In this episode of the Peacemakers Podcast, we sit with Hozan Alan Senauke — a Zen priest, teacher, musician, and lifelong practitioner of engaged Buddhism — in a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like being in the presence of a life deeply lived.
At the heart of Hozan’s path is a simple but demanding vow: “I will not abandon you.” Not as a sentiment, but as a practice. A North Star. A way of meeting suffering without turning away — while still holding boundaries, clarity, and compassion.
Through stories from his life — from sangha relationships to refugee camps, from Bangladesh to India — Hozan brings the Three Tenets into lived reality. Not Knowing. Bearing Witness. Taking Action. Not as abstract ideas, but as something we return to again and again, especially when it would be easier to walk away.
There’s a quiet honesty in this conversation. A recognition that staying present is not always comfortable, not always clear — but that something essential unfolds when we remain in relationship.
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Show Credits:
* Speaker: Hozan Alan Senauke
* Recording Date: March 28, 2023
* Hosts: Geoff Shōun O’Keeffe, Jim Hōden Fricker
* Audio & Video Editing/Engineering: Jim Hōden Fricker
* Event Coordinators: Micka (妙心) Moto-Sanchez, Geoff Shōun O’Keeffe
* Related Video: HERE
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