Join us on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, for a Dharma talk entitled “Sustaining Authentic Self: Zazen, Gratitude & Sangha,” which will be held following our regular service. For details on attending, please visit our Calendar page.
About Seiun Kushin Jim Parker
After a lifetime of interest in Buddhism, and occasional meet-ups with various Buddhist lineages, Seiun Kushin Jim Parker found his home at Mission Mountain Zen in Dayton, Montana in the fall of 2013. Under the guidance of his teacher Zenku Jerry Smyers he began sitting Zazen. Kushin formally committed to this practice with a Jukai ceremony soon thereafter. He then traveled to Japan with 6 other Zen ‘pilgrims’, including STO Abbot Elliston Roshi and Zenku Sensei to trace and video the early steps of our lineage founder Soyu Matsuoka Roshi for three weeks. Kushin became a Disciple in March 2017, and was ordained a Novice Priest in 2023.
Kushin has volunteered as a Member-at-large, and the Chair of STO’s Board of Directors, and other committees for several years and continues that service. Since 2017, Kushin has studied East Asian Calligraphy with his friend and teacher, Kazuaki Tanhashi Sensei (Kaz).
His former day job, for the past 30+ years, has been running a Communications, Campaign Management, and Creative Design company. Kushin has also volunteered for Hospice and Grief Recovery Work with kids and adults since 1997. He lives in Missoula, Montana – but as an aside, he grew up in Wayland, Massachusetts and raced sailboats off Cape Cod (and Falmouth!) in the late 70’s and early 80s.