Ep. 256 – Norma Wong

For episode 256, we start off the year in podcasts with a conversation between Sharon and first-time guest Norma Ryuko Kawelokū Wong Roshi.Norma is a thought partner, a strategist, and a teacher. She is the abbot of Anko-in, an independent branch temple of Daihonzan Chozen-ji and serves practice communities in Hawai‘i, across the continental U.S., and in Toronto, Canada. She is an 86th-generation Zen Master, having trained at Chozen-ji for over 40 years. Norma has decades of experience in organizing, policy, strategy, and politics in Hawaiʻi, particularly in the area of Native Hawaiian issues, serving in the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and beyond. In the Fall of 2024, she released the book, “When No Things Work,” telling stories, weaving poetry, and offering wisdom at the intersections of strategy, politics, and spiritual activism.In this conversation, Norma and Sharon speak about:How Norma became an activistTaking the long multi-generational viewHow to face discord by seeing the wholeWhen Norms found spiritual teachingsThe inspiration for writing her bookHow Norma approaches faithCollective versus individual workSharon getting humid in MauiOpening to joy and goodnessMethods to interrupt habitsThe rebuild of the Lahaina fires on MauiThe episode closes with Norma leading a resonant breathing practice. You can learn more about Norma’s work right here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.