Kanzeon Zen Center

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Kanzeon Zen Center



Information
Denomination:	White Plum Asanga


Founder(s):	Dennis Genpo Merzel Honorary founder Taizan Maezumi


Roshi (s):	Dennis Genpo Merzel
Abbot(s):	Michael Mugaku Zimmerman Diane Musho Hamilton



Address:	1268 East South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84102
Country:	United States
Phone:	1-801-328-8414 (in Utah) 1-866-759-6137 (outside Utah) 001-801-328-8414 (International)
Website
Website:	Kanzeon Sangha International
Portal:Buddhism

Kanzeon Zen Center is a Zen Buddhist center located in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is an affiliate of the White Plum Asanga, an association of Zen centers stemming from the tradition of Taizan Maezumi. Currently, the Abbot of Kanzeon Zen Center is Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi, and the Vice-Abbots are Diane Musho Hamilton Sensei and Michael Mugaku Zimmerman Sensei. Kanzeon Zen Center is the home temple and the hub of Kanzeon Sangha International, founded by Genpo Roshi in 1984, with affiliate teachers, centers and groups in the USA and seven European countries. Genpo Roshi is a former president of the White Plum Asanga, one of the largest communities of Zen teachers in the West, including all the direct successors of Taizan Maezumi, Roshi, Genpo Roshi's teacher, and their successors.

Genpo Roshi is also the Founder of Big Mind, a direct and powerful method to shift the person's perspective from a limited egoistic view to an ego-less perspective. There is a year-round Big Mind program, including workshops at the center, across the United States and in Europe. "Big mind" is a term used in many contexts, including Buddhism. Shunryu Suzuki (May 18, 1904–December 4, 1971) refers to big mind in his works including his book, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. The term "big mind" has many meanings. Separate and apart from Buddhist works by Shunryu Suzuki and others, Dennis Genpo Merzel began to use the term "Big Mind" sometime after 1995, to refer to an exercise he sells as a quick way to enlightenment. As such, it is one of countless exercises and events for experiencing awakening or transformation. Awakening and transformation are not unique to Buddhism.

The Big Mind exercise, as named by Dennis Genpo Merzel, is a synthesis of psychology and Zen Buddhism. It is a group or individual process that can lead participants into an immediate and direct experience of non-dual awareness, a mind state which, according to Merzel, normally requires years of dedicated spiritual practice in Buddhist, Contemplative Christian, Jewish mystical or Sufi traditions to attain. Merzel's Big Mind exercise was inspired by the Voice Dialogue method created by Hal Stone and Sidra Stone. It is similar to one of many Gestalt psychology exercises to expand awareness.