Category: Dharma Talks

Posted on

7 October – Rev. Daiko Tanzen, David Bullock

Join us Saturday for  a talk at 10:30am offered by  Rev. Daiko Tanzen, David Bullock; one of our current connection to the early days of Hartford Street’s Zen Center founding, the garden’s long term friend, current Board President and many other capacities past and present of HSZC (as well as the past Maitri); and he was ordained by the temple’s founder – Rev. Issan Dorsey. In addition we will conduct our brief monthly founder’s memorial for Rev. Issan Dorsey.

We will thank our dear founder of our temple, little zen community start and our space; also remember him for those who knew him after the talk on Saturday.

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.

Posted on

Guest Speaker: Sat. 4/1 – Rev. Sozan, Michael McCord

Sozan Michael McCord has lived and worked at San Francisco Zen Center since 2009, and served as Ino (Head of Meditation Hall) and Tenzo (Head Cook) at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He was ordained as a Zen priest by Ryushin Paul Haller in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki in 2014.

Michael holds a BA in Theology from Ambassador University and worked as a volunteer for their non-profit Ambassador Foundation in Amman, Jordan, doing vocational training for mentally challenged individuals. He had careers in the technology and financial sectors before coming to Zen practice. He was Program Director of SFZC from 2016 to 2019 then the Director of SFZC, and now the CFO at City Center/Beginner’s Mind Temple.

Join us for zazen (seated meditation), with the talk to follow, we offer in-person distanced attendance; We also will continue to offer a Zoom web conferencing for video and/or audio presence for the scheduled events. there’s an early session at 6:30am and then the more popular 9:30 zazen (you can log into the conference starting at 9am to socialize) for 40 minutes and a Dharma talk at 10:30am, followed by Q&A as well as an opportunity to check in and see how you are doing, followed by a ceremony if applicable, then tea and cookies in person after that. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering 

And as always you can contact us to arrange an introductory session ~8:30am if you are a beginner.

Posted on

Guest Speaker: Sat. 22 October 2022– Rev. Fugan, Gene Bush

Fugan Eugene Bush began formal Zen practice in 1982 and received Dharma transmission from the late Rev. Katherine Thanas in 2010. Gene serves as one of the Practice Leaders of Santa Cruz Zen Center.

He also became a teacher for the Arcata Zen Group in 2013, with occasional forays to Hartford Street Zen Center and to Queer Dharma at San Francisco Zen Center.

Join us for zazen (seated meditation), with the talk to follow, we offer in-person distanced attendance; We also will continue to offer a Zoom web conferencing for video and/or audio presence for the scheduled events. 9:30 zazen (you can log into the conference starting at 9am to socialize) for 40 minutes and a Dharma talk at 10:30am, followed by Q&A as well as an opportunity to check in and see how you are doing and tea and cookies in person after that. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.

Posted on

Guest Speaker: Rev. Daigan Gaither – Sat. Sept 10, 2022

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), with the talk to follow, we offer in-person distanced attendance; We also will continue to offer a Zoom web conferencing for video and/or audio presence for the scheduled events. 9:30 zazen (you can log into the conference starting at 9am to socialize) for 40 minutes and a Dharma talk at 10:30am, followed by Q&A as well as an opportunity to check in and see how you are doing and tea and cookies in person after that. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.

Posted on

6 August -Talk by Rev. Daiko Tanzen & temple reopening to public

Join us Saturday for  a talk at 10:30am offered by  Rev. Daiko Tanzen, David Bullock; one of our current connection to the early days of Hartford Street’s Zen Center founding, the garden’s long term friend, current Board President and many other capacities past and present of HSZC (as well as the past Maitri); and he was ordained by the temple’s founder – Rev. Issan Dorsey.

Join us for zazen (seated meditation), with the talk to follow, we offer in-person distanced attendance now that the resident students and Priests are no longer with covid; We also will continue to offer a Zoom web conferencing for video and/or audio presence for the scheduled events. 9:30 zazen (you can log into the conference starting at 9am to socialize) for 40 minutes and a Dharma talk at 10:30am, followed by Q&A as well as an opportunity to check in and see how you are doing and tea and cookies in person after that. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.

Posted on

Guest Speaker (Zoom available): Sat. 5/21 –Rev. Hobu, Beata Chapman

Hobu Beata Chapman has practiced Zen with chronic nerve pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for 23 years. She studied with Katherine Thanas at Santa Cruz Zen Center and with Darlene Cohen until her untimely death, and received Dharma transmission from Tony Patchell in 2013. Beata also helped Hartford Street Zen Center with its’ council process for several years and is a great friend of Issan-ji Temple.

Beata continues the Suffering & Delight groups for people with chronic pain that Darlene founded around 15 years ago, and teaches an online S&D group she began for people not able to attend in person. For more information about Beata’s work with chronic pain, you can see sufferinganddelight.net. Beata is an organizational consultant currently doing corporate leadership training and assisting health care organizations to develop compliance systems. She recently started a zazen group in San Mateo (PenZen.net).

Saturday mornings we offer in-person distanced attendance and continued zoom alternative or for those far from the temple.

You are invited to join us in person or the Zoom meeting for meditation (zazen) any time starting at 9 a.m. for socializing and to check-in on how you are doing. Zazen begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Dharma talk at 10:30am am, followed by Q&A as well as an another opportunity to check in and see how you are doing and for those in person followed by treats and tea.

Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.

Posted on

16 April – guest speaker Rev. Ryuei, Michael McCormick

Please join us on the 16th of April, Saturday morning for a Dharma talk by Rev. Ryuei, Michael McCormick, who was ordained to the Nichiren-shū (Lotus Sutra School) ministry in 2001 by Rev. Ryusho Matsuda, of the San Jose Nichiren Temple.

Rev. McCormick is also a long-time practitioner of zazen (seated meditation) and a student of the writings of Dōgen-zenji.

Saturday mornings we offer in-person distanced attendance and continued zoom alternative or for those far from the temple.

You are invited to join us in person or the Zoom meeting for meditation (zazen) any time starting at 9 a.m. for socializing and to check-in on how you are doing. Zazen begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Dharma talk at 10:30am am, followed by Q&A as well as an another opportunity to check in and see how you are doing and for those in person followed by treats and tea.

Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.

Posted on

2 April – Guest Speaker Kokyo Henkel Dharma talk – 10:30am

Kokyo currently residing in Crestone, Colorado has served as Head Teacher at Santa Cruz Zen Center. He has been practicing zen since 1990 in residence at Tassajara, Green Gulch Farm, No Abode Hermitage in Mill Valley, and Bukkokuji Monastery in Japan. He was ordained a priest in 1994 by Tenshin Anderson Roshi and received Dharma Transmission from him in 2010.

th

Kokyo’s interests include looking at how the classic original teachings of Buddha-Dharma from ancient India, China, and Japan are still very much alive and useful in present-day America to bring peace and harmony to this troubled world.

You may join us in person or the Zoom meeting for meditation (zazen) any time starting at 9 a.m. for socializing and to check-in on how you are doing. Zazen begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Dharma talk at 10:30am am, followed by Q&A as well as an another opportunity to check in and see how you are doing and for those in person followed by treats and tea.

Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.