Our Founders, Kyogen and Gyokuko Carlson

Gyokuko and Kyogen Carlson

Gyokuko and Kyogen Carlson

Enter the next generation. In 1974, a young student at Reed College named Andrea Kroenke saw a flyer for a monthly Zen sitting group. After sitting with the group for a few months, she attended a retreat at Shasta Abbey in California, where she eventually ordained and was given the dharma name Gyokuko.

Gary Carlson, a sociology student at UC Berkeley, was troubled by the conflict and violence he was witnessing there and around the world in the late 60s. He found himself on a spiritual search and ended up at Shasta Abbey in 1972, where he was ordained and given the dharma name Kyogen.

Kyogen and Gyokuko were married in 1982. In 1986, as fully transmitted priests, they were the leaders and resident priests of the Oregon Zen Priory in Portland when the sangha split with Shasta Abbey and the Carlsons established Dharma Rain Zen Center as an independent Zen temple. Despite the separation, the Carlsons continued to treasure the Dharma they had received from Roshi Kennett and to regard her with gratitude.

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