Steven Tierney (Kai Po Koshin) is a Dharma transmitted teacher in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi. Steven is the guiding teacher at Oceans Compassion Zen Community, Meditation in Recovery Sangha at SFZC and the SFLGBTQA+ Sangha. He also practices with Hartford Street Zen Center and Great Spirit Sangha, and Sellwood Soto Zen.  Steven believes that we can find wisdom, compassion and awakening wherever good people come together for practice, healing, service and joy.

Dr. Tierney is a psychotherapist in private practice and Professor Emeritus in Counseling Psychology at CIIS. He has been integrating meditation, mindfulness, and breath-based wellness initiatives since 1995.  For further information: steventierneysf@gmail.com

Join us Saturdays 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). 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.

By Shikan Max Irukara

summer springs like flowers pushing up amongst the dirt
sunny days come raining down adrift a sea of clouds
wo weilest du?

please have a safe and enjoyable July 4th Independence day. In honor of this national holiday we will be closed Friday and Saturday for rest and recognition.

We wanted to once again say the history of the LGBTQ+ community is at the core of Issan-ji Temple/HSZC it was what founded our temple, then Maitri Hospice and is deeply woven into the majority of the lives of those who have practiced here, lead, passed into the beyond inside our walls, cared for the community and is not an identity or aspect of us, but our full lives. We are among the first and very few spaces that have been a beacon of light in the darkness of times when rights and equal treatment was a dream, when it in many ways rights and equal treatment was realized and continues as we press forward to preserve and expand it. Our end need is that of equal lives and societal treatment and religiously viewed healthy and legitimate full adult lives and nothing less.

As we carry our flag forward even as its design sometimes evolves we want remind all: that love is at the source of our fight, our needs, what we celebrate and reflect on as we press forward our born right to be the same value as all other human beings on this planet. The LGBTQ+ people including the beautiful broad spectrum of gender expression has always been and always will be part of the human story.

We all know our love and support of each other will as always win any biases or hate in the end.

Please have a very joyous, safe and love filled SF Pride Weekend (San Francisco timing of pride events) and we continue to look forward to seeing you here in the community finding the core of our being encompassed and permeated with boundless light… which is love.

With special intentions of love, peace and harmony for all beings on this planet in a time still where globally LGBTQ+ peoples are not still yet equal citizens and are treated with negativity, hate and delusion. Hatred due to misguided societies who often misquote or add intolerance to their religious teachings, to minimize or hurt healthy fully perfected individuals out of lack of education and exposure to the beauty of diverse people.

Wishes hopes and action for a day where we have a fully enlightened world where we all respect and care for one another as part of our same human family.

Issan-ji temple was founded to support and still primary attended and funded by the LGBTQ+ community and supports and invites all beings, but we as always and as founded for, will always exist to ensure this community has access and invitation to the Buddha Way through Soto Zen’s path; in a neighborhood that formed and still stands for love in an equal and legitimate way.

For Issan-ji temple, Hartford Street Zen Center this is a very special time of year. The last weekend of the month as always is a very celebratory and busy time in downtown San Francisco with Parades and a fair/festival environment both weekend day.

Steven Tierney (Kai Po Koshin) is a Dharma transmitted teacher in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi. Steven is the guiding teacher at Oceans Compassion Zen Community, Meditation in Recovery Sangha at SFZC and the SFLGBTQA+ Sangha. He also practices with Hartford Street Zen Center and Great Spirit Sangha, and Sellwood Soto Zen.  Steven believes that we can find wisdom, compassion and awakening wherever good people come together for practice, healing, service and joy.

Dr. Tierney is a psychotherapist in private practice and Professor Emeritus in Counseling Psychology at CIIS. He has been integrating meditation, mindfulness, and breath-based wellness initiatives since 1995.  For further information: steventierneysf@gmail.com

Join us Saturdays 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). 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.

Please join our community of support for recognition of Siddhārtha Gautama, Shakyamuni Buddha’s 2588th birthday!   “I am chief of the world, Eldest am I in the world, Foremost am I in the world This is the last birth. There is now no more coming to be.” We wanted to remind and encourage the usual sitting meditation and walking periods on Saturday to begin at 6:30am on Saturday and include Kinhin (walking mediation) rounds up uto the more heavily attended Saturday routine – remember the sangha (community) jewel is a vital part of our Zen practice and best way to celebrate the buddha’s birth!   Join us Saturdays for zazen (seated meditation) and Kinhin rounds at 6:30am, and our usual schedule 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, Kinhin about 10 minutes each 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.