Rev. Patricia Dai-En Bennage found A Manual of Zen by D. T. Suzuki in 1958 and has been a student of Buddhism ever since. A resident of Japan for 23 years, she first trained with the Rinzai Master, Omori Sogen Roshi. She later received Soto Zen priest precepts and trained at the Women's Soto Zen Monastery in Nagoya, Japan, receiving Transmission and Zuise, then going on to senior most training in the Shike or Roshi program, with certification in 1990. Immediately after, she practiced with the Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh in France, later receiving the 14 Precepts of the Order of Interbeing. She is the translator of Abbess Shundo Aoyama Roshi's book Zen Seeds, and interpreted for her for the East-West Spiritual Exchanges between European Catholic monks and nuns who practice zazen, and Japanese Zen monastics. While in Japan, she assisted in leading zazen at Kasamatsu Women's Prison and also led zazen at several U. S. federal prisons in her area, precepting six inmates. After leading zazen at Bucknell University for a dozen years, MEZ students are now asked to deepen their practice by leading in her place. On May 21st and 22nd, 2005, ceremonies were held at the temple, attended by 36 Soto Zen priests from Japan, Europe and the U.S., assisting in the installing of Rev. Bennage as abbess of Mt. Equity Zendo, Jihoji.