Since 1988, Misha Shungen Merrill has been a Zen teacher in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi of the San Francisco Zen Center, having received Dharma Transmission from Suzuki’s disciple, Les Kaye. Since 1993, Misha has been the guiding teacher of Zen Heart Sangha on the Peninsula. In 2025, Misha received transmission in the Kobun Chino Otogawa lineage through Shoho Michael Newhall Roshi and Sensei Nenzen Pamela Brown. Misha now carries an additional dharma name, Kōun, in our Phoenix Cloud family. Misha taught young children at Peninsula School of Menlo Park for 33 years and is now retired and teaching Zen full-time. She lives in the hills above Stanford with her husband and dog, joyfully cultivating a large garden.