Founding Teacher

Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a Zen priest, a husband, a father, and a poet: a teacher with wide-ranging interests and passions. He has been leading Zen retreats in Vancouver since 1987. During almost 30 years at San Francisco Zen Center, he served in many positions. Norman retired as the abbot of Zen Center in 2000, and founded of the Everyday Zen Foundation to take his teaching out into the world. Norman believes in the possibility of "engaged renunciation": living a fully committed religious life that does not exclude family, work, and a passionate interest in the world.



Guiding Teachers

Myoshin Kate McCandless and Shinmon Michael Newton began Zen practice in 1983 as university students in Japan, with a Rinzai priest at an ancient temple on Mount Tsukuba, later moving to Kyoto and practicing Soto Zen with Shohaku Okumura. Since returning to Vancouver in 1987 they have practiced with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. They received priest ordination from him in in 2003 and dharma transmission in 2011. They were installed as guiding teachers of Mountain Rain Zen Community in May, 2017.

Kate has worked as an organic farmer, ESL teacher, translator and as a clinical counselor in women’s health and hospice/bereavement care.

Michael taught Asian studies and religious studies at Simon Fraser University. Both are committed to supporting Mountain Rain as a lay practice community in connection with the wider community, the arts, and the natural world.

 

 The guiding teachers may be contacted at teachers@mountainrainzen.org.

 


Teachers

Joko Claire Talbot received lay ordination in 2000. She was shuso for our  2010 practice period, and received lay entrustment from Zoketsu Norman Fischer in 2019. She works as a physician in palliative care and lives in Vancouver.

Dai-i Flo Rublee received lay ordination in 1998 and priest ordination in 2010 from Zoketsu Norman Fischer and dharma transmission in 2023. She was shuso for our 2008 practice period. She is a retired physiotherapist and lives in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast.

Practice Leaders

Practice leaders are long-time Zen practitioners who have served as shuso (head monk) for one of Mountain Rain’s fall practice periods. Practice leaders give dharma talks, lead classes, and offer practice discussion. 

Priests

Nin-en Susan Elbe received lay ordination in 2003 and priest ordination in 2016. She was shuso for our 2009 practice period. She is a retired a city planner and lives in Tsawassen.

Kakuko Kaye Simard received lay ordination in 2015, and priest ordination in 2019. She was shuso for the 2020 practice period. She is a retired registered nurse with experience in many fields.

Lay practice leaders

Jikai Vicki Turay received lay ordination in 2013 from Mountain Rain’s guiding teachers. She was shuso for our 2016 practice period. She lives on Mayne Island.

Jakushin Todd Slobogean received lay ordination in 2013 from Mountain Rain’s guiding teachers. He was shuso for our 2017 practice period. He is retired and lives in Vancouver.

Our founding teacher and guiding teachers are full members of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association.