Practicing Safe Zen with Julie Nelson

About this episode

Julie Nelson discusses the importance of ethical behavior among spiritual teachers and the protection of vulnerable students in Zen Buddhism.

Julie Nelson has been practicing Zen Buddhism for more than 20 years. Along the way, she was deemed accomplished enough and dedicated enough to become a teacher in the Soto tradition. Hence her other name, Seido Sensei. She has contributed articles to Tricycle magazine, writes on her own blog, and she’s the author of a book titled Practicing Safe Zen: Navigating the Pitfalls on the Road to Liberation. She is also an emeritus professor of economics from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, has two kids and two grandkids, and lives in New Hampshire. In Julie's own words: “her spiritual home is the Greater Boston Zen Community, a group that experienced three waves of teacher abuses of power. She is deeply saddened when people, either in addition to or instead of realizing benefits from their work with a spiritual teacher, suffer great harm.” The central focus of this conversation is the vital importance ethical behavior among spiritual teachers, institutional accountability, and the protection of vulnerable students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Guest: Julie Nelson

Topics covered

• Zen Buddhism
• ethical behavior
• spiritual teachers
• institutional accountability
• vulnerable students

Keywords

• Zen Buddhism
• ethical behavior
• spiritual teachers
• accountability
• liberation
• teacher abuses
• spiritual community

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tricycle magazine, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Greater Boston Zen Community

Places: New Hampshire

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