Our Sangha Lineage

Southern Palm Zen Group is affiliated with the White Plum Asanga, founded by Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi, Roshi, who built the Zen Center of Los Angeles. We trace our lineage from him to his student, Bernie Glassman, Roshi, and his student, Peter Mathiessen, Roshi.

Hakuyū Taizan Maezumi

Maezumi Hakuyū (February 24, 1931–May 15, 1995) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and rōshi, and lineage holder in the Sōtō, Rinzai, and Sanbo Kyodan traditions of Zen. He combined the Rinzai use of kōans and the Sōtō emphasis on shikantaza in his teachings, influenced by his years studying under Hakuun Yasutani in Sanbo Kyodan. He founded or co-founded several institutions and practice centers, including the Zen Center of Los Angeles, White Plum Asanga, Yokoji Zen Mountain Center and the Zen Mountain Monastery.

Bernie Tetsugen Glassman

In 1967, Bernie Glassman (1939-2018) began his Zen studies with Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi Roshi, Founder of the Zen Center of Los Angeles. He became a Zen teacher in 1976, and in 1980 he founded his own Zen Community of New York in the Bronx, New York. He established a network of non-profit organizations that benefited the communities around him. His first was Greystone Bakery. In January of 1994, while leading a bearing witness retreat in Washington, DC, Bernie decided to create the Zen Peacemaker Order, for Zen practitioners dedicated to the cause of peace and social justice. In 1995 Bernie Glassman received inka, the final seal of approval from his teacher. Roshi Glassman passed away in

Peter Muryo Matthiessen

Roshi Peter Muryo Matthiessen (1927-2014) was a master novelist, naturalist, and dedicated voice for nature. He was especially concerned with ecological issues and social issues, such as the rights of indigenous peoples. As a Buddhist priest and teacher, he established the Ocean Zendo in Sagaponick, Long Island, NY. He was founder of The Paris Review. He has written over thirty fiction and nonfiction books, and many powerful, deeply researched articles. He was Roshi Glassman's first Dharma successor, who gave him inka, that is, formal recognition as a Zen Master in January 1997.

Mitchell Doshin Cantor

Doshin(1938-2021) began his Zen studies in 1978 with Peter Muryo Mathiessen Roshi and Madeline Koi-Bastis Sensei at the Ocean Zendo in Sagaponick, Long Island. When he moved to Florida in 1995, he established the Southern Palm Zen Group. In addition, he facilitated the creation of a statewide network of Zen groups in the Florida Prison System. Over the years, Doshin attended numerous sesshins with other teachers in the White Plum lineage, including Bearing Witness retreats with Bernie Glassman Roshi and the Zen Peacemaker Order. Doshin's legacy continues to inspire the current leadership team.

Wilbur Mushin May

Mushin's spiritual journey started with Herrigel's book, Zen in the Art of Archery, when he was still a teenager. He had an authentic introduction to Zen at Hosshinji Monastery, Japan, under Harada Roshi. Training periods followed with Aitken Roshi in Hawaii, John Tarrant in Australia, Gesshin Prabhasa Dharma in the US, and his last but most significant teacher, Mitchel Doshin Cantor. Mushin describes himself as a teacher of no-thing. He has retired as an active teacher but remains an inspirational embodiment of the Zen tradition.

Supporting Teachers

Southern Palm Zen Group has been supported and nourished by these notable teachers in our sister lineage traditions.

Madeline Ko-i Bastis

Madeline Ko-i Bastis was a Buddhist chaplain. She worked with cancer, AIDS, psychiatric, and Alzheimer's patients, with battered women, caregivers, inmates, with people with addictions, as well as so-called normal people. In her work she found that the most difficult thing for people to do is to grant forgiveness. Some people cannot ask for forgiveness, others cannot forgive one another. And some don't realize how harsh they are to themselves when they cannot forgive the one person they have to live with daily - themselves. Madeline was a dharma sister to Doshin and a student of Peter Muryo Roshi.

Lou Mitsunen Nordstrom

Lou Mitsunen Nordstrom, Roshi received a Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia University, where he taught until 1970. Roshi began Zen practice in the late 1960's. In 1974 he gave up a tenured teaching position at Marymount College to become a Rinzai Zen monk. He also edited Namu Dai Bosa: A Transmission of Zen Buddhism to America, an anthology of the works of Nyogen Senzaki, Soen Nakagawa Roshi, and Eido Shimano Roshi. Soen Nakagawa Roshi, one of the great Rinzai masters called him, "a true Zen Man".

Roger Shikan Hawkins

Roger Hawkins began practicing Zen Buddhism at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1971 at the age of 22. He spent ten years as a practicing residential student, three of those years at Tassajara Monastery and three at Green Gulch Farm, as well as the City Center in San Francisco. He studied under Richard Baker Roshi and Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi.

Phil Sengetsu Kolman

Phil Kyosei Sengetsu Kolman, Sensei, was a Dharma Teacher, Full Priest and Chaplain. Married to Marsha for 34 years, he has three daughters from a previous marriage. He was engaged in intensive Zen training for 25 years, first at ZMM from 1994 until 2004, where he was a student of Roshi John Daido Loori. He received Jukai from Daido Roshi in 1997 and was given the name Kyosei.He assisted Sensei Bonnie Myotai Treace in founding Fire Lotus Temple in Brooklyn, and continued to practice under her guidance at Fire Lotus and after her departure from the Mountains and Rivers Order in 2004 when she formed Hermitage Heart Sangha. Kyosei served on the Board of Directors as Treasurer of Hermitage Heart, and Sensei gave him his primary dharma name, Sengetsu in a Transmission Ceremony there. He passed away in 2020.