Our Dharma Teachers
Dharma teachers
JULIAN DAIZAN SKINNER
Matt Shinkai Kane
MARK KUREN WESTMOQUETTE
Keith Fuso Alker
HOGETS BAERNDAL
SEAN RINRYU COLLINS
PENNY SEIZAN CLAY
RICCARDO SHUNZAN BONAITI
APRIL GENSEI MANNINO
SHINZAN MIYAMAE ROSHI (1935-2021)
JULIAN DAIZAN SKINNER
Zenways founder, Zen Master
Julian Daizan Skinner is the first Englishman to go to Japan and become a Roshi or Zen Master in the rigorous Rinzai tradition of Zen. Over twenty years ago, he gave up a promising career as a scientist in the pharmaceuticals industry, sold his house, gave all his money away and entered a Zen monastery.
Over many years of strict training, in Japan and the west, Daizan Roshi received Dharma Transmission and permission to teach in both the Rinzai and Soto lineages of Zen. He has also undergone training as an enlightenment intensive master with Lawrence Noyes, leading student of the creator of enlightenment intensives, Charles Berner. In 2007 Daizan Roshi received inka from Shinzan Miyamae Roshi of Gyokuryuji.
Upon returning from Japan, Daizan Roshi went on walking pilgrimage up the centre of the island of Britain from the south tip of the Isle of Wight to the north tip of Scotland, living solely on alms food. He met many of his students from different parts of the UK during this time. Daizan Roshi currently offers sanzen (‘interviews’ or training encounters with his students) at Yugagyo Dojo (Zen Yoga) in London as well as using Skype for remote students. Together with his students, he has established, “Yugagyo Dojo”, a Zen training place in London. Daizan Roshi was teaching at The Buddhist Society, the oldest non-sectarian Buddhist Society in Europe, until December 2011.
His Zen study incorporated yoga practice. He has also studied yoga in Europe, America and Asia. He brings this wide range of yoga experience to sharing a practice that combines physical challenge with mental and spiritual development. He is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level and is registered with the Independent Yoga Network as a Yoga Elder with more than 5000 hours of teaching experience. Daizan trains yoga teachers to find an expression that is authentically their own and will bring them success when they teach. His knowledge and training in Zen gives him the background to guide you on your spiritual journey.
MATT SHINKAI KANE ROSHI
Zen Master
Matt Shinkai Kane, M.A., studied Zen in Japan for over seven years, and received permission to teach as a Zen master (Roshi) from Shinzan Roshi in 2016. In 2014 he founded the Blue Cliff Zen Center in Eugene, Oregon, and is the lead teacher there. He currently lives in an east-Eugene apartment rather than within a celibate monastic setting.
Shinkai has taught yoga for over 7 years to a variety of groups including kids, elementary school teachers, university students, people who are vision or hearing impaired, and elderly folks. His teaching style integrates this experience and emphasizes being grounded and awake.
MARK KUREN WESTMOQUETTE
Ino (director of training)
KEITH FUSO ALKER
HOGETS BAERNDAL
SEAN RINRYU COLLINS
Seán was first introduced to a formal Mindfulness and Meditation practice in 2009. Since then he maintained a regular daily practice and was drawn to sharing the benefits he had experienced with others. He began doing this with work colleagues in 2011 and became fully qualified through the Zenways Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Training programme with Daizan Roshi in 2012.
“The immersive nature of the teacher training was fantastic. It was a pivotal point in my life. I am truly grateful to have become a part of the Zenways family under Daizan’s guidance.” Seán has been continually teaching mindfulness ever since and has gone on to do advanced level Meditation and Mindfulness course with Daizan and to qualify as a teacher trainer.
He shares the Meditation and Mindfulness in a variety of settings such as hospices, large corporations and even out in woodlands. His passion is making the benefits available as easily and widely as possible by encouraging and supporting students to develop a mindful approach to living.
“Passing on these practices so students can experience the benefits is hugely rewarding. Perhaps the only thing more rewarding is helping others become teachers themselves.”
Daizan has this to say of Seán:
“Since he came on Zenways meditation and mindfulness teacher training, I’ve seen a Sean blossom into a first rate teacher of this work. Equally at home in a company boardroom or a forest Sean draws on humour, creativity and a deep personal practice together with a broad range of life experiences to meet his students in a place where they can share non-judgemental presence. I whole-heartedly recommend Sean and his work.”
PENNY SEIZAN CLAY
RICCARDO SHUNZAN BONAITI
APRIL GENSEI MANNINO
SHINZAN MIYAMAE ROSHI (1935-2021)
Zen Master