Melissa Myōzen Blacker, Rōshi

Melissa Myōzen Blacker, Rōshi, is a Guiding Teacher of Boundless Way Zen Temple, a Soto Zen priest, and a Dharma heir to James Myōun Ford, Rōshi, in two lineages: an ordained Soto transmission through Jiyu Kennett, Rōshi, and a lay koan-teaching lineage through John Tarrant, Rōshi. She holds degrees in anthropology, music, and counseling psychology. From 1992 to 2012, she was a teacher and director of programs at the Center for Mindfulness, founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Her writing appears in a number of collections, including Best Buddhist Writing, 2012, The Hidden Lamp, and Zen Teachings in Challenging Times, and she is co-editor of The Book of Mu: Essential Writings on Zen’s Most Important Koan. Her writing also appears in various Buddhist magazines, including Shambhala Sun, Lion’s Roar, and Buddhadharma.