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Charlotte Joko Beck (March 27, 1917 – June 15, 2011[1]) was an American Zen teacher and the author of the books Everyday Zen: Love and Work and Nothing Special: Living Zen.[2]
Biography[edit]
Born in New Jersey, Beck studied music at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and worked for some time as a pianist and piano teacher. She married and raised a family of four children, then separated from her husband and worked as a teacher, secretary, and assistant in a university department.
She began Zen practice in her 40s with Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi in Los Angeles,[3] and later with Hakuun Yasutani and Soen Nakagawa.[3]
Beck received Dharma transmission from Taizan Maezumi Roshi in 1978,[3]
but broke with Maezumi over his actions and
opened Zen Center San Diego in 1983,[3] serving as its head teacher until July 2006.[4]
Beck was responsible for a number of important innovations in Zen teaching. Because she was adept at teaching students to work with their psychological states, she attracted a number of students who were interested in the relationship between Zen and modern psychology.
Several of her Dharma heirs are practicing psychologists/psychiatrists.[5]
In 1995 Joko, along with three of her Dharma heirs, founded the Ordinary Mind Zen School.
Shortly after Beck’s departure in 2006, she revoked Dharma transmission from two senior students: Ezra Bayda and Elizabeth Hamilton. Beck also stated that Zen Center San Diego should not claim to represent her or her teaching.[6][5][7] In 2006 Joko moved to Prescott, Arizona, where she continued to teach until she retired as a teacher in late 2010. In the spring of 2010, Joko announced Gary Nafstad as her last Dharma successor.[6][5]
Beck died on June 15, 2011, at age 94.[1]
Lineage[edit]
Joko Beck appointed nine teachers:[8]
- Christensen, Larry Jissan
- Christenson, Anna
- Dawson, Geoff
- Howard, Gregg
- Magid, Barry (b. 1949)
- Nafstad, Gary
- Penn, Barbara Muso
- Smith, Elihu Genmyo (b. 1948)
- Rizzetto, Diane Eshin (b. 1942)
From two other teachers she later sought to revoke her appointment:[9]
- Bayda, Ezra (b. 1944) (revoked 2006)
- Hamilton, Elizabeth (revoked 2006)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Jump up to:a b Tebbe, Adam (June 15, 2011). "Charlotte Joko Beck dies at 94; American Zen pioneer". Sweeping Zen. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ "Joko Beck Bio". Sweeping Zen. Archived from the original on 5 Dec 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d Ford, James Ishmael (2006). Zen Master Who?: A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen. Boston: Wisdom Publications. pp. 173–175. ISBN 978-0-86171-509-1.
- ^ "Honorary Founder". Prairie Zen Center. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to:a b c "Barry Magid Interview". Sweeping Zen. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to:a b "Stuart Lachs". Non-Duality. August 26, 2010. Archived from the original on 2014-06-23. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ "Elizabeth Hamilton reflects on Joko Beck's life at memorial service". Lions roar. Retrieved Jan 1, 2017.
- ^ "Sanbo Kyodan: Harada-Yasutani School of Zen Buddhism and its Teachers". Buddhist Studies WWW Virtual Library. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ "Stuart Lachs interview Aug. 26, 2010". non-duality magazine. Archived from the original on 2014-06-23. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
Nothing special : living Zen
Now Zen
Everyday Zen : love and work
Nothing special : living Zen
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