Andy Ryūshin Santanello

Andy Ryūshin Hogū Santanello Sensei is a teacher and novice priest (unsui) in the White Plum Asanga. He first became interested in Buddhist practice as a teenager when a high school teacher introduced him to the First Noble Truth: Life is suffering. As a Junior in college (2000), he started a meditation practice and attended his first sesshin with Roshi Robert Kennedy. He experimented with various forms of meditation over the years, including Tibetan practice and secular meditation practices such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction before finding his way back to Zen. Prior to joining Clare Sangha in 2013, he practiced with the Howard County Dharma Group, attended several sesshin with Roshi Robert Jinsen Kennedy. Ryūshin shares the role of Practice Leader with Seichō Sensei and served on the ZCB/Clare Sangha board of directors from 2018-2023. He received the precepts in 2016 and was given the dharma name Ryūshin (“Dragon Heart/Mind”). Roshi Blackman named Ryūshin a Hoshi (dharma holder) in 2018. In March 2022, Ryūshin received Denbō (dharma transmission) from his current teacher, Sensei Tony Hoetsu Falcone. In February 2025, Ryūshin was ordained (shukke tokudo) by his Dharma brother, Seichō Sensei Oshō, and received the monk name, Hogū (“Treasured Fool”). He continues his Zen study with Hoetsu Sensei and priest training with Seichō Sensei Oshō. Ryūshin is a licensed clinical psychologist in Maryland and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy trainer through the ACT Academy.

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