Paths of Practice with Rev. Hōgetsu Laurie Belzer

​Rev. Hōgetsu Laurie Belzer is the Guiding Dharma Teacher at Ancient Dragon Zen Gate (ADZG) in Chicago, Illinois, and succeeds their founding guiding teacher, Taigen Dan Leighton. She is a lineage holder in the Soto Zen tradition of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi, and received dharma transmission from Rev. Taiyo Lipscomb. Since 1989, Hōgetsu has trained intensively at all three of San Francisco Zen Center’s temples, where she served as Shuso (Head Monk) with Tenshin Reb Anderson at Green Gulch Farm. A founding member of ADZG, Hōgetsu has supported the evolution of the practice center since its genesis. As guiding teacher, Hogetsu joyfully serves the wonderful ADZG community in many ways, including as dharma teacher, sangha leader, board member, Thursday morning zazen host, and sewing practice mentor.

For more information about ​Rev. Hōgetsu and Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, please visit the following website:

https://www.ancientdragon.org/

We discussed practice conversations and how a sangha sharing individual experiences with each other around practice informs a sense of community, zazen as a practice that touches the heart and caring for our conditions, meditating with incense as a child and finding Soto Zen through a cross-country peace walk, and the importance of appreciating the preciousness of practice.