TIM BURKETT
Senior Teacher
Tim Burkett began Zen practice in early 1964 with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. At Suzuki Roshi's urging, Tim began a weekly meditation group on the San Francisco peninsula later that year. Suzuki Roshi regularly attended this group, and as it grew in size, it was moved to the converted garage of a sangha member. Suzuki Roshi's talks to that group were later edited and published as Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a now-classic text and a gateway to Zen practice for many westerners.
After completing his BA at Stanford University, Tim attended the maiden practice period at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in 1967. In 1970, Tim and his wife Linda moved to Minnesota. He was an early member of MZMC and was ordained by Dainin Katagiri Roshi in 1978. Tim served as board president of MZMC from 1978 to 1983, received dharma transmission from Sekijun Karen Sunna in the Katagiri lineage in 2000, and succeeded Karen as Guiding Teacher in 2002. Tim and Linda live in Minneapolis and have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Tim is a licensed Ph.D. psychologist, whose doctoral work focused on neo-shamanic practice. He is also the retired CEO of one of Minnesota's largest non-profit agencies, People Incorporated, which provides community-based service to individuals with mental health concerns. Shambhala published his first book, Nothing Holy About It: The Zen of being Just Who You Are, in 2015 and his second book, Zen in the Age of Anxiety in 2018. His most recent book, Enlightenment Is An Accident came out in May 2023.. A central focus of Tim's first book is his discussion of the impact of Suzuki Roshi's teaching on his life and on his own Zen own teaching and life, while the second book focuses on practicing Zen in our modern, fast-paced world. See more about his publications on his author page.
Tim Burkett was the Guiding Teacher of MZMC from 2002-2019. He offers teaches, leads retreats, and enjoys meeting with MZMC members one-to-one. You can schedule a meeting with him by contacting the office [email protected]
Senior Teacher
Tim Burkett began Zen practice in early 1964 with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. At Suzuki Roshi's urging, Tim began a weekly meditation group on the San Francisco peninsula later that year. Suzuki Roshi regularly attended this group, and as it grew in size, it was moved to the converted garage of a sangha member. Suzuki Roshi's talks to that group were later edited and published as Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a now-classic text and a gateway to Zen practice for many westerners.
After completing his BA at Stanford University, Tim attended the maiden practice period at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in 1967. In 1970, Tim and his wife Linda moved to Minnesota. He was an early member of MZMC and was ordained by Dainin Katagiri Roshi in 1978. Tim served as board president of MZMC from 1978 to 1983, received dharma transmission from Sekijun Karen Sunna in the Katagiri lineage in 2000, and succeeded Karen as Guiding Teacher in 2002. Tim and Linda live in Minneapolis and have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Tim is a licensed Ph.D. psychologist, whose doctoral work focused on neo-shamanic practice. He is also the retired CEO of one of Minnesota's largest non-profit agencies, People Incorporated, which provides community-based service to individuals with mental health concerns. Shambhala published his first book, Nothing Holy About It: The Zen of being Just Who You Are, in 2015 and his second book, Zen in the Age of Anxiety in 2018. His most recent book, Enlightenment Is An Accident came out in May 2023.. A central focus of Tim's first book is his discussion of the impact of Suzuki Roshi's teaching on his life and on his own Zen own teaching and life, while the second book focuses on practicing Zen in our modern, fast-paced world. See more about his publications on his author page.
Tim Burkett was the Guiding Teacher of MZMC from 2002-2019. He offers teaches, leads retreats, and enjoys meeting with MZMC members one-to-one. You can schedule a meeting with him by contacting the office [email protected]
