Personal Support for Your Practice

The Way Teaching Assistants

Study with Henry’s Teaching Assistants

Sometimes our practice needs a helping hand that only a qualified teacher can provide. A niggling doubt, a question that keeps resurfacing, or even a deep experience that might need some decoding.

You can now join two of Henry’s Teaching Assistants, Luke and Shana, in small group sessions or in individual 1-1 sessions.

Both Luke and Shana have trained with Henry for many years, and taught alongside him at past The Way retreats. They are both deeply familiar with the pedagogy of The Way, awakening practice, and 1-1 training.

Luke Wientzen and Shana Smith teaching a small group meditation session

Small Group Sessions

Small group sessions are live online meetings for teaching and discussion, hosted by both Luke and Shana together.

They typically take the form of a short grounding sit to begin, followed by prompted and facilitated discussion, with lots of time for specific Q&A from students.

A session lasts 60 minutes, and occurs every month.

Each session is separately bookable, so you can drop in whenever you feel like it.

Spaces are limited to 20 people per session.

1-1 sessions

1-1 sessions are live online meetings just between a single student and teacher. They are flexible and can be adapted to what would be most helpful for your practice.

Students typically come with questions for discussion (which can also be sent in advance, after booking). The TA can provide guidance, prompts and reflections to take away into your practice.

Sessions can be either 20 minutes or 45 minutes in duration.

Luke Wientzen, Henry Shukman, and Shana Smith
Luke Wientzen

Luke Wientzen

Luke Wientzen is a guide, educator, and lifelong student of clear, deep heart mind. He has been a student of Zen under Henry’s guidance for the last dozen years. He has also trained across a broad range of postural movement, energy practice, martial art, and breath intervention applications and approaches. All of these weave together to support individuals in deepening practice both on their cushion and within the worlds of their relationships.

Shana Smith

Shana Smith is an Assistant Teacher with Sanbo Zen, the local teacher for Florida Sanbo Zen, a writer, musician, and  yoga/qigong teacher. She has been a yogi since 1992, which led her to a regular daily meditation practice. In 2007, she took refuge in the Sanbo Zen Lineage, where she met and began studying with Henry Shukman. Over the years, she has found a tremendous synergy between Yoga and Zen, and integrates the two in her daily, committed practice. Zen consistently informs, sustains, and inspires her life as a parent, writer, musician, teacher, and lifelong student. 
Shana Smith
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