Early on in my Zen training at Chozen-ji, my teacher Sayama Daian Roshi pushed me to learn Chado, the Way of Tea (also known as Japanese Tea Ceremony). Why, I wondered, couldn’t I just keep swinging swords in Kendo (Japanese fencing) and moving rocks?

A bibliography of research in psychology, neuroscience and leadership—because understanding the science behind how Zen works is fascinating! Or, at least it is to me.

Reflections on my trip to the May 4th memorial for victims of anti-Asian violence in Los Angeles, and reflections on the gravity of grief and the spiritual strength that can hold us up.

The second of two articles tying together my experience of learning to follow (in order to lead) at a Zen temple, and how it’s backed up by the work of two organizational psychologists who’ve coined a “followership” approach to leadership development.

One night, in the martial arts Dojo at Chozen-ji, I was reminded of the work of two organizational psychologists who posit that the best way to be a leader is actually to be a follower.

Notes from the road on my participation in “May We Gather”, a 49-day memorial service for the victims of the March 16 mass shooting in Atlanta and other victims of anti-Asian violence in America.

Written and audio commentary on how Western Buddhists—Asians and allies—can respond to anti-Asian violence in America by reinvesting in Asian American Buddhist institutions.

Before joining a fireside chat with the US-Japan Council on how to cultivate wellbeing in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, I reflected on the importance of cultivating not just wellness and calm, but a fighting spirit.

A Zen-informed reflection on the concept of 妙—mysterious wonder.

Embodying the cultures from which Buddhism came helps the dharma work on us from all angles.

In this followup to my commentary, “These Flames Are Cool and Refreshing,” I write about the importance of approaching spirituality through the body—and through spiritual discipline, rigor, and vigor.

Over the past year, too many Asian Americans have experienced violence, harassment, and discrimination—the outcome of long-standing bias against people of Asian descent in America, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising white nationalism.

Knowing only, after this time, that there is a lifetime of training still ahead.

A student in my beginning zazen class asked me about whether it's more effective to train in Zen with others than alone. He seemed to be referring mostly to zazen—even though it's only a small, if foundational, part of the totality of Zen training at Chozen-ji—so I gave him a zazen-specific answer:

“For one,” I said, :”you can sit a lot longer and it’s easier not to move when you’re sitting with other people.”

With all the coverage of a new, $1 million robot preacher at the Kodaiji Zen temple in Kyoto, I thought it would be cool to share some thoughts on how AI can help us progress on our spiritual paths. This op-ed I wrote for Lion’s Roar magazine gave me a good opportunity to think about whether androids and AI-driven robots could replace the enlightened Buddhist teacher.

A reflection on the value of keeping Zen training non-transactional that I wrote for Lion’s Roar Magazine, North America’s most widely read Buddhist publication, in 2019.

After Marie Kondo’s reality TV show Tidying Up gained popularity, I wrote this commentary for Lion’s Roar Magazine about what it means to adopt any endeavor—even tidying up—as a Way, or Tao.

In 2018, I had the honor of interviewing Hawaiʻi Governor David Ige, one of America’s most prominent Buddhist politicians, on what it means to him to be Buddhist and how Buddhism impacts how he governs.

On Saturday, Democrats in Hawaii will head to the polls to decide who they want to represent them in the gubernatorial election this November, and the frontrunners are two Buddhist politicians: Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa and incumbent Governor David Ige. Cristina Moon reports on the race.

What do a 16th-century Zen master and a contemporary cartoon dog have in common? Both of them maintained equanimity as their worlds burned, says Cristina Moon. And this is why we train as Buddhists.