Ep271: Zen Confessions - Brad Warner & Shozan Jack Haubner
In this episode, I host a dialogue between Brad Warner, Zen teacher, Youtuber, and best-selling author; and Shozan Jack Haubner, ex-Zen Monk, Youtuber, and award-winning memoirist.
Available on Youtube, iTunes, SoundCloud & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
Brad and Jack explore their own journeys as writers, the humorous and confessional elements in their work, and the complications of writing about real life events that involve other people.
Brad and Jack reflect on what they see as the politicisation of American Zen, describe how religious institutions can compromise their principles when faced with financial and political pressure, and explain their own efforts on Youtube and elsewhere to challenge hegemony and encourage a return to essential Zen.
Brad and Jack also discuss facing criticism as public figures, consider some of their more controversial videos and views, and reveal how they stay centred amidst the polarising forces of today’s internet and social media world.
00:00 - Intro
01:10 - Radical self disclosure
02:49 - Why Brad began writing about Zen
05:59 - Hardcore Zen and success
06:48 - Noah Levine’s Dharma Punx
07:50 - Jack’s initial Zen writing
10:43 - Complications of being ordained
12:34 - When people find out
13:40 - Protecting others’ identity
16:29 - Compromise thru affiliation with Zen organisations
18:08 - Selling meditation as a product
21:03 - Austrian Zen and hard retreat
22:44 - Mainstream mindfulness
23:37 - Wearing Zen robes
24:55 - Why Brad stopped teaching in the USA
25:45 - Hostility in NYC
27:50 - Zen apprenticeship and closing the doors
30:53 - Boomer hippy ideals vs real Zen
31:45 - US Zen hegemony
35:11 - Politicised Zen and 80s televangelists
36:20 - Bullying and fixed views
37:25 - Sasaki Roshi’s scandal and encounters with boutique Zen teachers
39:02 - Politicisation of US Zen
41:07 - Financial pressure and running an institution
44:59 - Brad on Sasaki Roshi
47:16 - Sweeping Zen
48:08 - Challenging socio-political trends in American Zen
50:08 - Hijacking Zen
56:06 - The Jack Kornfield problem
59:20 - Attacked from both sides
01:01:16 - Right wing Zen
01:03:54 - Demonising the other side and facing your shadow
01:09:40 - Abuse and pushing your buttons
01:12:10 - Being too nice
01:13:28 - Self-justification
01:14:57 - Co-opting Zen
01:16:09 - Sasaki beats a lazy student
01:19:06 - The danger of Zen practice
01:23:06 - Patron priest corruption
01:24:58 - Dealing with negative feedback on social media
01:33:24 - Internet radicalisation and keeping your head
01:38:52 - Watching your equilibrium
01:39:49 - Jordan Peterson vs Zen
01:43:07 - Teachings vs entertainment
01:46:00 - Why Rinzai is evil and Soto sucks
Previous episode with Brad Warner:
Previous episodes with Shozan Jack Haubner:
To find out more about Brad Warner, visit:
To find our more about Shozan Jack Haubner, visit:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James