About this episode
Julie Seido Nelson is a transmitted teacher (Sensei) in the Maezumi Roshi Zen lineage. Her home Zen community is the Greater Boston Zen Center, a sangha which has experienced three major upheavals due to teacher arrogance and abuses of power over the last several years. She is also a teacher at the Great Plains Zen Center in Monroe, Wisconsin, and has written for Buddhist audiences in Tricycle magazine and on her blog. Having begun Zen practice in 2004, she has found it to be of immense value. She is deeply saddened when people, either in addition to or instead of realizing the benefits, suffer great harm. When not reflecting writing about Zen, she sometimes writes and give talks based on her pre-retirement academic work as a feminist and ecological economist. She enjoys visiting her two children and two grandchildren and enjoying the New England outdoors. Books: Practicing Safe Zen: Navigating the Pitfalls on the Road to Liberation (Monkfish, 2025) Amazon Indie Pubs Economics for Humans (University of Chicago Press, 2nd ed. 2018) Website: julieanelson.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded May 11, 2025 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 The Myth of Teachers as Exemplars in Education 00:05:07 Measuring Spiritual Attainment and Its Challenges 00:10:46 The Journey to Self-Realization: Insights from Soto Zen 00:14:29 Importance of Ethics in Spiritual Teaching 00:19:30 The Transformative Power of Momentary Cosmic Experiences 00:24:23 Shadow Work and Spiritual Growth 00:28:30 Legal Challenges in Zen Communities 00:32:31 Identifying and Avoiding Cult-Like Spiritual Groups 00:37:38 The Challenges of Becoming a Zen Teacher 00:41:51 Zen and the Importance of a Beginner's Mind 00:46:30 Trusting the Dharma vs. Human Advice 00:50:48 Embracing Buddha Nature Through Life's Storms 00:55:50 Examining Zen Precepts and Self-Awareness 01:00:23 Navigating Zen Teachings and Moral Conduct 01:05:06 The Misunderstanding of No-Self 01:09:12 The Impact of Long-Term Meditation on the Brain 01:14:22 Power Dynamics in Teaching and Spiritual Leadership 01:17:44 Navigating Teacher-Student Boundaries in Dharma Practice 01:21:06 Institutional Misconduct and In-Group Protection 01:25:22 Understanding DARVO: Strategies of Manipulation 01:28:38 Recognizing and Avoiding Cult-like Behaviors in Groups 01:32:04 Understanding Authority in Charismatic Groups and Zen 01:36:13 Discernment in Supporting Charities 01:39:36 The Essence of Dharma Teaching Transmission 01:44:16 Recognizing Genuine Spiritual Awakening 01:48:28 Finding Inner Security Beyond External Influences 01:53:01 Financial Misuse in Spiritual Communities 01:57:21 Navigating the Path to Spiritual Development 02:01:19 Pre-Order "Practicing Safe Zen" 02:03:38 Engaging with Greater Boston Zen Center Online