Stef Lauwers (b. 1964) studied religious studies and cultural anthropology and practiced aikido for many years. Both paths brought him into contact with Zen. After a short while with different groups, he became a student of Ama Samy in 1999. In 2011 he came to Noorderpoort on the recommendation of partner Ciska Matthes, and in 2013 he did Jukai with Jiun Hogen Roshi. In May 2024, Jiun roshi ordained him as a teacher with the name Hosan (Dharma Mountain).

In his professional life, he alternated jobs in higher education with spiritual care. For example, he was a PD teacher of philosophy of life/spiritual streams for many years and taught at the Buddhist ministerial school at the Free University in Amsterdam. As a spiritual caregiver he worked with (young) people with dementia and also for some years with prisoners. After training as a mindfulness trainer, he wanted to know more about yoga and in 2020 he did the hatha/vinyasa teacher training in Rishikesh, India. He currently works as a spiritual caregiver in a number of nursing homes in Amstelveen.

At Noorder Poort, he guides the Zen & yoga retreats together with Ciska Hosen.

In “Het oog van de orkaan,” their meditation center in Amsterdam, he teaches meditation and yoga together with Ciska Hosen. More info (in Dutch) on Stef at hetoogvandeorkaan.nl/stef-lauwers/.