This Saturday, 21 January, the 10:30 a.m. Dharma talk will be given by Steven, our good friend and our Sangha facilitator. Steven is a psychotherapist in private practice, and a Dharma heir or Rev. Cynthia Kear, in addition to being a longtime leader in the Recovery community. As always there is zazen (seated meditation) at 06:30 and again from 09:30 to 10:10. Following the talk we’ll share tea and cookies, in the garden if the weather allows.

Stay warm everyone!

Rev. Heather Shoren Iarusso first moved to Tassajara in June 2008 thinking she’d stay for six months. Her spiritual sabbatical morphed into a way of life, residing amid the peace and beauty of the monastic valley for seven years aggregate. Heather was ordained as a Zen Priest in October 2015 by Teah Strozer, who served as the guiding teacher for Brooklyn Zen Center (BZC) for many years. Heather worked at BZC for two years as the Ino (Head of Meditation Hall), program director, communications coordinator, and the interim executive director.

Heather has served in various practice roles at Tassajara including the Ino, Tenzo (Head Cook), Shika (Guest Manager), and the Shuso (Head Student) with their Senior Dharma Teacher Paul Haller. She’s completed twelve, 90-day practice periods at Tassajara and has also participated in meditation intensives with Pema Chodron, Tenshin Reb Anderson Roshi, Shohaku Okumura Roshi, and Shodo Harada Roshi. Heather holds master’s degrees in communications, creative writing, and English literature.

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, followed by a ceremony if applicable, then tea and cookies in person after that. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.

Blessings of the Feast of the Enlightenment to all from the Issan-ji Resident Student, Clergy and Sangha!

Flexible to the winds of change the gentle reed or the sturdy oak tree sways in the direction of the winds force. And if they don’t… they break.

For the 2022 Winter Light Retreat our numbers were too low to produce and fill a full retreat this year. Please join us instead for a single full day sit including two meals. The schedule will begin at 6am and end at 6pm. Please join us!

Email: info@hszc.or or call – (415) 863-2507 for information or to take part.

Wishing you health & prosperity as we head to 2023. Please remember the little Castro temple, Issan-ji in your charitable donations, we rely on you for survival and to keep the dharma of HSZC alive.

We will be closed to the general public November 24 -26th

Please enjoy your holiday of gratitude 🙂

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).

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, followed by a ceremony if applicable, then tea and cookies in person after that. Please click here to be routed to our Zoom gathering.

Please join us Saturdays and we hope to see you often!

Recommendation One: Should the HSZC remain in operation as a property owing,
residential Zen center.

Consensus Yes

Recommendation Two: Are those present willing to step up and do additional work to
recruit and maintain a larger membership and to raise funds.

Yes = 0
Yes, qualified = 7
Not at this time = 2

Recommendation 3: Invest funds to hire a part-time project manager to develop and
operate an organizational structure which will support membership and fund
development activities by the members. With specific measurable goals, timelines and
responsible parties. Steven and Myo will draft a job description and budget for 3 and 6-
month versions of the project. Copy will be sent to the members present today, with a
short and specific window for feedback. A targeted fundraising appeal will be made to
support this part-time position.

Vote: Unanimous support

Recommendation 4: Jeff will spearhead a recruitment and Board development
effort to support current Board members and recruit new members with specific
interests and skills.

Vote: Unanimous support

Recommendation 5: That the Board visit and evaluate the current Mission statement
and enhance its relevance to practice in 2022 and forward.

Vote: Unanimous support

Recommendation 6: That the Board clarify the covid and related health policies for 57
Hartford Street and HSZC- related programs and activities regarding vaccines, masks
and related health and safety precautions.