Gina

New Orleans, LA

Gina, 36, is a Georgia native who has lived in New Orleans since 2015. Her roots trace back to Greenville, Georgia, where her father was raised on a dairy farm. Growing up as a farmer’s daughter, Gina was instilled with a strong sense of responsibility and grit. Her childhood was filled with hard work and family projects, like painting their house or replacing siding, teaching her the value of determination and personal accountability.

Experience

0-15 Years XP

Tradition

Mahayana

Background

Her grandfather often shared wisdom that echoed Buddhist teachings, reminding the family that their farm wasn’t truly theirs but part of a greater universe they were entrusted to care for. This perspective of humility and interconnectedness profoundly influenced Gina and continues to resonate in her Zen practice.

Gina spent her childhood primarily in Florida, with stints in Memphis, Brooklyn, and Northern New Jersey, before ultimately settling in New Orleans. It was there in 2016 that she discovered the temple and found a spiritual home in the sangha.

Her journey toward Zen was also shaped by her practice of Bikram yoga, which she began at 18. The physically demanding and structured nature of Bikram taught her to find composure in uncomfortable situations, building a mindfulness practice she carried into adulthood.

Gina sees a deep connection between the values instilled by her family and the principles of Zen. While her parents may not identify as Buddhist, their emphasis on humility and responsibility mirrors the teachings of the Dharma. Together, her upbringing and yoga practice created a natural path toward Zen, which she now embraces fully as part of her life in New Orleans.

For privacy reasons Vimeo needs your permission to be loaded.

Voice & Presence

For privacy reasons Vimeo needs your permission to be loaded.

Discovery

As a high school freshman, Gina was introduced to the Bhagavad Gita by a friend. Though its concepts were entirely foreign to her at the time, it ignited a curiosity about non-Western cultures that stayed with her. This interest deepened when, at 18, a yoga studio opened near her high school. She decided to take a class, an experience she vividly remembers.

During that first yoga session, Gina experienced complete mental silence—an hour and a half without a single thought crossing her mind. It wasn’t exactly relief but a profound sense of pure existence that felt intoxicating. Practicing Bikram yoga, with its physically demanding and intense nature, was like a cathartic exorcism for her—a release of something undefined. By the end of the session, the intensity of the practice left her worn down, forcing her to surrender and let go.

For privacy reasons Vimeo needs your permission to be loaded.

Exploration

Gina reflects on how, as a young adult, she began to feel a void in her life, a yearning for something more. Raised in the Methodist tradition, she found a sense of belonging and community in her childhood church, with its youth groups and supportive relationships.

For privacy reasons Vimeo needs your permission to be loaded.

Lineage

Gina reflects on the prevalence of cultural appropriation and authenticity in the Western adoption of Eastern spiritual practices, particularly in North America. She often addresses these issues when students from local universities interview her for papers on Eastern religions.

For privacy reasons Vimeo needs your permission to be loaded.

Freedom

Gina reflects on the concept of freedom, noting how it is often misunderstood as recklessness or the absence of consequences, particularly in North America and the South. She contrasts this view with the Zen perspective, where freedom is not about acting without care but about embracing non-attachment with awareness and responsibility. She acknowledges that non-attachment can be misinterpreted as “nothing matters,” leading to nihilism or reckless behavior. However, true freedom in Zen lies in understanding that mistakes and consequences are inevitable but do not render someone irredeemable.

This freedom allows practitioners to accept their imperfections, learn from their actions, and trust in the enduring nature of the practice. Gina highlights the kechimyaku, a lineage chart received during ordination, as a symbol of the ancient continuity of the Zen tradition, reminding practitioners of the countless individuals who have walked the path before them.

She also cautions against the urge to redefine or modernize Zen, emphasizing that its value lies in consistency. While Zazen, the core of Zen practice, may feel monotonous or unchanging, it is this very steadiness that provides the foundation for growth and freedom. Gina compares this to the natural rhythms that sustain life, such as a steady heartbeat or the rising and setting of the sun, which create the stability needed to thrive.

Ultimately, Gina believes that the reliability of Zen practice and its traditions cultivates a deeper, more authentic freedom—one rooted in consistency, accountability, and the wisdom of an enduring lineage.

Ordination

For privacy reasons Vimeo needs your permission to be loaded.

Gina reflects on her motivations for ordination, acknowledging that she initially saw it as an accomplishment to strive for. When sewing her rakusu for lay ordination, she chose fabric from her grandparents’ bedsheets, giving the garment deep personal meaning. At the time, her drive to achieve was coupled with a genuine calling to deepen her understanding of the Dharma and serve her community.

This sense of purpose grew stronger as the temple faced challenges, particularly after the pandemic, when many practitioners left, and the Sangha began to dwindle. Gina felt a responsibility to step up and foster camaraderie, knowing the temple’s survival depended on collective effort. In some ways, she felt pushed toward monk ordination—not by individuals, but by the circumstances and her commitment to the community.

As a monk, Gina’s relationship with practice has shifted. While lay ordination allowed her to enjoy the practice within a strong and supportive Sangha, her role as a monk comes with significant responsibility. Though she sometimes finds this burden challenging, she recognizes that creating a space where others can enjoy practice without feeling weighed down is worth the effort. She also acknowledges that perceiving this responsibility as a burden is a choice she makes—and one she could choose to approach differently.