ZDS History Area...
- Zen Desert Sangha was founded in Tucson in Spring of 1982. At that time
there was not yet a formal relationship with a teacher or with a teacher's
tradition or lineage, and members began sitting together at personal homes.
For a while, members sat in a space at the Tucson Association for the Blind.
A year or so afterward, a relationship was formed with Robert Aitken Roshi, and
ZDS became the first affiliate sangha of Aitken Roshi's
Diamond Sangha, based at that time in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawai'i, and Maui.
- ZDS members were attracted to Aitken Roshi's vision of the future of Zen
Buddhist practice in the West being centered in the lay tradition, versus the
monastic model of the far East, as well as to Aitken Roshi's democratic
versus autocratic model of a sangha. ZDS has been doing very well ever since.
- Many changes of venue and of faces have graced our history thus far. ZDS
incorporated formally and legally for the first time as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3)
religious organization soon before purchasing our first property (our present
N. Martin Ave. zendo facility), in 1998. By becoming an organization with clear
leadership and a permanent base, ZDS offers itself to our membership and to our
community as a stable resource for practice and for service.
- Pat Hawk Roshi, a
dharma descendent of Aitken Roshi -- and our sangha teacher since 1988 --
relocated to Tucson in 1999, and thus ZDS has a sangha teacher-in-residence.
Sangha-building continues, as do development of our zendo facility, library,
garden, and resources.
We welcome and make ourselves available for all who wish to practice Zen.
ZDS Presidents
Since ZDS's incorporation in our 17th year (1998), a formal Board structure of officers
and Board duties have become a feature of ZDS leadership and service. President, Vice
President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Director-at-Large are the officers
who serve the sangha on the Board, as defined in our incorporation documents, and By-Laws.
For reference, a list of our Presidents appears here (officers are chosen in the first
date shown, and serve during the full year of the second date shown; e.g., 2007-2008):
- Mary Koopman (1997-1998)
- Hoshin Gupta (1998-1999)
- Greg Anderson (1999-2000)
- Kim Howell (2000-2001)
- Jim DeLia (2001-2002)
- Bob Wallin (2002-2003)
- Bob Wallin (2003-2004)
- Bob Wallin (2004-2005)
- Greg Anderson (2005-2006)
- Greg Anderson (2006-2007)
- Joe Montani (2007-2008)
updated: Jan. 7, 2008
