About Us

We’re here to help you find your way.

We created this Zen Center to be an oasis in the storm of life for someone like you.

We are a diverse, open-hearted Sangha community practicing a Zen spiritual path in the White Plum Lineage. Our doors are open to everyone, regardless of race, religion, gender, or point of view.

Two women engaged in a conversation, one smiling while holding a folder, near an open door

Our vision is to cultivate an awakened world that transforms suffering into compassion and delusion into wisdom.

Our mission is to empower you to live a Zen-inspired life of openness, empathy, and clarity.

Our values

  1. Deep Respect – Honor all people, perspectives, and agreements with loyalty and openness

  2. Genuine Presence – Show up authentically and create beauty in how you engage

  3. Fearless Honesty – Practice openness in conflict and fact challenges as growth opportunities

  4. Conscious Awareness – Acknowledge privilege and embrace different worldviews with curiosity.

Meet Our Co-Founders

Roshi Robert Joshin Althouse and Roshi June Ryushin Tanoue co-founded this Zen Center together in 2010. As husband and wife, they have spent much of their life practicing and teaching. They co-founded this Center to make the spiritual path of Zen accessible to any one regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, or nationality. In the process a warm-hearted community has grown up around them that supports each other on this spiritual path of Zen.

Meet with Roshi Joshin
Meet with Roshi Joshin
Co-founders, Roshi June Tanoue and Roshi Robert Althouse, with a framed piece of Japanese calligraphy hanging on the wall behind them. | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Two people sitting outside on a sunny day, smiling at the camera. The woman on the left has glasses and is wearing a white shirt, and the man on the right is bald and dressed in dark clothing. They are holding an object between them.

Fully Empowered Zen Teachers and Priests

Abbot, Roshi Robert Joshin Althouse, Zen Master and Priest standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center. | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Co-founder, Roshi June Ryushin Tanoue, Zen Master, Priest, and Hula Master (Kumu Hula), standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center. | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Roshi Robert Joshin Althouse

Roshi June Ryushin Tanoue

Rev. Diane Myogetsu Bejcek, fully empowered Zen Priest and certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center. | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Rev. Kelly Junmei Good, novitiate Zen Priest, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Rev. Diane Myogetsu Bejcek

Rev. Kelly Junmei Good

Novitiate Priests

Rev. Linda Gyokuzan Warring

Fully Empowered Mindfulness and Meditation Teachers

Rev. James Kanshin Sullivan, novitiate Zen Priest. | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Robert Dharma Cloud Demaree, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Rev. James Kanshin Sullivan

Robert Dharma Cloud Demaree

Kathy Dull, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Christine DuSell, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Kathy Dull

Christine DuSell

Daniel Good, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Ken Daigu Hillman, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Daniel Good

Ken Daigu Hillman
Julie Chisho Kase, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Jason Jensen

Melanie Hoetsu Jessen

Skye Jigen Lavin, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Julie Chisho Kase

Skye Jigen Lavin

Patrick Ungo O'Shea, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Rev. Patrick Ungo O’Shea
Ericka Menchen-Trevino, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Robert Kanjo Schwoch, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing and smiling. | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL
Juri Sekiguchi, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Robert Kanjo Schwoch

Juri Sekiguchi

Christian Baizan Solorzano

Rev. Jacquelyn Genshin Weiner-O’Shea

Rev. Jacquelyn Genshin Weiner-O’Shea

Jackie Popp, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Karleen Manchanda

Patrick Ungo O'Shea, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Ericka Menchen-Trevino

Jackie Popp

Rev. Patrick Ungo O’Shea

Fully Empowered Priest

Rev. Kelly Junmei Good, novitiate Zen Priest, certified by ZLMC as a "Mindfulness Meditation Teacher", standing in front of altar in Buddha Hall at Zen Center | Zen Life & Meditation Center | Oak Park, IL

Rev. Kelly Junmei Good

Our members

These are interviews done by Mark Gelula with some of our members on his Zen Followers Substack site.

Roshi June Ryushin Tanoue

Mark Gelula’s Interview
with Roshi June

Ken Daigu Hillman

What happens when Joseph Campbell, neuroscience, and Zen meet in one person’s practice?