India - 2015. Emptiness. Kumar Gandharva performs the poetry of Kabir. She and husband Kazuaki Tanahashi live in Berkeley. She tells about all that and her life in this podcast.

 

With guest John K. Nelson

John Nelson was for years a Professor of East Asian religions in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Francisco. He is the author of Experimental Buddhism: Innovation and Activism in Contemporary Japan. His studies and teaching have included a good deal on Zen. In this podcast he talks about experiences and observations in Japan, Indonesia, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and more. Check out his blog Far West Passage: Experimental Views on Asia, Buddhism, and the Awakening Mind at <nelsonjblog.wordpress.com>.. More on John Nelson at his page on cuke.com.

With Guest Stuart Lachs

Stuart Lachs was at the first practice period at Tassajara. and has practiced  with many other groups through the years. including two years with Eido Shimano and eleven years with Walter Nowick. Check out his website Zen Perspectives: Commentaries on Zen and Society - https://lachs.inter-link.com and learn more about him in this podcast.

With Guest JJ Wilson for a 2nd podcast

JJ Wilson founded the Women's Studies program at Sonoma State U. Her husband Phillip Wilson was one of Shunryu Suzuki's early ordained disciples. They came  to Sokoji , Suzuki's SF temple, in 1961. She wrote her thesis on Virginia Wolf there and is a leading authority on Virginia Wolf.