Reverend Gregory Charter is the minister of Enlightened Life Fellowship Church in Colorado Springs, CO. He began practicing Zen at the age of seven, building a lifelong foundation of discipline, insight, and presence that continues to shape his lessons today.
In 2013, alongside his teacher Sensei Joél S. Diehl, Reverend Charter co-founded Enlightened Life Fellowship and was ordained as the first minister in its new American lineage. His ordination marked the birth of a new tradition, rooted in spiritual courage, creative expression, and radical presence.
In 2020, Reverend Charter formally assumed leadership of the Fellowship, guiding its community into a new era of practice and growth. Under his direction, Enlightened Life Fellowship has matured into a modern Zen lineage that honors tradition while fully engaging with the challenges of contemporary life.
Reverend Charter’s vision, known as Applied Zen, integrates timeless wisdom with lived, practical application. Drawing upon philosophy, science, technology and pop culture, he has shaped Enlightened Life Fellowship into a space where authentic practice meets the realities of modern existence. His leadership continues to inspire students to embrace imperfection, cultivate resilience, and awaken to the immediacy of life itself.
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