Tsuha Roshi and I sat down for a casual conversation to learn a bit more about who he is and what he brings to Los Angeles this week with their Zen and Music program. (see links on the bottom of this post for more information, reservations, and tickets).
Tsuha Roshi is a Rinzai Zen Priest who for his entire working career taught music to teenagers. For him these seemingly two aspects of his life are not two. Zen and Music both are beyond what we have in our heads, beyond the words in the experience that they bring to our lives.
He told me that the experience of music is both universal and accessible to all, and can serve as a wonderful intro to the Zen experience. Everyone of us has access to music, maybe we play music or maybe we just turn on the radio. But the sound and vibration with some choices are particularly conducive to entering the Zen path.
In this program Tusha Roshi follows the mission of the Fusho Zen Institute to make Zen training Accessible to the general public using everyday language and tools suitable to the modern lifestyle, while remaining true to the principles and teachings of Zen as it has been handed down for generation after generation.
We experience both Zen and Music directly and immediately through our senses in this very moment.
Through sound, vibration, and resonance... Awareness of this very moment is experienced.
Being in the presence of Tsuha Roshi was a great intro for me to the Fusho Zen Institute and it's mission that "...Though Zen training, one transcend individual desires and becomes a human being capable of providing the deepest of compassion Semui (to give fearlessness) - to all sentient beings.
I am certainly looking forward to the next two nights of music and hope you will follow the links below and join us.
https://www.fushozeninstitute.org/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zen-and-music-tickets-49761945318
