‘You have to swallow the whole fish,’ Zen Master Taizan Maezumi told his students, ‘and then spit out the bones.’ First absorb the tradition, endure the hardships of Zen training, then you can spend the rest of your life separating the real treasure from the culture it came in, learning what you can let go of and what is truly yours.

In this episode Connor and Roger talk with Genpo Roshi about his 45 years as a Zen Master. This conversation touches on his story of his uplifting and exhilarating and humbling journey, including the last five years rising from the ashes of his very public fall from grace, and a candid exploration of the challenge of bringing the essence of the great tradition he inherited to life in the West.

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Some questions Connor and Roger ask...

Could share a defining moment for you? (2:46)
Could you share a bit of your background? (4:15)
Could you share the "big mind" process? (12:00)
Did you know your “great fall” was coming? (28:58)
What is the meaning behind “spitting out the bones”? (33:45)
What are some simple tips for somebody wanting to get into meditation? (40:00)

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Thank You to the Team:

Editing & Mixing by: Aaron Johnson Theme music by: Parlange & Latenite Automatic

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Genpo Roshi - A Zen Master's 45 Year Journey

ManTalks Podcast

Genpo Roshi - A Zen Master's 45 Year Journey