 She and Lou were both ordained as priests by Zentatsu Richard Baker in 1977, and Blanche was given the Buddhist name Zenkei (meaning "inconceivable joy").In 1988 she received shiho from Sojun Mel Weitsman, and in 1996 she became installed as co-abbess of the San Francisco Zen Center.This was the first female abbess of the City Center, having served just after Tenshin Reb Anderson and Sojun Mel Weitsman.