Andy Acker

Andy is a Jikoji Resident and student of Chinese medicine and Zen.  In this "Way Seeking Mind" talk he will describe his practice, how he uses his back-round to care for the body when sitting Zazen/Shikantaza, and what led him (and continues to lead him) to Zen.  After being raised Catholic & having an amicable "break-up" with theism in his late teens, he began studying Taoism & Qigong in 1997 &  Buddhist meditation in 2000 with both Sokuzan Bob Brown & Mike Dosho Port.  He has studied and practiced intensively in the Shambhala, Tibetan Kagyu, & Zen lineages.  Andy moved from Minneapolis to Boulder, Colorado in 2002 to attend Naropa University, where he studied transpersonal psychology, religious studies, somatics, writing, & music- graduating with a BA in 2005.  After a period at Jikoji five years ago, he returned to the midwest and practiced again with Sokuzan Bob Brown at Sokukoji in Michigan, & Dosho Port at Wild Fox Zen Center near Minneapolis.  He has recently returned to California & Jikoji, resuming his studies at Five Branches University in San Jose and Zen training here at Jikoji with Shoho Mike Newhall.

To listen to his dharma talk, click HERE