Douglas Phillips
Doug Phillips has been a student of the Dharma for over forty years. He studied Vipassana with Larry Rosenberg receiving Transmission in 2003. His Zen studies primarily have been with James Ford, Roshi. Doug received Inka Shomei (the final seal of Transmission), and the title of Roshi, from James in the Tarrant-Aitken line of the Harada-Yasutani-Yamada koan lineage in 2017. His other influential teachers include Maurine Stuart, Roshi, Zen Master George Bowman, Vinala Thakar, and Darryl Bailey.
As a teacher, Doug is interested in the creative work of koan practice as a way of finding surprise, wisdom, joy and freedom in the ever-changing life of relationship, and finding ways to actually live our understanding as we discover it.
Doug is also a licensed clinical psychologist whose private practice is in Lexington, MA. He loves drinking loose-leaf Chinese tea, playing the shakuhachi and spending as much time as possible with his grandchildren. He lives with his partner in Lexington, MA.
Mary gates
Mary Gates came to meditation practice through the Christian tradition in 1981. She was an early student of Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O. and studied and taught Contemplative Christian practices for 20 years before coming to Vipassana and then Zen.
Mary began studying Vipassana with Doug in 1998. She received transmission in 2013. In 2018 she received transmission (and the title of Sensei) in the Tarrant-Aitken line of the Harada-Yasutani-Yamada koan lineage. In addition to Doug, Mary was influenced by the teaching of Larry Rosenberg and studied koans with James Ford, Roshi.
Mary often suggests that as a teacher she is something of a traffic cop who helps students through the road blocks and speed bumps that keep them from living more freely in the life that they have. She loves the play of koan study and is delighted by the ancient stories of teachers who encouraged students to see life as an amazing adventure.
Mary is also a licensed clinical social worker in private practice and the priest in charge of the Chapel of All Saints (Episcopal) in Cornwall, CT. Mary lives with her husband and 3 dogs in West Cornwall, CT. She has three grown children.