BZC Leadership Update

BZC Leadership Update from Board President Karen Sundheim

I’m writing to all of you in an effort to summarize and clarify some of the recent events surrounding the passing of our Abbot Hozan, the work of our Elders Council and the status of our Abiding Teachers Linda Galijan and Greg Fain.

As you know, our beloved Abbot Hozan Alan Senauke passed away at about 4:15pm on Sunday December 22. In the weeks before he died, many of his friends and students spent time with him and his family. In his last days, some sat in silence by his bedside. A small group of Sangha members was with him when he took his last breath. Immediately after he passed he was washed, shaved and clothed in his robes. This was followed by a Pillow Ceremony, in which those present whispered softly into Hozan’s ear. He was then carried into the Zendo, his casket open in the center in line with the altar. Akiba Roshi came and led a service including the chanting of the Dai Hi Shin Dharani. For the next 24 hours Sangha members and residents sat zazen. The following day at 5:00pm there was a Taiya – Leaving Ceremony attended by approximately 60 Sangha members and friends. At 6:00pm the Pacific Internment staff carried him out to a van to be taken to the mortuary. During that time all that were there chanted the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo until the van disappeared at the end of Russell Street.

On January 5th Akiba Roshi led a ceremony at Pacific Interment in Emeryville.  After the ceremony over 50 people witnessed the cremation in person and about 150 via zoom.

BZC is following the Buddhist tradition of holding a weekly memorial service for 49 days. Services are being held in hybrid format at 7:20am on Saturdays through February 8th. Online access is through the “Enter the Zendo Now” link from our homepage www.berkeleyzencenter.org

In late autumn as Hozan’s illness progressed he named some senior individuals to meet as an Elders Council. The Elders Council, consisting of long-term practitioners from BZC and outside of BZC in the Suzuki Roshi lineage, is tasked with recommending future spiritual leaders for our temple. Members of the Elders Council are:

BZC Leadership:

Tantos Susan Marvin and Laurie Senauke

Ino Ross Blum

Coordinator (now former) Carol Paul

Board President Karen Sundheim

Past Board President Mary Duryee

Outside Teachers in the Suzuki Roshi Lineage:

Steve Weintraub (Green Gulch Farm)

Jaku Kinst (Ocean Gate Zen Center in Santa Cruz)

Victoria Austin (San Francisco Zen Center)

Gaelyn Godwin (Houston Zen Center)

Catherine Cascade (Blue Haven Zen Center in Eugene, OR)

The Berkeley Zen Center Board has invited Linda Galijan and Greg Fain to be Abiding Teachers (specifically Head Priests, to use the terminology in our bylaws). They have agreed to stay at BZC in this capacity until summer 2026. They have moved into the 1929 apartment above the Community Room. Helen Cheng is moving into the upstairs of 1933 with Laurie Senauke. Some ceremonies are being planned to acknowledge their positions. Those will be announced in February after consultations with the Priests Group and the Senior Students. The Tanto-Ino Group has invited Linda and Greg to lead the Spring Practice Period which will include a Shuso. Those details will also be announced in February.

The Elders Council has met twice and will meet again in February. They have not yet begun the search for the next Abbot (s). The BZC Board takes seriously the input we received from the Sangha Survey which over 60 people responded to this past summer. The outside teachers in the Elders Council have brought an abundance of wisdom through their extensive experiences as spiritual leaders during times of transition. The most emphatic message we are receiving from both individual meetings and Council meetings is “Go slow. Do not hurry. Do not make decisions in reaction to feelings of uncertainty”.

It is understandable there may be a variety of feelings as we move forward. We are in wise and compassionate hands with Linda and Greg as Abiding Teachers for the near future. As Greg said in his Dharma Talk on Saturday, “Zen is a religion of action”. We cultivate calmness and clarity even in the times of uncertainty. And as Hozan Roshi often reminded us, our sincere practice will guide us to an “appropriate response”.

We will continue to sustain and enliven our practice with daily zazen (offered four times daily), sesshins, work days, classes and ceremonies. Our Abiding Teachers, Priests and Senior Students are available for dokusan and practice discussion. If you haven’t had an opportunity to meet with Linda and/or Greg I would encourage you do so as they are available and eager to be acquainted with individual Sangha members. BZC is their home temple where they began zen practice with Sojun Roshi. They bring deep insight, years of leadership and humor to their teaching.

Please keep in touch with Board members, Linda and Greg, the Tantos and other Practice Leaders if you have concerns or questions. We are trying to be as transparent as possible. If something seems unclear, or opaque, that may be because we do not know the answer (yet). However that should not discourage you from asking. So please keep us informed of your thoughts. More all-Sangha meetings will be scheduled in the near future as another avenue for communication. Stay tuned.

With gratitude and love,

Karen

 

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