Just a reminder that the Hartford Street Zen Center is always closed on national holidays. Thus, we will be closed all day Monday, 19 January, in observance of the memorial day for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The normal schedule resumes with 6 a.m. zazen (seated meditation) Tuesday, 20 January.
2015-04 Rev Konin Cardenas
2001-3-15 Ottmar Engel Dharma Talk
1998-08-28 Shunko Dharma Talk
Jan 17, Saturday – Guest Speaker Kogen Seido Jamie Howell @ 10:15am
Please join us this upcoming Saturday for guest speaker Kogen Seido Jamie Howell (Wild, Untamed Source – Sincere Way) who began his Zen practice with Joshu Sasaki Roshi in 1979 at the Mount Baldy Zen Center.
In 1983, when he was living in San Francisco and his eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, Jamie began to study with Michael Wenger at the San Francisco Zen Center. He spent the next 28 years raising four children with his wife, working in the music business and later the real estate business while dedicating himself to Zen practice. He now has three grandchildren.
Jamie was a soccer player and coach for over 40 years and still competes in triathlons with the Golden Gate Triathlon Team. He road managed Hot Tuna and Natalie Cole, was the sales manager of Hill and Company, and currently works with his partner Luba Muzichenko at Zephyr Real Estate.
It took Jamie almost 17 years to sew his first rakusu; he received the precepts in a jukai ceremony in 2000. He was chairman of the board of San Francisco Zen Center in 2004 and 2005, and was shuso at City Center in 2006. In 2011, Jamie received lay Dharma Entrustment from Dairyu Michael Wenger.
Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a Dharma talk at 10:15 am (followed by ceremony if applicable) and then socializing, tea and cookies.
1997-12-12 Rev Steve Allen Dharma talk
Study Hour — RETURNS! — Jan 8th!
After several weeks off, Thursdays @7:30pm, we are back on schedule to study the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, also called Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra. There are multiple translations, we focus on the Dr Robert Thurman version, but welcome any version to compare the translations.
We can share books for anyone who wants to join in, or feel free to purchase a copy and join us (many are very low cost online).
Check our twitter page for any changes in schedule.
Saturday Jan 3rd, Full Moon Ceremony!
Join us Saturday for the Full Moon Ceremony!
The Full Moon Ceremony is at around 11:00am — The ceremony takes about a half-hour and involves some thirty full prostrations, but simple standing bows are also all right if prostrations are too strenuous. All are welcome to join in this ceremony/celebration. 
This month according to the Farmer’s Almanac it’s the Full wolf, old, snow, or after yule Moon. Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Thus, the name for January’s full Moon. Sometimes it was also referred to as the Old Moon, or the Moon After Yule. Some called it the Full Snow Moon, but most tribes applied that name to the next Moon.
The ceremony will begin around 11am roughly after the Dharma Talk. Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by a ceremony if applicable, then tea and cookies with socializing. Please know you are welcome and invited!