The Big Mind process was developed by American Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi. Genpo Roshi taught traditional zen for 30 years and studied Gestalt and Jungian psychology before he found a way, in the late nineties, to bring realization and awakening beyond the zen community. His work is recognized all over the world and his book, Big Mind, Big Heart, has been translated into multiple languages.

I have studied Zen and Big Mind with my teacher, Genpo Roshi for the last 12 years. Through Genpo Roshi I have studied the true nature of being human, and the tools to move throughout life from a flexible and embracing manner. Roshi describes this as water in a jar which adapts perfectly to its container, rather than rigid icecubes, which are unable to adapt to their container once formed. We can choose to live in the world and embrace circumstance, like water, or we can choose to be like icecubes, inflexible, unchanging and in-adaptive to our ever-changing environment.

I use Big Mind to help clients deal with personality disorders, relationships, adjustment, anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress, and panic attacks. I also use it frequently within coaching. Big Mind has allowed many people to explore their own thinking processes and feelings from a point of view free of judgement or pathological stigma. As a tool, Big Mind instills empowerment, mastery and creativity of the mind. Clients may experience immediate relief when they no longer identify themselves with their problem and may see more clearly the choices that are available to them. They may come to see life as a practice and themselves as more empowered by their larger perspective.

I see Big Mind as one of the highlights of my career as a psychotherapist. This process of expanding our perspective is innovative and experiential, while integrating some of the best traditional psychological theories with the most profound teachings of eastern philosophy. Big Mind not only provides a healing tool for the suffering mind, but it also helps elevate our consciousness by decreasing our sense of alienation from the rest of the world.