Category: News

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Last chance to give HSZC a little financial love (and get the 2015 tax benefit)

Dear Friend of Hartford Street Zen Center,

Someone once asked our founder, Issan Dorsey, what it was we were doing in starting a Zen Center at Hartford Street. He replied, “We’re establishing a Buddhist presence in the Castro.” At that time, the early eighties, when someone said the Castro, it was immediately assumed that one was referring to the*LGBTQQI&A community. I’m sure that this was true in great part in Issan’s statement, since he felt as a gay man a special ministry toward the gay community.photo (1) 2

Nowadays, even though the Castro may still be predominantly *LGBTQQI&A, the demographic is shifting. In regards to Buddhism this is beside the point. The Buddha Way is open to all who wish to explore this path that plumbs the depths of what it means to be truly human. So here at Hartford Street Zen Center we’re still working on establishing a Buddhist presence in the Castro, still trying to create a place where we and our neighbors can find out what Buddhist practice means in our lives. We’ve been doing this for almost thirty-five years.

This endeavor only continues because of your ongoing support, for which you will always have our gratitude. Over the years we have received both financial support and encouragement from people around the world. It warms my heart when I hear of the ways in which our effort has touched the lives of so many, particularly young LGBTQQI&A people, who may be struggling with their place in their family or community.

Your support not only assists us in maintaining a regular meditation schedule of morning and evening zazen, but also enables us to offer a weekly study hour as well as providing a meeting space for an HIV meditation group and three Meditation in Recovery groups. Please consider making a donation or becoming a member to help us continue to establish a Buddhist presence in the Castro.

In Peace,

Tanzen David Bullock,

President, Board of Directors

Hartford Street Zen Center

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Support HSZC while you shop

Perfect for this holiday season, and anytime you shop Amazon to also simultaneously donate to Hartford Street ZC!

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Correction! Full moon ceremony Tomorrow…

Our apologies to the moon and you! In noting the once a month names and history of the native names Unt222itledfor our full moon ceremony I mislabeled this month the Sturgeon or the green corn moon… That is incorrect and in late August! This Saturday is a second full Moon of July Celebration and something we use in a common phrase… “once in a ….”

Please join us for a renewal of Bodhisattva vows under the beloved BLUE MOON! A blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year, either the third of four full moons in a season or, a second full moon in a month of the common calendar.

The phrase has nothing to do with the actual color of the moon, although a literal “blue moon” (the moon appearing with a tinge of blue) may occur in certain atmospheric conditions; e.g., when there are volcanic eruptions or when exceptionally large fires leave particles in the atmosphere.

The original meaning would then have been “betrayer moon”, referring to a full moon that would “normally” (in years without an intercalary month) be the full moon of spring, while in an intercalary year, it was “traitorous” in the sense that people would have had to continue fasting for another month in accordance with the season of Lent.

It is our renewal of our Bodhisattva vows this upcoming Saturday morning after the Saturday Morning Dharma talk.

The ceremony takes about a half-hour and involves some thirty full prostrations, but simple standing bows are also all right if prostrations are too strenuous. All are welcome to join in this ceremony/celebration.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15am followed by ceremony when applicable and then right to social time, tea and cookies. Please join us as this only will occur once in a blue moon!