Details:
Join Julie Seido Nelson for a reading from her new book Practicing Safe Zen.“A must-read manual, born of the author’s long personal experience with misconduct, for
how to protect yourself and your sangha from abuse of power, beginning with how to
approach and engage safely and wisely with the teachings. Nelson identifies the problem
of sexual misconduct in Buddhist communities as rooted in more than one factor,
including human psychology, institutional structure and the balance of power. This book
belongs on the front shelf of every Zen Center.” —Willa Blythe Baker, author, The
Wakeful BodyWhile the liberation that Zen and similar meditation practices offers is real, these
practices must be engaged with carefully, explains this sensei. Nelson reflects on
her firsthand experience in Boston—where documented teacher abuses of power
recently took place—integrating her discussion at every step with core Zen
teachings.Julie Seido Nelson is a transmitted teacher (Sensei) in the
Maezumi Roshi Zen lineage. Her home Zen community is
the Greater Boston Zen Center, and she is also a teacher at
the Great Plains Zen Center in Monroe, Wisconsin. She 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.
