Dennis Genpo Merzel

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Dennis Genpo Merzel (1944 to present) was born in Brooklyn, NY and is a Zen Buddhist teacher as well as a Dharma heir to Taizan Maezumi. As a young man his family moved to Long Beach, CA where he grew up. He is head abbot of Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City, UT and also has splinter groups as far off as the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland and France.

In 1972, Merzel began formal Zen practice under Maezumi-roshi at the Zen Center of Los Angeles and was ordained in 1973. In 1979 Merzel completed his koan studies with Maezumi and was given the title Hoshi.

In 1980 Maezumi gave Dharma transmission to Merzel and in the following year gave him Zuisse. Throughout the 80's Merzel developed the current sangha nationally and internationally, and in 1996 received inka from Tetsugen Bernard Glassman (who was granted inka by Maezumi before his death).

Merzel is the creator of a Dharma teaching known as the Big Mind process and founder of a new Zen lineage of that name. Big Mind is a synthesis of psychology and Zen Buddhism. It is a 2-3 hour small group process that purportedly leads participants into an immediate and direct experience of non-dual awareness, a mindstate which, according to Merzel, normally requires years of dedicated spiritual practice in Buddhist, Contemplative Christian, Jewish mystical or Sufi traditions to attain. Big Mind was inspired by the Voice Dialogue method created by Hal Stone and Sidra Stone.

Merzel claims that this experience can range from a mere glimpse into the absolute to a profound and life-alterating experience. Big Mind is taught through the Kanzeon Zen Center and its affiliated Zen temples. It is also offered as a part of many of the trainings of Ken Wilber's Integral Institute.