Julie Seido Nelson is a transmitted teacher (Sensei) in the Maezumi Roshi Zen lineage. Her home Zen community is the Greater Boston Zen Center, a sangha which has experienced three major upheavals due to teacher arrogance and abuses of power over the last several years. She is also a teacher at the Great Plains Zen Center in Monroe, Wisconsin, and has written for Buddhist audiences in Tricycle magazine and on her blog.
Having begun Zen practice in 2004, she has found it to be of immense value. She is deeply saddened when people, either in addition to or instead of realizing the benefits, suffer great harm.
When not reflecting writing about Zen, she sometimes writes and give talks based on her pre-retirement academic work as a feminist and ecological economist. She enjoys visiting her two children and two grandchildren and enjoying the New England outdoors.
Books:
- Practicing Safe Zen: Navigating the Pitfalls on the Road to Liberation (Monkfish, 2025)
- Economics for Humans (University of Chicago Press, 2nd ed. 2018)
Website: julieanelson.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Summary and transcript of this interview
Interview recorded May 11, 2025
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 The Myth of Teachers as Exemplars in Education
- 00:05:07 Measuring Spiritual Attainment and Its Challenges
- 00:10:46 The Journey to Self-Realization: Insights from Soto Zen
- 00:14:29 Importance of Ethics in Spiritual Teaching
- 00:19:30 The Transformative Power of Momentary Cosmic Experiences
- 00:24:23 Shadow Work and Spiritual Growth
- 00:28:30 Legal Challenges in Zen Communities
- 00:32:31 Identifying and Avoiding Cult-Like Spiritual Groups
- 00:37:38 The Challenges of Becoming a Zen Teacher
- 00:41:51 Zen and the Importance of a Beginner’s Mind
- 00:46:30 Trusting the Dharma vs. Human Advice
- 00:50:48 Embracing Buddha Nature Through Life’s Storms
- 00:55:50 Examining Zen Precepts and Self-Awareness
- 01:00:23 Navigating Zen Teachings and Moral Conduct
- 01:05:06 The Misunderstanding of No-Self
- 01:09:12 The Impact of Long-Term Meditation on the Brain
- 01:14:22 Power Dynamics in Teaching and Spiritual Leadership
- 01:17:44 Navigating Teacher-Student Boundaries in Dharma Practice
- 01:21:06 Institutional Misconduct and In-Group Protection
- 01:25:22 Understanding DARVO: Strategies of Manipulation
- 01:28:38 Recognizing and Avoiding Cult-like Behaviors in Groups
- 01:32:04 Understanding Authority in Charismatic Groups and Zen
- 01:36:13 Discernment in Supporting Charities
- 01:39:36 The Essence of Dharma Teaching Transmission
- 01:44:16 Recognizing Genuine Spiritual Awakening
- 01:48:28 Finding Inner Security Beyond External Influences
- 01:53:01 Financial Misuse in Spiritual Communities
- 01:57:21 Navigating the Path to Spiritual Development
- 02:01:19 Pre-Order “Practicing Safe Zen”
- 02:03:38 Engaging with Greater Boston Zen Center Online
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube
