Roselyn Stone: founding teacher

Sei'un An Roselyn E. Stone, Ph. D., was born in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. Since her graduation from the University of Toronto she's lived in five countries (England, Germany, USA, Japan and Australia) and had three professional lives: YWCA physical director; high school teacher of physical education (with a little math and science for good measure); and tenured professor at the University of Toronto with a strong interest in the phenomenology of human movement forms. This interest took her to Japan in 1977 and into San'un Zendo where she would spend most of the next 14 years.

Sei’un Roshi began Zen practice in 1977 on a sabbatical year in Japan. In 1978 her kensho ('awakening') was confirmed by her teacher the late Zen Master Ko'un Yamada, of the San'un Zendo in Kamakura. In 1985 Yamada Roshi formally granted her authorisation as a Zen Master in the Sanbo Kyodan Zen Lineage. The teaching name of Sei'un An (Clearing Away the Clouds") was conferred upon her at that time. In 1993 and 1994, Mountain Moon Sangha Zendos were established under her guidance in Brisbane and Toronto respectively. She travelled to Brisbane each year to teach until 2007.