Kyogen studied mechanical engineering and then worked mainly in technology. After realising around the age of 21 that “things had to change”, he also worked for a while at the macrobiotic shop Manna and the related Kushi Institute.
In 1994, he did a dai-sesshin at Tiltenberg, where many different Zen teachers came to teach at the time, and met a Zen master there for the first time. He knew then: ‘I really have to do something with this.’
Life went on as usual until 2015, when he did his second dai-sesshin at the Noorder Poort, led by Jiun Roshi. That’s when he really changed course: he came to live at the Noorder Poort and was ordained as an unsui.
Since 2022, he has been introducing small groups of people to Zen meditation in Oldemarkt from time to time.
In 2025, he was appointed Zen teacher by Jiun Roshi.
I consider practice and discipline to be very important, always continuing, sometimes a little slower, sometimes standing still, but then continuing again. Continuing on the path that you know deep down is the right path.