Taishin started practicing Zen with the Santa Barbara Zen Group in 2012. He received the Bodhisattva precepts during a Jukai ceremony in 2015 at the Santa Barbara Zen Center, and again during a Shukke Tokudo ceremony in 2023 at O-An Zendo. He is a student of Ōshin Jennings, Sensei, as well as Ōshin Sensei’s Jisha.

Taishin studies Nyoho-e style sewing in the tradition of Tomoe Katagiri; organizes and leads a Recovery Dharma meeting to support those in recovery from addictions of all kinds; and writes about the Dharma, recovery, and the intersection of the two for his Substack, “A Phoenix’s Hut.” Prior to training and serving as a Zen Priest, he earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara, then taught at Purdue and Penn State.

In January 2026, Taishin entered residency at Jikoji Zen Center, where he currently serves as Ino (Temple Manager).