Henry Shukman is an English poet, author, and Zen teacher in the Sanbo Zen lineage, known for his award-winning writing and his role as the Spiritual Director of Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Kevin sits down with Henry to discuss the misconceptions surrounding Zen, especially in Western cultures, and the true meaning of Zen as a path of existential training. They also cover the impact of awakening or enlightenment, the significance of Koans in Zen practice, and the compatibility of Zen with religious traditions. Pre-Order Henry's new book, "Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening" - https://henryshukman.com/writing/original-love - 0:00 Kevin introduces guest, Henry Shukman to the listeners 3:30 Henry discusses the commercialization of Zen 6:00 Misconceptions and the true essence of Zen 9:00 Question: When and where did koans originate? 16:00 “Whether it's a discovery or the recovery of something long forgotten, in a way it doesn't matter, because it hasn't been present to me. And when it suddenly is. It changes everything. It really changes everything.” 19:00 Koans and how they apply to Zen practice 23:30 Role of meditation in Zen 26:15 Question: What are the common curiosities that people approach you with and what can Zen solve for them? 26:50 “Zen is for revelation. It's sort of exposing us to more dimensions of what life actually is.” 30:15 Henry shares his personal journey into Zen 40:00 The importance of checks and balances when teaching Zen practices 43:30 Question: What do you tell someone in hospice laying there and says: ‘Henry, Where am I going? Or I don’t want to die.’ 51:15 Question: How many koans did you have to pass to become a fully accredited Zen master? 53:45 “In a certain way, Zen is absolutely not a religion. It's about changing our hearts and minds.” 56:20 Question: Do you think prayer can be a form of meditation? 59:00 Therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, plant medicine, and meditation to achieve awakening 1:04:25 Henry’s experience with 5-MeO-DMT 1:09:55 Reflections on the transformative power of Zen 1:12:45 Strategies to make a long-lasting practice with meditation 1:16:00 The Way app offers guided meditation training 1:23:50 Download the Way app: https://www.thewayapp.com/ 1:31:00 Perspectives on drinking alcohol 1:37:00 Questioning ancient Zen feats of power 1:41:00 Extreme self-sacrifice and equanimity 1:46:55 Finding infinite happiness. 1:52:30 Closing thoughts - Sign up for my free future-focused newsletter: https://bit.ly/3TvD4tm (100k+ readers) Subscribe to The Kevin Rose Show: https://kevinrose.com - Follow Kevin Rose: https://kevinrose.com https://twitter.com/kevinrose https://instagram.com/kevinrose https://youtube.com/@kevinrose Follow Henry Shukman: https://henryshukman.com/ https://www.instagram.com/henryshukman Thank you for watching!