Rev. Cyndi Jikaku Yasaki is a Jōdo Shinshū minister that serves the White River Buddhist Temple based in Auburn, WA. Rev. Cyndi completed her Certificate in Shin Buddhism from the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Spring 2019 and received the first level of ordination, Tokudo, in Kyoto, Japan in Summer 2019. She married her husband, Rev. Tadao Koyama, in 2020 and moved with him to Tacoma, WA upon his ministerial assignment as the Resident Minister of the Tacoma Buddhist Temple. Rev. Cyndi received her Masters in Arts in Buddhist Studies from IBS and her second level of ordination, Kyoshi, in 2022.

*Note: This episode briefly mentions suicide/self-harm.

We talked about the unique qualities of different Jōdo Shinshū sanghas within Washington state, what it's like being married to a minister while being a minister herself, gratitude and it's role in deepening Rev. Cyndi’s commitment towards ministry, anxiety and connecting with things outside of yourself as a form of healing, and the importance of knowing who you are in order to find the right medicine for you.