Degna Chikei Levister, Senior Lay Student - Zen Mountain Monastery, Sunday 11/21/2021 - True Dharma Eye, Case 2 - Baizhang Remains Seated - On November 21st, we concluded our Fall 90-day ango training period with this Shuso Hossen ceremony. Shuso Hossen means "chief disciple (or, literally, 'head seat') dharma encounter." It is a centuries-old tradition that empowers a Zen student to represent the teachings and help guide other students in their own cultivation. In this case, Degna Chikei Levister completed her training in the role of Shuso by offering her first public talk to the sangha in which she presented her understanding of a koan from the collection found in the teachings of Eihei Dogen.  Following her talk, there was a "dharma encounter" in which Chikei was asked questions by those in attendance for further clarification. After an acknowledgement from her teacher, Shugen Roshi, a number of monastics and fellow practitioners offered Chikei congratulatory poems.