Ep371: The Zen Life - Muho

In this episode I am once again joined by Muho, Sōtō Zen teacher, Youtuber, and previous abbot of Antai-Ji monastery in Japan. Muho recalls the early days of his marriage and of his abbotship of Antai-Ji monastery, compares Japanese to Western students, and addresses the shortcomings of Western Buddhism. Muho considers the role of the true teacher, the tension between tradition and innovation, and what it’s like to see the negative side of your teacher. Muho also reflects on narcissism in spiritual gurus, competitiveness on the spiritual path, and how to work with traumatic memories which arise during meditation. … Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:47 - First impressions of Japanese culture 04:12 - Arriving at Antai-Ji Monastery 08:33 - Initial difficulties at the monastery 10:00 - Becoming a monk 14:02 - Living in a tent and teaching Zen in Osaka 17:46 - Elected as abbot of Antai-Ji 19:01 - Falling in love with a Japanese woman 22:25 - Marriage and early days as abbot 26:04 - Retiring as abbot 28:47 - Japanese vs Western students 32:12 - A true teacher is like a carpenter 33:50 - Seeing the negative side of your teacher 37:24 - Is Buddhism universal or specific to each country? 41:25 - Shortcomings of Western Buddhism 49:25 - Innovation vs tradition 55:33 - Narcissism and spiritual teachers 59:24 - Competitiveness between Dharma brothers 01:07:16 - Trauma and emotions in meditation 01:11:53 - Should psychotherapy precede Zen practice? 01:14:21 - Sudden awakenings at Antai-Ji 01:26:18 - Should we emphasise or deemphasise awakening experiences? … Previous episodes with Muho: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=muho To find our more about Muho, visit: - https://www.youtube.com/@muho - https://www.youtube.com/@MuhoZen For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James