The White Plum Zen Sangha UK

News & Site Updates

21 Feb 08	Events added - "Zen and the Art of Therapy" seminar in June and "One Bright Pearl" weekend retreat in August, both with Manu Bazzano
20 Feb 08	Update: March "Day of Zen" with Genshin Sensei will be on the 8th, not 15th
10 Jan 08	Events added - dates & details for two Crosby sesshins in March (with Ken Jones & David Scott Hoshi) and August (with Tenshin Fletcher Roshi and David Scott Hoshi)
2 Jan 08	Updated details for Sheffield group - note that sittings are now on Tuesdays

In order to discover that there was nothing missing in the first place, it somehow seems necessary for each one of us to embark on the search for the Self; but really, it's just a big detour. Your unborn Buddha Mind is discovered when you are One - just sitting, just breathing, just sweeping the floor. In that moment, there is no one sweeping, no one breathing, no one sitting. You are one with whatever you are doing because you are that to begin with. You are born free, and your very nature is free and unfixed. The unborn Buddha Mind is always manifesting as you.

— Dennis Genpo Merzel, The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way. Shambala, 2003.

The White Plum Sangha UK supports teachers within the lineage of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi (1931-1995), founder of the White Plum Asangha and Dharma holder in both the Soto and Rinzai Zen traditions.

For more information and a list of Dharma successors in the White Plum Lineage please visit www.whiteplum.org.

The following teachers or their successors or their representatives offer Zen training, retreats and courses in the UK, Europe and USA. For more information about each and listings of events at their own centres please visit their individual websites. For the latest news on retreats, courses and Zen sitting groups in the UK, please see Retreats & Courses Page or Sitting Groups Page.

Guiding Teachers

Genpo Merzel Roshi

Zen Master Genpo Merzel Roshi (1944-), second Dharma successor to Taizan Maezumi Roshi, is the abbot of Kanzeon Zen Centre, Salt Lake City, Head of The White Plum Asanga, founder of Kanzeon International and creator of the very successful "Big Mind" process. He is represented in the UK by the Zen Practice Trust. Genpo Roshi has given Shiho and Inka transmission to several successors, several of whom - listed below - have strong links with the UK sangha.

Charles Tenshin Fletcher Roshi

Born in Manchester, England, Charles Tenshin Fletcher is abbot of Zen Mountain Centre in California. He moved to the USA in 1979 to train with Taizan Maezum Roshi. He received Shiho transmission from Maezumi Roshi in 1994 and Inka (final transmission) from Genpo Roshi in 2006. Tenshin Roshi leads a popular week-long sesshin in the UK once a year.

UK Based Dharma Holders

Nancy Genshin Gabrysch Sensei

Nancy Genshin Gabrysch was born in Scotland in 1937. She pursued a career as a painter and teacher having gained postgraduate qualifications in Fine Art at Education, and became certified in art therapy in 1978. In 1983 she met Genpo Roshi and devoted herself to studying Zen, later moving to Salt Lake City to continue Zen training, which has included more than 12 years of residential practice. Having led a satellite group of Kanzeon Zen Center in Park City, Utah. Genshin received Shiho (full transmission) from Genpo Roshi in May 2006. After recovering from two strokes, she returned to the UK in September 2006. She currently lives near Preston in Lancashire (telephone 01995 640346).

David Shoji Scott Hoshi

David Scott has been practising with Genpo Roshi since 1982. He is a Dharma Holder, certified Big Mind group facilitator and ordained monk. In his lay life he is a restaurateur and author of many books on food, travel, Japanese life and Zen Buddhist practice. He leads the Liverpool Zen Group and founded the StoneWater Zendo in the Lake District. For more information on Liverpool Zen Group, sesshin and weekend retreats visit www.liverpool-zen.org.uk or email him at dl.scott@virgin.net.

Other Teachers Affiliated to the UK Sangha

Catherine Genno Pages Roshi

Catherine Genno Pages, a French teacher is based in Paris where she has founded the Dana Zen Centre.

Anton Tenkei Coppens Roshi

Anton Tenkei Coppens, a Dutch teacher is abbot and founder of Zen River, a Zen training temple situated in Uithuizen, Netherlands. Tenkei Roshi leads a week long Zen retreat in the UK, once a year. For more information see the Zen River website.

George Jisho Robertson Hoshi

Born in 1934, George began formal practice in the Theravadin tradition in 1973. He became a student of Genpo Roshi in 1982, and in 1989 retired to begin full time training with him. He was ordained as a monk in 1990. He is now serving as Office Manager at Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City. Email: jgremz@hotmail.com.

In Memoriam

John Shodo Flatt (27.08.1913 - 04.02.1994)

Genpo Roshi gave Shiho transmission to the late John Shodo Flatt, one of his early British students. John was Genpo Roshi's second dharma sucessor after Catherine Genno Pages and was one of the founders of the Zen Practice Centre Trust. He actively supported Genpo Roshi's early visits to the UK and played a key role in the creation of the UK Sangha.