Dhammapada Talk Story:
Generational Resilience and Wellness

with Rev. Dr. Jason Storbakken

Tuesday, April 23, 2024
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.)

Honpa Hongwanji Hawai’i Betsuin
1727 Pali Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96813

(Note: Access to temple parking is from 1742 Lusitana St., not Pali Highway.)

FREE and open to the public!

Jason Storbakken, an interreligious scholar and spiritual practitioner, will share from his latest book Dhammapada: A Sacred Path toward Liberation from Harm Cycles.

In his Talk Story, Storbakken will draw from his recent work translating the Dhammapada, exploring the intersection of generational resilience, contemplative spirituality, and social justice.

We will also be joined by a panel of experts who will share from their experiences as trauma-informed spiritual practitioners and others engaged in the helping fields. Find short bios below.

About the Speaker

With a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Boston University, Jason Storbakken brings a wealth of wisdom and insight to his talk.

Currently serving as Senior Chaplain at The Bowery Mission and pastor at Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship (NYC), Jason’s dedication to spiritual growth and social justice shines through his teachings on trauma awareness, generational resilience, and interreligious engagement.

Alongside his wife Vonetta, he co-founded Brooklyn Peace Center, a community center dedicated to peacebuilding, and Radical Living, an environmental justice youth organization.

Respondents

Panel moderated by Haylin Dennison, founder and executive director of Spill The Tea Café, a mental health clinic for teens. She is also a licensed clinical therapist and confidential counselor with John A. Burns School of Medicine, UH Mānoa.

Anastasha Schielzeth, a counselor and practitioner in private practice.  Her approach centers on storytelling, expressive arts, and trauma & healing-informed care rooted in Aloha.

Laura Nohealani Emiko Toyofuku-Aki, who co-founded Project Koa Yoga to educate, train, and mentor a generation of resilience-centered wellness practitioners, supporting the reindigenization of the people, land, and culture that are Hawai’i.

Ryan Keali‘i Souza, ordained through the Science of Living School of Ministry and the Barbara King School of Ministry. He and Co-minister Rev. Johanna Kelly launched Hillside United Spiritual Center of Hawaii. Ryan hopes to help facilitate spiritual growth, connection and understanding within communities in Hawaii and throughout the world.

For more complete bios, please see the linked PDF document.

Bring your friends, family, and an open heart. Let’s gather for an evening of care and connection!