What is Zen2.0?
Zen 2.0 is a Zen and Mindfulness International Conference that started in 2017 in Japan, and held every year in Kamakura, by Zen2.0 Foundation.
Every year, Academics, Businesspeople, Technology experts and Scientists, and Spiritual teachers are invited to speak as guest speakers and instructors to inspire people from the mind and body. It is a very unique event being held at the historical Kencho-ji Temple, the oldest Zen Temple in the world.
The concept of Zen2.0 borrows from the Three Jewel in Buddhism — Buddha, Dharma and Samgha. This is to:
- Become aware of our true selves (Buddha)
- Learn from the laws of Nature (Dharma), and
- Deepening the connection from the soul (Samgha)
Zen2.0 aims to realise a society in which “Self”, “Nature” and “Connection (community)” are in complete harmony.
How did Zen2.0 start?
Zen2.0 was started by Mikio Shishido and Koji Miki in 2017.
Mikio Shishido suffered asthma and health issues as a child, and ended up relying not only on western medicine but also eastern/Chinese medicine as well as alternative medicine. As an extension from that, Mikio became interested in eastern spirituality and the subconscious mind, and eventually its connection to science, and went to study quantum physics at Tokyo University. He had created a career around organisational development and corporate training, but in 2012, after the Tohoku Earthquake, decided to leave his job and move to Kamakura, to pursue what he really wanted, and created his own training company with a view to communicate the spirituality of Japan to the world.
Koji Miki had been an executive officer at an IT venture until Lehman shock when the company struggled and all of a sudden he lost his job. This was a great shock, making him anxious about the future. Realising that he was in depression, Koji found Zazen instructions on Youtube and started to meditate at home. After some time, he was able to go outside and get real Zazen instruction from the priest at Kenchoji temple. He found it was not only him that struggled with the aftermath of Lehman shock, and started what is now “Zen School” to help business owners overcome their fear in management — predominantly money and human resources, and create innovative services and products, through the practice of Zen and Mindfulness.
One night in Kamakura, the two were out with two others, Michiaki Matsushima, now editor-in-chief of Wired Japan, and Shun Suzuki who makes Samue, the traditional monk workwear, and the vision to make Kamakura “the mindful city” where they communicate Zen and mindfulness to the world, was formed, with the view to making Kamakura a hub for people to learn and connect.
Kamakura was important not only because of its historic significance of it being the Zen capital and birthplace of Zen, but also because of its rich surroundings, having both mountain and sea.
They wanted to make a place where people could learn not only Zen or Buddhism, but also pursue the universal truth and spirituality, involving science and academia, community, government and businesses. And since 2017, they have worked with Scientists, Academics, Entrepreneurs, Monks to portray this message.
(written by Maki Ishiwatari)
