Department: Unsui Priest

Rev. Dr. Ian GenKyu Cyrus is a native of Trinidad and Tobago, and studies with Sensei Ryuko Langdell. He was made an Unsui (Novice Priest) in the Soto Zen tradition of Matsuoka Roshi by Ryuko in 2022. He began his Buddhist path 30 years ago with the Nichiren Tradition and later with the Sokka Gakai. GenKyu was ordained as a Noviate in the Korean Zen tradition of ZM Seung Sahn by Ven. Wonji Dharma on July 23, 2016. He was ordained by Ven. Wonji as a Buddhist Pujari (Priest) on May 30, 2020. He currently leads a Sangha (Meditation and Buddhist studies Group) in Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania.

Rev. GenKyu is a former U.S. Marine and FBI Special Agent. He has earned a B.S. in Sports Medicine and a M.S. in Biomechanics from Temple University and is a certified Athletic Trainer (ATC). Since young adulthood, he has had several long-term apprenticeships under some well-known masters. He is a graduate of the International School of Shiatsu (ISS) and was graduated with honors from the Tri-State College of Acupuncture, New York, NY, where he earned a M.S. in Acupuncture Oriental Medicine and is a member of the advisory board. He was also graduated from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine where he earned a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine-Integrative Medicine (DACM). He is currently a faculty member at The Won Institute of Graduate Studies. He is the founder and innovator of Oriental Medicine – Physical Medicine (OM-PM), a unique approach to myofascial pain and dysfunction and musculoskeletal pain. He is board certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). He has been in practice for over 20 years.

GenKyu is an internationally known martial arts master. He is the lineage holder of Choson Kwon Bup. He has achieved the highest possible ranking (9 th Dan) in Hapkido. He is the founder of Yu Shin HapGi Mu Yae, a unique system of martial arts. He also holds mastership levels in Taekwondo (8 th Dan), Chen Tai Ji Chuan, Yin Fu Ba Gua Zhang, Itto Tenshin Ryu Ken Jitsu.

Rev. KaiUn, Luis Lista, has studied Buddhism since he was 14 years old, when first entering a Buddhist Temple following a Vietnamese girl he had fallen for. He is a Portuguese married man living in Belgium with his wife and two kids. A social worker and a specialist in education. He ordained as a Priest (Dharma Teacher) in 2011 (as Yaoxin Shakya) and was received as a Transmitted Head Priest (Chan Teacher) in the Linji Lineage of the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun (founded by WeiMiao JyDin Shakya) in 2015. He founded “Dharma Winds Zen Sangha” (dharmawindszensangha.org) in September 2015. KaiUn also had the pleasure to study Korean Zen as a Formal Student of Venerable Wonji Dharma. Venerable Wonji sadly entered emptiness unexpectedly in December 2021. In January 2022, KaiUn continued his study of Wonji’s Dharma with one of Ven. Wonji’s main Transmitted Heirs, Tim Jinhye Songdo Langdell, (Ryuko Sensei). In October 2022, following a long-lasting link with the Zen Dharma of Matsuoka Roshi, and a deep spiritual brotherhood with Ryuko Landgell Sensei, he entered Priest Training in Matsuoka Roshi’s Soto Zen lineage through Landgell Sensei, receiving Unsui Priest Ordination as Rev. KaiUn. KaiUn’s Dharma Winds Zen Hermitage, in Belgium, is an affiliated group of Ryuko Landgell’s StillCenter Zen, Pasadena (itself affiliated to the Order of Clear Mind Zen).

Jeff Tairen Albrizze is a Los Angeles native son. Tairen studies with Sensei Ryuko Langdell and was made an Unsui by Ryuko in 2022. Tairen’s dharma name means Peaceful Lotus. Brought up Roman Catholic as a young boy, like many teens in the ‘70s he ran the streets during the “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” new wave. In his 20’s he became an evangelical Christian, went to bible school, was a licensed Pentecostal minister, and preached all over America. Feeling he was a round peg trying to fit in a square hole, he deconstructed his faith and found Zen through a Thomas Merton book. Zazen worked for him to experience his life as the awakened way.

He studied Soto Zen at the Zen Center of Los Angeles starting in fall of 1988 and took Jukai in 1997. He lived at ZCLA as a resident in the late 90’s. He has practiced in the Taizan Maizumi White Plum lineage, and the Shunryo Suzuki San Francisco Zen lineage. Jeff has years of experience as a volunteer Buddhist prison Chaplain, and leading a neighborhood Zen sitting group in Pasadena, California. He has done dozens of sesshins, has held many service positions, and aspires to keep practicing the Buddha Way in serving his community.

Jeff has been married for 19 years to his wife Amanda, and they have a 10 year old son Grayson. Jeff has been a Warehouse Manager for the Pasadena K-12 school district for 26 years, and lives in Arcadia, California.

Roland Hoshuteki Hendel has always exercised a passion for the study of philosophy and religion. He spent the last several decades studying both eastern and western traditions before beginning his study and training as a student of Shoji Roshi. Roland worked in Silicon Valley for 30 years as an electrical engineer, developing technical solutions to address the challenges of environmental sustainability. When he lived in San Francisco he volunteered at various charitable organizations, including the Marine Mammal Center and the Larkin Street Youth Center. During that time, he founded the local branch of the EDAR project – an effort to bring safe and portable housing to the city’s homeless population. Since moving to Northern California, he operates a sanctuary to protect and preserve a redwood forest and sanctuary for rescued domestic and agricultural animals.