Join Zen Peacemakers on Tuesday, September 29th for a second conversation between poet Jane Hirshfield and Geoff Shoun O’ Keeffe as they continue the dialogue about art-making and activism, the ways that creative heart-mind increases compassion, and the perennial question of meeting the difficult with tenderness, humility, and courage.

During the program, Jane will also read some of her poems and there will be time for question and answer with the group as a whole.

Art, Activism, and the Practice of Peace:
A Conversation with Poet Jane Hirshfield

September 29, 2026
1:00pm - 2:30pm US Eastern

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE

Jane Hirshfield, who received lay-ordination in the Soto Zen lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-Roshi in 1979, is among American poetry’s central spokespersons for concerns of the biosphere and interconnection. Her ten poetry books include The Asking: New & Selected Poems (Knopf, 2023), holding fifty years of poems. She’s the author also of two now-classic collections of essays on poetry’s heart-mind and four books presenting world poets from the deep past.

Hirshfield’s honors include fellowships from the Guggenheim and Rockefeller Foundations, and the Arts & Letters Award. In 2017, she founded Poets for Science, an interactive traveling installation that’s appeared across the country at universities, museums, research centers, and the National Academy of Sciences. A 2026 Visiting Fellow at Harvard Divinity School and former chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, Hirshfield was elected in 2019 into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. > learn more

Watch the previous conversation from April 24, 2024 in the Zen Peacemakers Library:

"Everything Changes, Everything is Connected, Pay Attention”: The Poetry of Jane Hirshfield

This second conversation between poet Jane Hirshfield and Geoff Shoun O' Keeffe will continue the dialogue about art-making and activism, the ways that creative heart-mind increases compassion, and the perennial question of meeting the difficult with tenderness, humility, and courage.

More Information Here

This second conversation between poet Jane Hirshfield and Geoff Shoun O' Keeffe will continue the dialogue about art-making and activism, the ways that creative heart-mind increases compassion, and the perennial question of meeting the difficult with tenderness, humility, and courage.

More Information Here

The Way of Council is a core practice with the Zen Peacemakers, along with meditation, the Three Tenets, and social action. It is a staple practice in our Bearing Witness retreats. Uniquely, Ecosattva Councils focus on bearing witness to and dealing with ecological crises and climate change. Everyone is invited to join, listen and share, especially thos…

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Council is one of our most important core Zen Peacemaker practices. We share Council during our Bearing Witness retreats most every day. In Council we come together in a small group in a profound way. We create a shared liminal space that is safe, confidential, and perhaps sacred. We each listen and speak from the heart, encountering and experiencing on…

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Please join Zen Peacemakers for Tai Chi at Auschwitz: An Unexpected Reconciliation Journey, an interview and presentation with Peter Sternberg and Maura Sternberg, hosted by Kathleen Hôetsu Battke.

Peter’s original essay, Tai Chi at Auschwitz, was translated by Kathleen for the book Pearls of Ash and Awe. Now Peter and Maura will share from their continu…

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EARTHing - Days of Contemplation and Action, A Series Event

Full Series Dates: April 17th - April 22nd

Session 1: April 17th, 2:30pm US Eastern Time, ONLINE Via Zoom

More and more of us realize the multiple ecological crises and their fast unfolding, tipping point after tipping point. At the same time, more and more of us engage in environmental education, resistance against ongoing destruction, fostering and healing the Earth and our social environments.

Zen Peacemakers around the world are bearing witness and taking action from not-knowing to support the preservation and regeneration of our home sphere, to embody hands-on compassion as Ecosattvas.

Our EARTHing offerings started with a series of 5 events in the Spring of 2025. In this online series of meetings and activities in April 2026, spanning six days towards EARTH DAY, we again invite you to join us in deepening our practice as Earth Stewards – meditating together, sharing in Circles, and getting down to Earth in the places we live.

Join the Zen Peacemaker Ecosattva community!

Register Here

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Awaken Imagination: Compassion in Action

Tuesday, April 7th, 12:00pm US Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

Join Sensei Courtney Michak of Flowing River Sangha in discussing imagination and wonder used as skillful means in navigating life’s path. Sensei will reflect on Zen topics such as impermanence, being with what life presents and compassion explored in part through the movie, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. If you wish, feel free to watch the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory version with Gene Wilder although it is not necessary.

Register Here

About the Speaker:

Sensei Courtney Michak is a novice Soto Zen priest and Sensei (teacher) in the White Plum Asanga. Courtney’s journey into meditation began in the 90’s with yoga practice. In 2019, she became a dharma holder by Sensei Zhi Sin Pollyann James, a Dharma Successor of Sr. Barbara Craig at Flowing River Sangha (FRS). In 2022, Courtney was installed as a teacher at FRS where she received the name Gessho, meaning a shining light in the darkness. In 2023, she completed The Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program facilitated by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. In February 2025, she was ordained (Shukke Tokudo) by Roshi Edward Sangetsu Sullivan of Red Rose Sangha. In addition to Flowing River Sangha, Courtney offers teachings at Morning Star Zendo, Red Rose Sangha, and Joyful Mind Sangha. Courtney also works full time as a licensed professional counselor at a mental health and substance use inpatient facility specializing in grief and trauma.

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

The Right of Remembrance: 1864 Sand Creek Massacre

Wed., April 1st, 12pm Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

In this presentation, Sand Creek descendant Chris Tall Bear shares the heavy history of the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, from the political failures that preceded it to the role of religious institutions in its execution. We will walk through the landscape of the Methodist Church’s apology and the creation of a National Historic Site dedicated to the “Right of Remembrance.” This is a story of resilience: moving from a history of erasure toward a future rooted in truth-telling and ancestral honor.

Chris Tall Bear (Southern Cheyenne) is a member of the Cheyenne Council of 44, the traditional leadership of the Cheyenne people. As the Owner / Principal of Tall Bear LLC, he brings over two decades of experience serving the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes on various boards and commissions, including as a former representative for the Sand Creek Massacre Memorial committee. His past civic leadership further extends to the City of Norman’s Human Rights Commission and Reapportionment Committee. Currently, he provides expertise as a tribal advisor for the Stephenson Cancer Center’s C3PO grant and serves as a part-time Tribal Public Health Advisor for the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI).

Register Here

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Polish Peacemakers On The Current Situation In Ukraine

Wed., March 25th, 12pm Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

Please join us to hear an update from our Polish Peacemaker friends, Orina Krajewska of the Zwiazek Buddyjski/Kanzeon Sangha in Warsaw, along with volunteer and activist Vladyslav Gryn as they talk about the ongoing situation in Ukraine and Poland.

About the speakers:

Orina Krajewska is an actress, theatre instructor, co-founder and President of Fundacja Małgosi Braunek “Bądź,”and the daughter of the late Polish actress, Małgorzata Braunek. Following the experience of her mother’s disease, she and her family decided to start Fundacja Małgosi Braunek “Bądź” (“Be” Foundation), promoting an integrative approach to health, in terms of both prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, especially cancer. Click HERE to read more about “Be” Foundation. To read a Zen Peacemakers’ article about Małgosia Braunek, click HERE.

Vladyslav Gryn is a volunteer and activist. From the beginning of Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine he has been actively collaborating with the BLYZKIST and SDK Slonecznik. Together with his friends, Gryn co-initiated the charity project “Гalas” https://www.instagram.com/galas.wwa/ with the primary objective of raising funds for Ukraine through the organization of fun and integrative events.

Register Here

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Perspective + Empathy; Learning Beyond Your Own Lens

Wed., March 18th, 12pm Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

Empathy helps us feel, but perspective helps us understand. This mini chat with T. Marie King, explores why real learning requires both.

T. Marie King is an Emmy and NAACP Image Award-nominated film producer, Director of Youth Pathways and Experiences at Jones Valley Teaching Farm, and a seasoned consultant specializing in equitable spaces. A skilled facilitator and lecturer, she inspires self-reflection and meaningful dialogue to drive communal change and societal transformation.

With expertise in empathy, racial healing, and inclusivity, T. Marie empowers individuals and organizations to confront uncomfortable truths and create a more just future. Her background includes degrees in Urban and Global Economic Development, Leadership, and Divinity, blending practical and spiritual approaches to transformative change.

A dynamic leader and advocate for progress, T. Marie King is dedicated to fostering equity and compassion through creativity, education, and action.

https://www.tmarieking.com/

Register Here

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

There are moments in history when silence becomes participation.

We may tell ourselves we are simply trying to live our lives, care for our families, and stay sane in a chaotic world. But history has a way of asking something more from us.

This may be one of those moments.

Across the United States, immigration enforcement and detention systems have expande…

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A Talk With KRISHNA DAS

Wed., Feb. 25th, 12pm Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

Join us for a talk with Krishna Das. Few figures in modern spirituality, particularly in the West, have impacted the hearts and minds of contemporary seekers as Krishna Das has. A devotee of the North Indian Saint, Neem Karoli Baba (Maharajji), Krishna Das has played an enormous role in popularizing the traditional practice of kirtan in the West, taking the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and temples and into concert halls, becoming a worldwide icon and the best-selling western chant artist of all time.

In a career spanning more than two decades, KD has released 17 acclaimed full-length albums, his music serving as an easily approachable gateway to the devotional traditions of the East. Along the way, he has evolved into an accessible if somewhat reluctant teacher, and a spiritual friend to many.

He travels the world sharing his kirtan practice and stories of his life on the Path, of Maharajiji, and advocates for bringing regular spiritual practice into our lives through retreats and workshops.

Register Here

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Each year, Zen Peacemakers gathers in Alabama for the Racism in America Bearing Witness Retreat. We walk together through sites that hold deep historical and present-day significance. We sit in Council. We listen. We allow the experience to work on us.

This session is a…

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Zen Peacemakers’ Bearing Witness to Racism in America Retreat is a contemplative immersion held in Montgomery and Selma, Alabama — places deeply shaped by the history and ongoing reality of racism in the United States.

Rather than approaching racism as a problem to solve or an idea to analyze, this retreat invites participants to bear witness through pre…

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Weekly on Thursdays for 13 Weeks: First Class: Jan. 29th, ONLINE via Zoom

Introduction to Precept Practice with Roshi Ken Byalin

The Precepts, the Buddhist guides to ethical conduct, are inexhaustible tools of personal transformation. Roshi Bernie Glassman’s second Ox course introduced Roshi Ken to precept practice. Roshi Jishu Holmes, who taught a Precept course, showed him how to use the precepts as tools for self study. In this course, you will take a quick dive into each of the ten grave precepts, using them both as mirrors and guidelines. Roshi Ken Byalin looks forward to sharing this gift which he received from Bernie and Jishu with you.

Register Here

Facilitator:

Roshi Ken Byalin is the spiritual leader of the Zen Community of Staten Island. A Dharma Successor of Roshi Bernie Glassman, Ken also studied with Roshis Jishu Holmes, Robert Kennedy, S.J., and Kyudo Nakagawa. His career in mental health and education culminated under Ken’s leadership in the founding of Integration Charter Schools. Under Ken’s leadership, ICS grew to a network of four schools serving 1500 students with annual revenue of $45 million. Ken lives on Staten Island with his wife, Diane, “Dee”, and their daughter, Morrigan and now spends his days writing. Ken is co-editor of The Bernie Koans and a member of the Zen Peacemakers. His blog, In the Bardo, appears bi-weekly at https://www.zen-ken.com/blog

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Tuesday, January 20th, 6pm US Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

Breaking the Ice: Making Space for Stillness in an ICE Detention Center

Volunteers from the Zen Center of Denver now sit weekly with detainees at the GEO ICE Detention Center in Aurora, Colorado.

This talk will explore the process of establishing these sittings, Bill and David’s encounters with detainees, and the institutional and practical challenges they have faced, all viewed through the lens of the Zen Peacemakers’ Three Tenets. We will also reflect on the broader moment we find ourselves in and consider whether it calls for an expansion of prison dharma to include ICE detention centers on a national scale.

Register Here

About the Speakers:

Bill Kyoshin Hamaker is an assistant teacher at the Zen Center of Denver, where he has practiced for over thirty years. A retired school music teacher, Bill focuses on prison dharma and other social outreach endeavors, leading meditation practice at FCI Englewood Prison and supporting the Zen Center of Denver’s role as a Zen Peacemakers International affiliate. He is a member of the Zen Peacemakers Order having recently completed training in ZPO Cohort 3.

David Gibson serves on Mountain Staff and is a Board Member at the Zen Center of Denver. He serves as Volunteer Coordinator for ZCD’s social action activities at Metro Caring Food Bank and the GEO ICE Detention Center. He is also active in the Interfaith Immigration Network in the Denver/Boulder area. He will be starting the Zen Peacemakers Order training in Cohort 4 in March.

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Thursday, January 15th, 7pm Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

Preserving the Legacy of Zen Master, Shunryu Suzuki

Please join a presentation by David Chadwick. He will talk about how he came to practice Zen and is helping to preserve the legacy of Shunryu Suzuki and those whose paths crossed his.

Register Here

About the Presenter:

David Chadwick, at the age of 21, in 1966, first rang the bell of Sokoji, a Soto Zen temple and the original home of the San Francisco Zen Center. Thus began his serious study under Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. Ordained a Zen priest in 1971, he later wrote Suzuki’s biography, Crooked Cucumber, as well as Thank You and OK!: An American Zen Failure in Japan. Chadwick is the primary preserver of the legacy of Shunryu Suzuki and those whose paths crossed his. See cuke.com for more information. He lives in Bali.

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Wednesday, January 7th, 12pm Eastern Time, ONLINE via Zoom

Taking Action with Geoff Shōun O’Keeffe, Zen Peacemakers Executive Director

The 3 Tenets of Zen Peacemakers: Not-Knowing, Bearing Witness, and Taking Action

Our third tenet is taking loving action from not knowing and bearing witness. This vow makes Zen Peacemakers unique. This is how we engage and reach out with helping hands to relieve suffering in our troubled world. Please join us to share your work, your project, and your own taking action with others. This circle will be held monthly in 2026.

Register Here

About the Facilitator:

Geoff Shōun is a Dharma Holder and has been practicing in the White Plum lineage since his first introduction at ZCLA in 1975. With his family, he lived and practiced at ZCLA from 1984-’86, studied with Joko Beck in San Diego into the early 90’s, and has been a student of Gerry Shishin Wick, Roshi, Roshi Ilia Shinko Perez of Great Mountain Zen Center and Paul Gyodo Agostinelli, Sensei of Eon Zen Center, near Boulder Colorado. Shōun has three adult children and three grandchildren. He has been the Zen Peacemakers Executive Director since early 2020.

With gratitude,

The Zen Peacemakers Team

info@zenpeacemakers.org

Zen Peacemakers’ Bearing Witness to Racism in America Retreat is a contemplative immersion held in Montgomery and Selma, Alabama — places deeply shaped by the history and ongoing reality of racism in the United States.

Rather than approaching racism as a problem to solve or an idea to analyze, this retreat invites participants to bear witness through pre…

Read more