A Q&A with fire monk Mako Voelkel Mako Voelkel. All photos by Melissa Brisko. It’s been nearly a dozen years since Mako Voelkel stood on the Overlook Trail above Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and saw the Basin Complex Fire pouring into the valley. These days, Mako is head teacher at Austin Zen Center. When I caught up with her one recent afternoon on FaceTime, I reminded her that she once told me she just might leave the monastery to go to medical school. Clearly that didn’t happen. “Not yet!” she pointed out, laughing in dappled sunlight in her … [Read more...]
Op-ed in the Monterey Herald
Read my August 20 opinion piece in The Monterey Herald about why history doesn't have to repeat itself as the Soberanes Fire burns towards Tassajara. Photo by Mako Voelkel … [Read more...]
Soberanes Fire, August 6, 2016 Update
Please follow my … [Read more...]
Five years ago today…
Fire surrounded Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. Gratitude for all of the heart and effort that went into preserving that refuge in the wilderness! Fundraising for a permanent Dharma Rain sprinkler system is well underway. I took this photo in May when I was down at Tassajara: … [Read more...]
Paperback release on the horizon
Fire Monks will be out in paperback in June! I've just posted some new Bay Area readings on my Events page. Many summer and fall events are still in the works and will be added as they are confirmed. In April, fire monk David Zimmerman and I spoke at the International Association of Wildland Fire Human Dimensions conference in Seattle. It was a heartwarming experience to present to such a receptive audience of fire professionals. Lots of great people doing good work studying our complex relationship with fire and the landscapes it touches. San Francisco Zen Center is in the … [Read more...]