Dennis Merzel

Dennis Merzel (born June 3, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American Zen teacher and author. He is also known as Genpo Roshi.

Early life Dennis Paul Merzel was born on June 3, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised and schooled in Long Beach, California. His family was Jewish (his grandfather was a Rabbi), but he was raised as an agnostic by his father and as an atheist by his mother. He was a champion swimmer and an all-American water polo player. He was a lifeguard and began teaching public school while obtaining a master's degree in educational administration from the University of Southern California.

Zen Buddhism While on a trip in 1971 to the Mojave Desert in California with two friends, Merzel had what he described as an "awakening experience". Following this, he left his career as a school teacher for a year to live in the mountains alone in a cabin near San Luis Obispo. In 1972 he met the Japanese-born Zen teacher Taizan Maezumi, and moved to Los Angeles to study under him.

Merzel was ordained as an unsui, or novice priest, in 1973. In 1980, a year after completing kōan study, Merzel received dharma transmission, becoming Maezumi's second Dharma successor. This made Merzel Bernie Glassman's first Inka successor and made him the second in Maezumi Roshi's lineage to be recognized as a Zen Master. and abbot of Kanzeon Zen Center in Salt Lake City from 1993 to 2011.

Big Mind In 1983 Merzel began studying Voice Dialogue—a Jungian therapeutic technique designed to expand the individual's ability to make choices in life rather than to behave in an automatic and unconscious fashion —with Hal and Sidra Stone. Shortly thereafter, he began to experiment with integrating Voice Dialogue with the Zen tradition, and in 1999 he introduced the Big Mind Process; The aim of the Big Mind Process is to combine "Eastern, Buddhist insights with Western psychoanalytical ideas," and according to Merzel:

Merzel has organized Big Mind retreats and events nationally and internationally, such as an annual event in the Netherlands that has attracted hundreds of participants. He had a romantic relationship with a student, leading to the dissolution of the temple.

In 2011, after admitting to a sexual affair with an advanced student, Merzel said he would disrobe as a Buddhist priest, resign as an elder of the White Plum Asanga, step down as Abbot of Kanzeon, and stop teaching for an indefinite period to seek counseling. A group of Buddhist teachers suggested that Merzel take a minimum one-year break from teaching and seek therapy. However, two months later, Merzel decided to resume teaching, saying that too many students and his organizations depended on him financially and spiritually. His choice was opposed by other Buddhist teachers.

Personal life After his extramarital affairs with his students were revealed in 2011, he and his wife divorced.

Publications

Books The Eye Never Sleeps: Striking to the Heart of Zen (1991, Shambhala Publications) Beyond Sanity and Madness the Way of Zen Master Dogen (1994, Tuttle Publishing) 24/7 Dharma: Impermanence, No-Self, Nirvana (2001, Journey Editions) The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way (2005, Shambhala Publications) Big Mind, Big Heart: Finding Your Way (2007, Big Mind Publishing) The Fool Who Thought He Was God (2013, Big Mind Publishing) Spitting Out the Bones: A Zen Master's 45 Year Journey (2016, Big Mind Publishing)

DVDs Big Mind Big Heart Revealed The Path of the Human Being Awakened by the 10,000 Dharmas From Student to Master Masculine and Feminine Energies The Teachings of Bodhidharma