Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Vanessa Zuisei Goddard is the Guiding Teacher for Ocean Mind Sangha, a virtual community of Zen practitioners, and the author of Still Running: The Art of Meditation in Motion and the children's book Weather Any Storm. She is based in Panama City, Panama.

Featured Articles

TeachingsMagazine | Teachings

The Five Skandhas: Sensation

Vedana, the second skandha (“aggregate”), is translated as “sensation” or “feeling tone.” According to Buddhist philosophy, all sensations fall into one of three categories—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—and are the product of the contact between our sense…

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Spring 2026

Teachings

Tried and True Ground

Where to find the courage to embrace the unknown

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Jan 22, 2026

five skandhas illustration by Mike Haddad

TeachingsMagazine | Teachings

The Five Skandhas: Form

Printable aids for the pillars of Buddhist practice

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Winter 2025

Latest Articles

TeachingsMagazine | Teachings, The Eight Worldly Winds

The Eight Worldly Winds: Pleasure and Pain

Printable aids for the pillars of Buddhist practice

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Fall 2025

Rows of small bowls filled with water with fresh marigold flowers floating in them

Teachings

The Five Opponent Powers

The guiding teacher of Ocean Mind Sangha on the Buddhist factors that make up repentance and atonement

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Jul 10, 2025

TeachingsMagazine | Teachings, The Eight Worldly Winds

The Eight Worldly Winds: Praise and Blame

Printable aids for the pillars of Buddhist practice

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Summer 2025

TeachingsMagazine | Teachings, The Eight Worldly Winds

The Eight Worldly Winds: Fame and Disrepute

Printable aids for the pillars of Buddhist practice

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Spring 2025

Teachings

The Gift of Contemplation

If we use up our energy to resist our circumstances, we won’t be able to dedicate it to the work of true transformation.

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Jan 25, 2025

Teachings

Switching Off Unskillful Thoughts

Techniques for identifying and freeing ourselves from unwholesome thoughts the moment they arise.

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Jan 08, 2025

Podcasts

Aug 04, 2021 Tricycle Talks — Episode #62

Inside Tricycle’s Fall 2021 Issue

With Jordan Quaglia, Vanessa Zuisei Goddard, and Ira Helderman

In this episode of Tricycle Talks, editor-in-chief James Shaheen is joined by three contributors—Jordan Quaglia, Vanessa Zuisei Goddard, and Ira Helderman—to take a closer look at our Fall 2021 issue.

Listen Now on Tricycle | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Dharma Talks

Dharma TalksTeachings

Right Relationship as the Ninth Factor of the Path

All of life is made up of relationships, so how do we relate more skillfully to ourselves and to others? In this talk, lay Zen teacher Zuisei Goddard draws upon the Buddhist teachings to illuminate the…

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

Feb 2026

Dharma Talks

The Four Immeasurables: A Science of Compassion

In this series, Vanessa Zuisei Goddard speaks of the four immeasurables as a “science of compassion,” showing the incredible power loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity have to transform our relationships with others.

By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard

May 2020