Differentiating humans from AI by embracing animality

I've always been fascinated by questions of religion and spirituality and what they have to offer the educational conversation. Clearly on the big questions of life generally, transformation, meaning, values and purpose they have a lot to say, but educationally we can very quickly find ourselves in the territory of indoctrination. And surely indoctrination is the opposite of good education

This week I was so happy to chat with Shoukei Matsumoto, a secular Buddhist Monk who is doing amazing work bringing insights from Japanese Buddhist teachings and practices into leadership, economy and organisational development. And in particular his approach integrates a "post-religious" spirituality with practical methodologies for "becoming good ancestors," often mentoring corporate leaders worldwide to create emotionally intelligent and sustainable workplaces.

Shoukei is a Buddhist monk, author, and Director of the Living Dharma Centre in Vancouver, Canada, where he is spearheading the revitalization of the organisation as a hub for secular spirituality. He simultaneously serves as a Professor of Practice in the Faculty of Well-being at Musashino University (Tokyo), bridging ancient wisdom and modern society to architect "Ambient Buddhism" – an environmental operating system for a post-religious age.

Operating at the intersection of spirituality, technology, and ethics, Shoukei is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Leadership (2025-2026) and an alumnus of the Young Global Leaders (2013). In 2025, he was appointed as a Mercator Visiting Professor at the University of Bonn (Germany) to research AI in the human context, and joined the Vatican’s Aurora initiative to shape global frameworks for moral innovation in artificial intelligence.

With a unique background holding a BA in Philosophy from The University of Tokyo and an MBA from the Indian School of Business, Matsumoto applies innovative management approaches to traditional Buddhist practices. He is the founder of Interbeing Inc. and has launched initiatives such as the Institute for Temple Management. 

He is the author of the international bestseller 'A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind' (translated into over 20 languages). His latest book, 'Work Like a Monk: How to Connect, Lead and Grow in a Noisy World' (2025) https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/Work-Like-A-Monk/Shoukei-Matsumoto/9781398551749, offers practical guidance on integrating Buddhist principles – such as mindful listening and interconnectedness – into modern life and work.

Shoukei’s work touches on very relevant topics that we explore on this channel:

• From "Software" to "An-Yo": How we can stop treating young people as machines to be optimized and instead cultivate "habitats" that allow for their natural flourishing.

• The Grace of Being Wrong (Kuyo): In a world obsessed with "Known" mastery, how the Buddhist practice of Kuyo can liberate us to embrace the unknown.

• The "True Person" (Shin-nin) in Dialogue: How mindful listening can unfreeze our words and allow our authentic selves to emerge, especially within the rigid structures of formal education.

Useful Links

Shoukei’s substack: https://www.living-dharma.com/ 

The Living Dharma Center, Vancouver: https://www.bcc.ca/ldc.html 

Shoukei’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shoukeim