Starting the week of June 18th, we will be observing a slightly reduced schedule, with open sitting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and only one period of zazen Tuesday and Thursday. Please check the daily schedule page for details.
Guest Speaker: Rev. Jokei Molly Delight Whitehead – Sat. June 2nd, 10:15am
Jokei Molly Delight Whitehead trained at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center before ordaining with Shohaku Okumura in 2011. She has edited several of Okumura Roshi’s books, most recently The Zen Teaching of Homeless Kodo. She’s currently working with Okumura Roshi on a translation/commentary on Dogen’s complete waka poems.
In the tradition of voluntary homelessness, Jokei Molly has been a citizen of about a dozen locales, including Boston, New York, Indiana, Maine, Tokyo, and now Oakland. She has worked variously as a financial analyst, newspaper editor, corporate communications writer, English teacher, and Sunday School teacher.
Jokei Molly enjoys sitting monthly sesshins in the “no toys” style of Kosho Uchiyama Roshi and recently contributed a chapter to the book Boundless Vows, Endless Practice, published last month by the Dogen Institute. She wholeheartedly welcomes visitors to her blog at polishingthemoon.com.
Zazen (meditation) instruction for beginners will be held at 8:30am, followed by a period of zazen at 9:25, the dharma talk at 10:15, and sangha tea time after that (around 11:00.) All are welcome for any or all of the morning program.
Interim Period: May 22nd – June 16th
We will be observing an interim period of a reduced schedule while Rev. David is away. This means that weekday morning zazen will be informal, so members of the public may still attend but only by prior arrangement (contact info here.) Our weekday evening and Saturday Sangha schedules will remain the same. Thank you 🙏
May 12, 2018 – Rev. Koshin Steven Tierney
Guest Speaker: Rev. Hokai Max Swanger – Sat. May 19, 10:15am
Rev. Hōkai was ordained as a priest last year at Issanji and currently works as a hospice chaplain in Palo Alto. He is a former resident of our temple as well as Green Gulch Farm and Tassajara, and has practiced Buddhism in various forms for more than 20 years.
Zazen (meditation) instruction for beginners will be held at 8:30am, followed by a period of zazen at 9:25, the dharma talk at 10:15, and sangha tea time after that (around 11:00.) All are welcome for any or all of the morning program.
Guest Speaker: Rev. Koshin Steven Tierney – Sat. May 12th, 10:15am
Koshin Steven Tierney, EdD, LPCC is Professor of Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. A licensed psychotherapist and certified addiction specialist, he is the co-founder of the San Francisco Mindfulness Foundation, creating and delivering therapy and services in the areas of recovery and life transitions. Steven has been studying and practicing Buddhism for more than 20 years. He was ordained by Dairyu Michael Wenger and served as shuso in 2013.
Zazen (meditation) instruction for beginners will be held at 8:30am, followed by a period of zazen at 9:25, the dharma talk at 10:15, and sangha tea time after that (around 11:00.) All are welcome for any or all of the morning program.
May 5, 2018 – Way-Seeking Mind Talk (Rev. Shuji Jeff Thomas)
Way-Seeking Mind Talk – Saturday, May 5th 10:15am
This Saturday’s dharma talk will be a Way-Seeking Mind talk given by one of the members of our community.
A Way-Seeking Mind talk is an opportunity for anyone in the sangha to tell their story of how their life led them to the Buddhist path, what practice has taught them, and how they experience the Dharma, in and open-ended format which is often relatable, funny, moving, and inspiring. Everyone, especially newcomers, are welcome to attend, and there will be tea and cookies after the talk as usual.