Josh Bartok Osho, Dharma Holder

Josh is a Dharma Holder in Boundless Way Zen, and a transmitted Soto Zen priest, having received Denkai from James Ishmael Ford in July of 2011.

Josh was ordained in July of 2006 by James Ishmael Ford and served as the Shuso for Boundless Way in Spring of 2010, leading a three-month practice period. In 2001, he became James Ford Roshi’s first formal student in the Boston area, and in 2005, James asked him to start the Boston sangha. Josh first encountered Zen practice in 1991 while studying Cognitive Science at Vassar College. In 1992, he became a student of Roshi John Daido Loori at Zen Mountain Monastery. After college he was a monastic practitioner at Zen Mountain Monastery for a year and a half. In 2000, he left Loori’s Mountains and Rivers Order, and spent some time studying with Jan Chozen Bays Roshi in Oregon. Together with Rod Meade Sperry he founded Spring Hill Zen in Somerville/Medford. Shortly after founding Spring Hill they met James Ishmael Ford and Josh and several others helped found the Zen Community of Boston (ZCB).  ZCB later became Boundless Way Zen (BoWZ). Josh’s Dharma is also influenced by the Zen teaching of Ezra Bayda and Shin (Pure Land) Buddhism as taught by Shinran Shonin, and interpreted by Tai and Mark Unno. He is the co-author, with Ezra Bayda, of Saying Yes To Life (Even the Hard Parts).  authoring editor of Daily Wisdom, More Daily Wisdom, and Lama Zopa RInpoche’s How to Be Happy.  As senior editor at Wisdom Publications, Josh he has served as in-house editor for over a hundred and fifty other books.

Sue Allen, Dharma Teacher

Sue Allen is the Practice Leader for Hank and a Dharma Teacher for Boundless Way Zen. Sue studies with James Ford (Boundless Way Zen) and has been practicing for 10 years.

Sue is a hospice volunteer.  Recently she completed the Foundations of Contemplative Care Program offered by the Village Zendo in New York City. Her practice is also influenced by her more than 25-year membership in the First Unitarian Society in Newton.

Other Dharma Teachers resident at Hank are: Michael Fieleke, Ken Rivard and Bob Waldinger.

THE GUIDING TEACHERS OF BOUNDLESS WAY ZEN

Reverend James Ishmael Ford Roshi is head teacher of the Boundless Way Zen school. James has been a student of Zen for nearly forty years. He was ordained unsui and received Dharma transmission from the late Houn Jiyu Kennett Roshi, completed koan study within the Harada/Yasutani tradition and received Inka shomei from John Tarrant Roshi. In 2004 he participated in the first Dharma Heritage ceremony of the forming Soto Zen Buddhist Association in North America. This event, designed to be the equivalent of the Japanese Soto Zuisse ceremony, was a public acknowledgment of James as a senior member of the North American Zen community. James is also a Unitarian Universalist minister, currently serving as senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Providence, RI. His undergraduate degree is in Psychology. He has also earned an MDiv and an MA in the Philosophy of Religion. James is an adjunct teacher with the Pacific Zen Institute, and a member of the American Zen Teachers Association. James is the author of two books: In This Very Moment: A Simple Guide to Zen Buddhism and Zen Master WHO? A Guide to People and Stories of Zen. He is the resident teacher at the Benevolent Street Sangha in Providence.

Melissa Myozen Blacker Roshi is a Boundless Way Zen priest and Dharma successor to James Ford Roshi. She is one of the resident teachers at the Boundless Way Zen Temple in Worcester.

David Dayan Rynick Roshi is a lay Zen teacher, a Dharma heir to George Bomun Bowman who was sanctioned as a teacher by Zen Master Seung Sahn. Zen Master Bowman has also continued his training for many years with the Rinzai priest Joshu Sasaki Roshi. David is currently a life and leadership coach, and one of the resident teachers at the Boundless Way Zen Temple in Worcester.