
Sessei Meg McNeil currently serves as head of practice (tanto) at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. She has practiced Soto Zen for 35 years and has lived at all three San Francisco Zen Center temples. From 2022 to 2025, she served as Head Priest at Stone Creek Zen Center in Sebastopol, California, before returning to Green Gulch Farm and Tassajara to continue living and practicing there. She received Zen priest ordination in 2003 from Tenshin Reb Anderson and completed Shuso (Head Student) training in 2007.
In addition to her Zen path, Meg has built a professional career teaching mindfulness-based emotional intelligence and leadership through the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI). She also works as an executive coach, supporting leaders in their growth. Her academic background includes an AB in English Literature from Stanford University and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin.
Her wider interests include ecodharma and examining how Buddhist teachings and practice can help people navigate the growing influence of AI with greater awareness.