Judy Fleischman: Me Too, The Dharma Of Friendship

A talk given at Berkeley Zen Center on Monday, July 19th 2021 by Judy Fleischman.

Audio

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About Judy Fleischman

Judy grew up in NYC and after years of study in<br /> astrophysics, moved to Oregon and began Zen<br /> practice in 1998. She continued in NYC in 2002,<br /> feeling called to return there after 9/11, and began<br /> to train in healthcare chaplaincy. She arrived at<br /> BZC in 2013, where she has been practicing<br /> along with Everyday Zen/Makor Or (guiding<br /> teacher Norman Fischer) and Mindful<br /> Peace building. Judy sees sangha life as<br /> celebrating creativity, connection, and community<br /> and this has informed her myriad adventures<br /> ranging from rocket science (astrophysics) to<br /> chaplaincy, community building, and arts/activism.<br /> <br /> She received lay ordination in 2001 from Chozen<br /> Jan Bays at Great Vow Zen Monastery in Oregon<br /> and priest ordination in 2005 from Enkyo O’Hara<br /> at Village Zendo in NYC. From each of these<br /> women, Judy learned expressions of Zen, which<br /> include Soto and Rinzai practice, and integrate<br /> arts, inter-religious dialogue, social justice, and<br /> peacebuilding. Judy brings these perspectives in<br /> appreciating koan practice (inhabiting a zen story)<br /> and group dialogue in interplay with the heart of<br /> our practice, zazen. Recognizing also the<br /> importance of deep inquiry into systemic<br /> expressions of exclusion in our psyches and<br /> communities, she sees our practice opening new<br /> pathways to transformation, healing, and the joy<br /> of living in wonderment.

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