Jacques-Pierre Cole

Jacques-Pierre Cole (he/him): Mindfulness Instructor - Zen Master & Bon Buddhist Monk

Jacques-Pierre Cole (JPC) is an ordained Zen Master and Bon Buddhist monk. As a child, Jacques-Pierre experienced abuse and trauma. He was diagnosed with bipolar depression and ADHD when he was a pre-teen. By his mid-20s, he had attempted suicide seven times. Through his abuse and trauma, Jacques-Pierre has always felt a calling to be in service. He served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. National Guard, was a police officer protecting the at-risk neighborhood that he grew up in, and he built non-profits for those struggling with acute life crises and mental illness. Determined to find a way to manage his emotions and bipolar disorder, he studied numerous religious and spiritual practices. In 2000, he met a Bon Buddhist monk who became his mentor and teacher. By practicing daily mindfulness and meditation, Jacques-Pierre was able to improve his mental health and stop taking medication by 2010. In 2012, he became an ordained Bon Buddhist monk.

As part of his spiritual journey, Jacques-Pierre lived a monastic life in a Tibetan temple in Thailand. He let go of attachments and practiced humility, silence, and obedience to Buddhist teachings. Through his experience he discovered that he preferred to live amongst those he was impacting, rather than being secluded and committed to one temple. For Jacques-Pierre, his chosen ‘temple’ is wherever he is. He returned to the U.S. and established a contributing life in communities most meaningful to him.

Jacques-Pierre has been invited to teach and guest speak at temples, schools, companies, and retreats including: Salt Lake Buddhist Temple, Kansas City Buddhist Temple, Chicago Buddhist Temple, Zen Temple of Minnesota, Grossmont College, National University of Nursing, Tarkett Engineering Group, Rancho La Puerta, Made for Joy, TEDx San Diego, lululemon, and more.

He has spoken on the following topics:
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Self-care, well-being, and wellness
- Mental health, stress, and suicide prevention
- Inquisitive inquiry
- Qigong
- Tai Chi
- Conflict resolution

Jacques-Pierre seeks to inspire others to discover their way for managing their mental well-being, and to enable them to cultivate their path forward. To learn more about Jacques-Pierre Cole:
TEDx San Diego 2022 (opening speaker): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbag_L5S5ug
Instagram: @roguezenmonk
Podcast: imperfectmonk
Book: Seven Attempts 17,000 Thoughts (on amazon.com and amazon.ca)