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Rev. Gozen Michael LaTorra is an ordained Zen Priest, Abbot of the Zen Center of Las Cruces / Daibutsuji Zen Temple. He began Zen practice as a disciple of Rev. Ken McGuire-roshi and was ordained by SoDaiho-roshi who has since left the Zen Center to establish his own Order. He is also an Associate Professor in the English Department of New Mexico State University, and the author of A Warrior Blends with Life: A Modern Tao (North Atlantic Books, 1993).

Rev. Ken McGuire was a disciple of Bishop Soyu Matsuoka-Roshi, who was a supervisor of Soto Zen activities in America and assigned here by Sojiji, the headquarters monastery in Japan. Rev. Ken McGuire was honored with the degree of Roshi. (Roshi is a Japanese word meaning venerable teacher or "old" teacher and is bestowed only on individuals after demonstrating deep understanding of Zen teaching).

Rev. McGuire-Roshi's Teacher was Dharma Master Rev. Dr. Soyu Matsuoka-Roshi, a Gondaikyoshi (Bishop) of the Soto Zen Sect, he served as superintendent and Abbot of the Long Beach Zen Buddhist Temple and Zen Center. The Temple was headquarters to Zen Centers in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Everett, Washington and Orange Country in California.

Rev. Dr. Soyu Matsuoka-Roshi was born in Japan into a family which has a history of Zen Priests dating back six hundred years in Yamaguchi Prefecture near Hiroshima. Matsuoka attended Komazawa University in Tokyo where he graduated with a bachelor's degree. He was sent to America to serve as a founder of Temples both in Los Angles and San Francisco. He furthered his extensive graduate work at Columbia University with Dr. D. T. Suzuki. He finally established the Temple at Long Beach in 1971 where he resided until his passing in 1998. Matsuoka-Roshi was a great dynamic influence in both America and Japan, lecturing and providing true Zen training to all people. He is registered in the book of national treasures of Japan.