Author: TetsuGen KeiDo

We hope the changing of year for the solar calendar has been one of joy, good health and a calm core of equanimity.

It is back to our usual Saturday programs where the speaker is Rev. Myo Lahey, our Abbot on Saturdays unless otherwise communicated by a guest or the other resident priest. If you’re feeling a little less centered, miss community, have a new years resolution to take better care of your body-heart-mind we encourage you to join us!

This Saturday lands on the monthly Rev. Issan Dorsey (our founder) memorial to thank him for his life work and putting into motion the HSZC/Issan-ji temple we still enjoy and are grateful for today.

Join us for zazen (seated meditation) at 9:30am, with the Dharma talk to follow at 10:30. We offer in-person distanced attendance, and we also will continue to offer a Zoom web conferencing for video and/or audio presence for the scheduled events. There’s an earlier sitting at 6:30am, in addition to the later one at 9:30am (you can log into the conference starting at 9am to socialize). A period of zazen is typically 40 minutes, and it’s ok to adjust your sitting posture as needed. The Dharma talk includes time for questions and answers, occasionally followed by a particular ceremony such as the celebration of Buddha’s Birthday. We enjoy tea and cookies together afterwards. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering 

And as always you can contact us to arrange an introductory session ~8:45am if you are a beginner.

As a reminder any week you do not see a speaker announced it is our Abbot, Rev. Myo Lahey.

We celebrated Bodhi day with the usual ceremony as part of the retreat last weekend and hope all enjoyed that holiday time frame.

And now living here in the USA there are multiple religious and secular united states’ holidays coming and thus some closures for Issan-Ji, HSZC.

We will be closed:
December 23-26, 2023
January 1, 2024

In addition we are told Meditation in Recovery groups:
will keep its schedule except Dec 25, 2023 and Jan 1, 2024 will be zoom only.

Photos of 2023 Winter Light Retreat attendees plus Donna on Zoom! A deep thank you to all for keeping the heart beating in this ancient and beneficial way for you and for the world and for Issan-ji, HSZC.

Thank you for guiding us as always Rev. Myo; Daiko Tanzen, David for the nourishment; Shuji, Shindo and Keido for running “stuff” under Myo’s skilled direction; Jim H. for traveling and staying the night. And all others who lent a hand in tasks and encourage us all with your presence.

We look forward to see you all again soon and encourage all to join for those who want to pursue this life of and in, peace and equanimity.

And a blurry one to try and catch the photographer… :-\

We look forward to you joining and have a nice signed up in-person number of attendees too. Below are the details:

Schedule here

Friday Night Zoom here

Saturday Zoom here (same as usual Saturday link)

Chant book from past years’ retreats here

Steven Tierney (Kai Po Koshin) is a Dharma transmitted teacher in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi. Steven practices with: Meditation in Recovery, Great Spirit, SFLGBTQA, and Dragons Leap Sanghas in addition to the Harford Street Zen Center. Steven believes that we can find wisdom, compassion and awakening wherever good people come together for practice, healing, service and joy. Tierney is a psychotherapist in private practice and Professor Emeritus in Counseling Psychology at CIIS.

We hope you can join us!

Join us for zazen (seated meditation) at 9:30am, with the Dharma talk to follow at 10:30. We offer in-person distanced attendance, and we also will continue to offer a Zoom web conferencing for video and/or audio presence for the scheduled events. There’s an earlier sitting at 6:30am, in addition to the later one at 9:30am (you can log into the conference starting at 9am to socialize). A period of zazen is typically 40 minutes, and it’s ok to adjust your sitting posture as needed. The Dharma talk includes time for questions and answers, occasionally followed by a particular ceremony such as the celebration of Buddha’s Birthday. We enjoy tea and cookies together afterwards. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering 

And as always you can contact us to arrange an introductory session ~8:45am if you are a beginner.

As a reminder any week you do not see a speaker announced it is our Abbot, Rev. Myo Lahey.

Save the date – Arrange the time off from daily home, work and market life:
For the 2023 year, we offer an evening and the bulk of the following day.

We will have zoom presence. We are finalizing the schedule and offerings that will be included. We will communicate more details and your options and ways to join in the weeks ahead.

We hope you will join us for this rare annual event and deepening practice opportunity.

Stay tuned in email for another announcement in a few weeks and on hszc.org or our facebook page for more info. 

Suggested Attendance is $30 per day – or – an amount of your own choosing, or you can afford . 

Rev. Daigan Gaither began Buddhist practice in 1995 in the Vipassana (Insight) tradition, and then began to study Zen in 2003 with Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi. He received Lay Ordination in 2006 where he was given the name Daigan or “Great Vow”, and received Priest Ordination in July 2011. Daigan speaks internationally on a variety of topics particularly around gender, sexuality, social justice and their intersections with the Dharma.

He has a BA in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Buddhist Studies from the Graduate Theological Union and the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Join us for zazen (seated meditation) at 6:30am and/or 9:30am, with the Dharma talk to follow at 10:30. We offer in-person distanced attendance, and we also will continue to offer a Zoom web conferencing for video and/or audio presence for the scheduled events.

A period of zazen is typically 40 minutes, and it’s ok to adjust your sitting posture as needed. The Dharma talk includes time for questions and answers, occasionally followed by a particular ceremony such as the celebration of Buddha’s Birthday. We enjoy tea and cookies together afterwards. . Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering 

And as always, you can contact us to arrange an introductory session ~8:45am if you are a beginner. As a reminder any week you do not see a speaker announced it is our Abbot, Rev. Myo Lahey.