Ep357: Zen Is Good For Nothing - Muho

Ep357: Zen Is Good For Nothing - Muho

From Guru Viking Podcast by Guru Viking

April 17, 2026 · 1h 32m

About this episode

Muho discusses his experiences with Zen, personal struggles with narcissism, and the impact of his mother's death on his life and practice.

In this episode I am joined by Muho, Sōtō Zen teacher, Youtuber, and previous abbot of Antai-Ji monastery in Japan. Muho recalls the death of his mother when he was 6 years old, his childhood behavioural problems and time in boarding school, and initial contact with meditation. Muho shares what he describes as his narcissism, which arose from the death of his mother and a subsequent yearning to be seen; how his desire to be seen has caused difficulties for those around him; and how his thirty years of discipleship under a Zen master in a Japanese monastery collided with these patterns. Muho also observes that there is something missing in American Zen teachers, disambiguates good and bad reasons for teaching Zen, and explains why he believes sitting meditation is actually good for nothing. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep357-zen-is-good-for-nothing-muho Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:54 - Death of Muho’s mother and the beginning of questioning 04:49 - Sent to boarding school 05:35 - First meditation at 16 years old 07:48 - Discovering a connection to the body 10:02 - Reading…

People in this episode

Host: Guru Viking

Guest: Muho

Topics covered

  • Zen Buddhism
  • Meditation
  • Narcissism
  • Personal Growth
  • Spirituality
  • Childhood Trauma

Keywords

  • Zen
  • Meditation
  • Narcissism
  • Spirituality
  • Childhood Trauma
  • Sōtō Zen
  • Antai-Ji

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Antai-Ji monastery, Sōtō Zen, Youtube, iTunes, Spotify

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