Celebrating the Dharma Transmission Ceremony of Sensei Katie Egart

This week, we celebrate a significant milestone in the journey of Sensei Katie Gyosei Egart as she receives the honor of the Dharma Transmission Ceremony, a profound recognition of her years of dedicated Zen practice, service, and leadership. This event marks her formal joining of the Diamond Sangha and Cementates lineage, as well as the continuation of her life’s work in guiding others on the Zen path. Let us honor her practice, her role as a chaplain, and the profound impact she has had on the Dharma community.

A Journey of Practice and Service
Sensei Egart’s path is deeply rooted in the koan tradition of the Diamond Sangha. As a long-time student of Daniel Terragno Roshi, founder of Rocks and Clouds Zendo, her journey reflects the heart-mind transmission essential to the deepening of the Dharma. She has studied and practiced diligently, offering her heart and presence not only to formal Zen students but also to those in need of spiritual care.

Since 2012, as a chaplain serving incarcerated individuals, Sensei Egart has shared the teachings of Zen Buddhism within the walls of the Ohio Reformatory for Women. Under her guidance, the women have engaged in deep practice, cultivating mindfulness and embodying the spirit of Zen. Over the years, she has facilitated over seven Jukai ceremonies—each one a year-long commitment of study and rakusu sewing, culminating in a powerful ceremony of vow-taking. Her work with these women has been a source of hidden light, offering a path to inner transformation in a place where suffering often feels insurmountable.

Dharma Transmission: A Lineage of Heart-Mind
The Dharma Transmission Ceremony is not simply a rite of passage but a profound expression of a spiritual lineage. In the tradition of Zen, dharma transmission represents the heart-mind connection between teacher and student, passing on the teachings through lived experience and shared presence. Daniel Terragno Roshi, a dharma heir of John Tarrant Roshi of the Pacific Zen Institute, has nurtured and guided Sensei Egart over the years, embodying the essence of the Diamond Sangha’s koan tradition.

Terragno Roshi’s own practice began in the Gurdjieff Work and evolved through his study of Zen under various teachers. His dedication to sharing the Dharma across Chile, Argentina, and North America reflects the global and interconnected nature of Zen practice, and it is in this spirit that he has offered Dharma transmission to Sensei Egart. Her elevation to the seat of teaching is both a recognition of her own profound dedication and an acknowledgment of the lineage she continues to serve.

Celebrating the Journey of Heart-Mind Connection
This ceremony also serves as a celebration of all that Sensei Egart has given to her students, her sangha, and those she will guide in the years to come. Her teaching is a testament to the way Zen practice permeates the entirety of life, whether in the meditation hall, within prison walls, or in everyday relationships. Her guidance brings to life the essence of the Dharma: to see clearly, to respond compassionately, and to awaken to the true nature of the heart-mind.

Her journey is not one traveled alone but is shared with all those she has taught and all who walk alongside her. As she steps into this new role, her teachings will continue to inspire, support, and guide practitioners both near and far.

Joining the Lineage, Continuing the Practice
The Dharma Transmission Ceremony is a celebration not only of Sensei Egart’s personal journey but also of the ongoing and unfolding tradition of the Diamond Sangha. It is an affirmation of her years of practice and her commitment to sharing the path with others. From her work as a chaplain to her teaching within the sangha, Sensei Egart’s life is an expression of the Dharma in action, and we are honored to witness her taking her seat within this lineage.

With deep gratitude for her path and for the teachings of Terragno Roshi, we honor this milestone and the continued unfolding of the way.

May her teachings continue to flourish, and may all those who practice with her find deep inspiration and joy on their own journeys.