Our Meditation and Mindfulness
Teacher Training Path Tutors
JULIAN DAIZAN SKINNER
HOGETS BAERNDAL
MARK KUREN WESTMOQUETTE
SEAN RINRYU COLLINS
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.
MARK KUREN WESTMOQUETTE
Mindfulness teacher
Mark Kuren Westmoquette PhD has been practising Zen under the guidance of Daizan Roshi since 2007, and has been teaching yoga and meditation since 2010. Until 2013 Mark was a scientist doing research in astronomy, but decided to give up his day job to focus on teaching and practising. He now works part-time for Zenways, helping to manage the organisation and run some of the teacher training programmes. Mark received authorisation to teach Zen at the junior level in 2016, and at the senior level in 2022.
HOGETS BAERNDAL
Mindfulness teacher
Hogets’ Meditation path started at the age of 14 with just a book. She then searched for many years for the right Zen teacher and tradition which really speaks to her heart. She found her ‘Zen home’ in Zenways in 2009. She trained with Zenways as yoga teacher in 2009 and as meditation teacher in 2010 on the very first meditation teacher training Daizan Roshi offered. In 2012 she signed up for the Zen teacher programme and in 2022 became a Junior-level Zen teacher.
Hogets has been a part time member of the Imperial College London Chaplaincy team since mid-2013 where she offers the Mindfulness Meditation and Zen for Insight courses on regular basis. She also runs weekly drop-in mindfulness lunch sessions as well as interaction to mindfulness meditation on request in different setting in various departments at Imperial College London. She is also a guest mindfulness chaplain at Royal College of Arts, London School of Economics as well as faith adviser at the University of the Arts London. She also offers one-to-one Mindfulness based coaching and pastoral care.
Hogets’ practices Mindfulness both on the cushion and in action, making the creation of her artwork and craft a major area of practice too. She holds a degree equal to an MA in Arts and Design and has been a self-employed artist since 1991.
SEAN RINRYU COLLINS
Mindfulness teacher
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.”