Wisdom Studies,
Issues of Our Time,
Counseling, and
Improvisational Music.
John Genyo Sprague, M.A.
About John
John Genyo Sprague, M.A. has lived in western Massachusetts most of his life, working primarily as a musician, raising and home-schooling two sons, and simultaneously pursuing the study of contemplative philosophy and spiritual practice in several different traditions.
Born John L. Sprague Jr, he first studied Christian theology as a youth at an Episcopal church in Holden MA. Later he began studying philosophy and Buddhism at Amherst College, including courses in Indo-Tibetan Buddhist studies, and the “poetry of enlightenment” with renowned Buddhist scholar, Robert Thurman. Since then he has continued to explore global philosophy and enlightenment traditions, reading extensively, attending retreats, and receiving instruction and empowerments from a number of extraordinary teachers in Tibetan Buddhism, Hindu tantra, Sufism, Jewish mysticism, Taoism, Thai Buddhism, and Zen Buddhist traditions. For many years, he focused on the Dzogchen teachings of Tibet, receiving teachings and initiations from several masters including Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Tenzin Wangal, Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, and H.H. Jigme Punstok.
Over the past six years, he has studied Zen with Roshi Eve Marko at the Montague Farm Zendo (now known as the Green River Zen Center), where he received his dharma name, Genyo. He is a senior Zen practitioner, instructor, and Preceptor at the zendo. For his multi-faith studies and teaching, Roshi Bernie Glassman, the founder of Zen Peacemakers, empowered John as Dharma Holder in the multi-faith lineage of the Zen Peacemakers, which was jointly founded by Roshi Bernie and Lex Hixon, the great multi-faith practitioner. John teaches classes in world religions, philosophy, and self-awareness practices to both teenagers and adults. He is currently developing a training program, called Global Dharma, which he is launching in rhythm with GenyoOnline. He also works as a spiritual counselor, meditation instructor, and an interfaith minister, performing wedding ceremonies and memorial services, and offering relationship mediation , and coaching.
John received his M.A. from Vermont College, where he pursued an interdisciplinary program in creativity studies and comparative world religions – exploring the nature of inspiration for both artists and mystics. For the culmination of that program, he wrote and then self-published a book-length work entitled The Heart of Creation.
John spent twelve years in an in-depth study of the Chinese classic, Tao Te Ching, which culminated with the publishing of a new translation and commentary under the title, The Power of the Way.
As a musician, John work extensively with dancers, as a staff accompanist at the Five College Dance Department, and at concerts and dance jams all over the New England region and beyond. He teaches a popular workshop called The Moving Village, which he has offered every summer at Dance New England summer camp for 20 years. He offers private coaching, as well as workshops, in creativity and improvisation in both music and movement. He has released four CDs of improvisational music, especially for movement and contemplation, one of which was nominated by JPFolks for best instrumental album of the year. He has either performed or been a guest teacher at Smith College, Amherst College, Dance New England, Clark University, Hampshire College, Earthdance retreat center, Harvard University, the Cambridge Dance Complex, UMass Amherst, Northern California Dance Collective, Mt. Holyoke College, and Williams College.
John's community activities, in his youth included an effort to support Lakota Elders on the Pine Ridge reservation, and being an early proponent of the homebirth movement in his home region. John was phone counselor and vice-president of the Birthing Network for several years in the 80's and 90's. Currently through the Montague Farm Zen Community he offers meditation instruction and precepts study, and has provided free counseling services at a weekly community gathering called the Montague Farm Cafe. For many years he has worked with teenage homeschoolers at North Star: Self-Directed Learning for Teens, first as a volunteer teacher and board member, and now as part of the core staff.