Senior Green Gulch teachers are available for practice discussion and dokusan (individual interviews). For more information, call the main office at 415.383.3134.
Abiding Abbess of Green Gulch Farm Zen Center Eijun Linda Cutts Eijun Linda Cutts came to San Francisco Zen Center in 1971 and was ordained as a priest in 1975. She has lived at Tassajara and San Francisco City Center, and has resided at Green Gulch Farm since 1993. In 1996 Linda received Dharma transmission from Tenshin Reb Anderson and served as Abbess of San Francisco Zen Center from 2000 to 2007. She was appointed Abiding Abbess of Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in 2010 and continues to teach and lead practice periods and retreats at Tassajara, Green Gulch, and elsewhere.
Senior Dharma Teacher Tenshin Reb Anderson Tenshin Reb Anderson practiced with Suzuki Roshi, who ordained him as a priest in 1970 and gave him the name Tenshin Zenki ("Naturally Real, The Whole Works"). He received dharma transmission in 1983 and served as abbot of San Francisco Zen Center from 1986 to 1995. Tenshin Reb Anderson continues to teach at Zen Center and lives at Green Gulch Farm.
Jeremy Levie Jeremy Levie began practicing at San Francisco Zen Center in 1994. He was ordained by Eijun Linda Cutts in 2005 and trained as shuso with her in 2009. He has practiced in residence at each of San Francisco Zen Center’s three temples. He recently served as Green Gulch director and became tanto in 2012. He lives with his wife, Meg, and daughter, Elizabeth, at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, where he enjoys wandering the hills and serving as tanto.
Lauren Bouyea Lauren Bouyea began residential practice at Green Gulch Farm in 2003 as a farm and garden apprentice, and is currently Garden Manager. She received lay ordination in 2005 from Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts, and practiced at Tassajara for three years.
Carolyn Cavanagh Carolyn Cavanagh is currently the Ino (meditation hall director), at Green Dragon Temple. She has lived between Green Gulch Farm and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center since 2000. She was ordained as a priest by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 2007 and was shuso at Tassajara in 2010.
Grace Dammann Dr. Grace Dammann, a revered physician who was honored by the Dalai Lama for her extraordinary work with AIDS patients during the height of the epidemic, has been a resident of Green Gulch Farm for many decades. Her life was shattered in May 2008 by a catastrophic head-on collision on the Golden Gate Bridge. After 48 days in a coma and multiple surgeries for broken bones and injured organs, doctors were amazed when Grace miraculously awoke with her cognitive abilities intact. Yet once the thrill and euphoria of survival had passed, the hard, painful work of rehabilitation and caregiving began for Grace, her partner Fu Schroeder, and an extraordinary community of friends and colleagues.
Kathy Early Kathy Early has been living and practicing at Zen Center, alternating between Tassajara and Green Gulch Farm, since the fall of 2000. She was ordained as a priest by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 2005 and is now living at Green Gulch Farm.
Sonja Gardenswartz Sonja Gardenswartz began practice in 1981 and came to San Francisco Zen Center in 1991. She has practiced continuously at both Green Gulch Farm and Zen Mountain Center, Tassajara.
Reirin Gumbel Reirin Seisho Alheidis Gumbel has been a resident at SFZC since 2003, was ordained as a Soto Zen priest by Furyu Nancy Schroeder, and was head monk for the Spring practice period in 2012. Prior to her residency at Green Gulch she lived in Santa Cruz with her two daughters, where she owned a fiber arts business, The Golden Fleece. Reirin is excited to have the opportunity to bridge Zen practice and Fiber Arts education, which she feels are intimately connected.
Arlene Lueck Arlene Lueck recently served as Tanto, or head of practice, at Green Dragon Temple. She was ordained in 1996 and received Dharma Transmission from Norman Fischer in 2005.
Daigan Lueck Daigan Lueck, a Zen Buddhist priest, poet, and painter, has been a long-time resident practitioner, having lived at all three San Francisco Zen Center locations and currently at Green Gulch Farm.
Sukey Parmelee Sukey Parmelee, a long-time resident of Green Gulch, oversees the grounds and serves as volunteer and outreach coordinator.
Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler entered residence at SFZC at the age of 20, in 1996, and has trained full time in Zen since, primarily at Tassajara and Green Gulch Farm. He was ordained as a priest in 2002 by Seido Lee deBarros, was shuso under Abbot Myogen Steve Stücky in 2008, and currently trains under Sojun Mel Weitsman. He spent 2002-2003 at two Zen monasteries in Japan, Bukkokuji and Hokyoji, and has spent time at a variety of American temples as well, receiving teachings from Joshu Sasaki Roshi, Shohaku Okumura, Toni Packer, and the monastics of Shasta Abbey.
Furyu Nancy Schroeder Furyu Nancy Schroeder, at Zen Center since 1976, was ordained as a priest in 1986 and received Dharma transmission from Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1999.
Mick Sopko Mick Sopko started practicing at Zen Center in 1977. He received lay dharma entrustment from Zoketsu Norman Fischer in 2005 and has held various positions at Green Gulch including head of the meditation hall, co-director, and, currently, bread baker.
Sara Tashker Sara Tashker has been an organic farmer and residential practitioner at San Francisco Zen Center since 2002. From 2007 she has helped lead Green Gulch Farm’s six-month Organic Farm and Garden Apprenticeship for people interested in integrating residential Zen Buddhist practice and hands-on training in organic farming and gardening. She loves that her every activity is the fertile ground of Zen practice: growing food, relating to community, being a mother, appreciating the breath and body. In fall 2011 she served as Head Student (shuso) at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center with Abbot Myogen Steve Stücky and Sojun Mel Weitsman. She currently lives and practices at Green Gulch Farm with her husband and their son Frank.
Jisan Anna Thorn Jisan Anna Thorn has been practicing at all three temples of San Francisco Zen Center since 1995. She received priest ordination in 2003 and was shuso (head monk) in 2007. She is currently assistant to Tenshin Reb Anderson and lives at Green Gulch Farm.
Steve Weintraub Steve Weintraub was ordained as a Zen priest in 1973, and he has been teaching Buddhism at San Francisco Zen Center, Tassajara, and Green Gulch Farm for over 30 years. In 1994, he received Dharma transmission - full authorization as a teacher - in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. Steve is the guiding teacher for Presidio Hill Zen Group, which meets weekly on Thursday evenings in San Francisco. Steve also has an MFT license, and a private psychotherapy practice in San Francisco and Mill Valley.
Meiya Wender Meiya Wender has practiced at Zen Center since 1972 and received Dharma Transmission from Tenshin Reb Anderson in 2002. She has held many monastic positions at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and Green Gulch, including director, ino, tenzo, and tanto. She has studied the Way of Tea for many years, including a year at the Urasenke Midorikai program in Kyoto, and teaches Tea in Sowing the Moon Teahouse at Green Gulch.