I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and came to Buddhism at the San Francisco Zen Center. I received monastic training at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and returned there to cook for the guests during the summer guest season. I taught children for 35 years and my books are a reflection of my long- term Zen practice and my work with children.
I lecture, teach classes, and lead retreats at different practice centers in Northern California. I co-founded the Sangha in Recovery program at the Zen Francisco Zen Center and continue to study and lead classes on Buddhism and recovery. My daughter Nova, who took this photo, is an artist and a gifted preschool teacher in Oakland. My hope is that my books will reach children and their families with wisdom stories and activities that will introduce them to the principles of Buddhist practice. I hope that my book "The Zen Way of Recovery" will help support people who are interested in both of these pathways to peace.