Paths of Practice with Rev. Gyokei Yokoyama

Paths of Practice with Rev. Gyokei Yokoyama

Author: Vincent Moore December 18, 2024 Duration: 57:58

Rev. Gyokei Yokoyama is a Soto Zen priest that currently serves as Kokusai Fukyoshi (International Missionary) of Sozenji Buddhist Temple in Montebello, California. Gyokei also serves as the Secretary of Soto Zen Buddhism North America and as a board member of the Association of Soto Zen Buddhists (ASZB) and Soto Zen Buddhist North America (SZBA).Gyokei is the former minister of the Long Beach Buddhist Church, a non-denominational Japanese American Buddhist Church, and the former abbot of Iwoji temple, Shinshiro, Aichi Pref., Japan. Additionally, Gyokei has been a supporting teacher at Angel City Zen Center in Los Angeles and leads Rocky Mountain Zen, a lay sangha in Alberta, Canada.

We discuss the importance of diversity in sanghas, how what's emphasized within Zen communities in America can vary just like Zen sanghas in Japan, collective culture and healthy ego, the experience of leading Japanese American sanghas in Southern California, language, and how practice off of the cushion helps spin the wheel of dharma.


Vincent Moore hosts Paths of Practice: Conversations on Journeys into Buddhism, a space where personal stories take center stage. Each episode is built around a simple, profound question: what does it actually look like to live with Buddhist teachings? You’ll hear from people whose lives have been shaped by this path, from long-time monastics and dedicated lay practitioners to those who have just felt a curious pull toward mindfulness and compassion. The conversations avoid dry theory, focusing instead on the messy, human, and often surprising realities of integrating practice into daily life-through family, work, doubt, and discovery. This podcast operates on the belief that there are as many ways to walk this road as there are people walking it, gently exploring that diversity one honest conversation at a time. It’s less about providing answers and more about sharing the map-making process itself, offering companionship and insight for anyone interested in the varied terrain of spiritual life.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Paths of Practice: Conversations on Journeys into Buddhism
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