13 September 10:15am – Guest Speaker, Kōnin Cardenas

ky19Please Join us this Saturday  for a Dharma talk offered by Kōnin Cardenas, titled Study of the self: the Big Picture

Kōnin is A nun ordained in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition who began practicing Zen in 1987 and was ordained in 2007, currently working as a Spiritual Care Counselor for Pathways Hospice in the East Bay area (near San Francisco), and the Dorm Manager for the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley. Also the leader of “Dharma en Español,” a Spanish-language Zen study group at San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) and co-chair of the SFZC Cultural Awareness and Inclusivity Committee and an amateur calligrapher and sumi-e painter, occasionally giving classes in sutra copying. During the past 10 years Kōnin has been primarily engaged in Buddhist monastic practice, inter-faith chaplaincy, non-profit development, and volunteer management. In previous roles she served as a finance professional, Kōnin was a Mortgage Banking Subject Matter Expert, educating residential lenders on reinsurance structures, and a Vice President at a boutique investment bank executing middle-market software mergers and acquisitions with an MBA from University of California, Berkeley and the mother of a wonderful 23-year-old woman.

Her long-term vision is to found a women’s residential center that integrates Buddhist study and zazen with community service and socially-engaged leadership training.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a Dharma talk at 10:15 am (followed by ceremony if applicable) and then socializing,  tea and cookies.

16 August, Guest Speaker Hobu, Beata Chapman & Sangha Council

Beata Chapman is a Zen priest and long-time student of the late Darlene Cohen, studied with the late Katherine Thanas at Santa Cruz Zen Center and at Russian River Zendo for 23 years, and was ordained in 2009. She recently received dharma transmission from Tony Patchell at Russian River Zendo in Guerneville, CA. 0Beata teaches meditation groups for people with chronic physical and emotional pain, and she leads Peninsula Zen, a meditation group in downtown San Mateo.

She also works with older adults and persons with disabilities and their families, guiding and helping them access resources.  And for the Hartford Street Zen Center Beata has been a vital guide and supporter as the facilitator of HSZC’s Sangha Council.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.

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This Saturday will also be the Sangha Council for HSZC at 12:30pm to 2:30pm, 16 August for 120 minutes (with a break included).

We’re  continuing this format that is flexible enough for a diversity of needs.  This session will be facilitated by Beata Chapman. She is knowledgeable about many aspects of zen communities.    The scaffold we’ll be working from is based on the Council process developed by the Ojai Foundation.

 

You do not need to have an ‘issue’ or overt concern to attend.  Council is sangha building, connection and healing.  All are welcome!

19 July Guest Speaker – Renshin Bunce!

Renshin Bunce was a resident of SF Zen Center from 2001 to 2008, first for three years at Tassajara and then for four more years at City Center. She has helped hundreds of students sew their rakusus in Untitledthe SFZC sewing room, where she currently leads a class with Tim Wicks every other Saturday afternoon.

She is a great caring support in the process of the sewing of Buddha’s robe (rakusu) and a tremendous good humor and a very warm heart. She is also known for her photographs, and her page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/renshin/ has been called “The Zen Center Yearbook.”

Ren made jukai with Myogen Steve Stücky in 1996, when he gave her the name Renshin Jiko (Lotus Heart/Mind, Boundless Compassion); was priest ordained with Zenkei Blanche Hartman in 2003; was Shuso with Myogen-roshi at Tassajara in 2008; and received Dharma Transmission from him in 2013. She lives on the Peninsula, where she works as a hospice chaplain.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a Dharma talk at 10:15 am (followed by ceremony if applicable) and then socializing,  tea and cookies.

 

Guest Speaker June 7, 2014 Kōnin Cardenas @ 10:15am

Please Join us this Saturday  for a Dharma talk offered by Kōnin Cardenas, a nun ordained in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition who began practicing Zen in 1987 and was ordained in 2007.k

Kōnin is currently working as a Spiritual Care Counselor for Pathways Hospice in the East Bay area (near San Francisco), and the Dorm Manager for the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley. Also the leader of “Dharma en Español,” a Spanish-language Zen study group at San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) and co-chair of the SFZC Cultural Awareness and Inclusivity Committee and an amateur calligrapher and sumi-e painter, occasionally giving classes in sutra copying. During the past 10 years Kōnin has been primarily engaged in Buddhist monastic practice, inter-faith chaplaincy, non-profit development, and volunteer management. In previous roles she served as a finance professional, Kōnin was a Mortgage Banking Subject Matter Expert, educating residential lenders on reinsurance structures, and a Vice President at a boutique investment bank executing middle-market software mergers and acquisitions with an MBA from University of California, Berkeley and the mother of a wonderful 23-year-old woman.

Her long-term vision is to found a women’s residential center that integrates Buddhist study and zazen with community service and socially-engaged leadership training.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a Dharma talk at 10:15 am (followed by ceremony if applicable) and then socializing,  tea and cookies.

22nd of March @10:15am – Guest Speaker Shokan, Jordan Thorn

Buddha-709119Please  join us this Saturday for a Dharma talk by Shokan Jordan Thorn. Jordan has been at SF Zen Center for 30 years. Ordained in 1977, later received Dharma Transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer, he lives at SFZC’s City Center. He came to SF Zen Center as a result of the beat poetry movement that was of interest to  several Zen students in it’s early years and met as he arrived his soon to be friend, Issan Dorsey upon his arrival. He has lived at all three SFZC practice centers, has served in a variety of roles on senior staff and as an Officer, and was susho (head student) at Tassajara. Recently he served as City Center Tanto (Head of Practice) and became SF Zen Center’s Treasurer/CFO in September 2011 (a role he held before) and he is the teacher of a few of the HSZC Sangha members.

Saturdays include the early morning sitting & service beginning at 6:30am, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We are offered a Dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies and socializing.

Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!

Sat, Mar. 8th; Guest Speaker – Jeffrey Schneider

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Jeffrey Schneider is a priest at SF Zen Center, where he has lived, worked and practiced since 1978. He has taught and led retreats at a number of Buddhist centers, including ones in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina. The founder of the SF Zen Center recovery programs, he is currently the Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator.

6 days a week we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, and Soji.

Saturdays include the early morning sitting, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We are offered a Dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies and socializing.

Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!

14 January – Guest Speaker Shosan Victoria Austin

fybPlease join us for Guest Speaker Shosan Victoria Austin. Shosan began practicing both Zen and yoga in 1971. In the Soto Zen tradition, she is entrusted as a Dharma heir in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki, an international priest of the Soto School, and a Dharma teacher at San Francisco Zen Center. She trained in the U.S., in India, and in Japan. In the Iyengar tradition, she is certified as an Intermediate teacher.

In addition to working with the yogic needs of meditation students around the country, in diverse settings including workplaces, institutions, and homes, Victoria teaches public yoga classes at San Francisco Zen Center and the Abode of Iyengar Yoga, ethics and teacher training at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco’s Teacher Training Program, and serves as an assessor of the next generation of Iyengar yoga teachers.

She trains regularly with senior yoga and Zen teachers, including Sojun Mel Weitsman, Manouso Manos, and the Iyengar family. Victoria’s practice goal is to wake up in a way that benefits beings. Her teaching goals include transmitting Zen Buddhism as a yogic path and Yoga as a path of awareness. Keeping faith with each tradition, she offers classes and workshops accessible to a wide variety of abilities and circumstances.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. Dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.

Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!

November 2nd – Guest Speaker, Sensei Elaine Donlin @ 10:15am

Sensei Elaine Donlin is a fourth-generation San Franciscan native and is so very grateful to be living in the city she loves. She was raised Catholic, attending 12 years ShinranShoninDof Catholic school, and made a conscious decision to leave the church—at 17 years of age—after struggling with Church doctrine around homosexuality, birth control, and female clergy. Elaine discovered Buddhism through a comparative religion course in college and thus began a 30-year journey of practice in a variety of traditions. Her home is in Jodo Shinshu, a Pure Land Buddhist tradition.  Since 2008 she has been teaching “Essentials of Buddhism” courses at Buddhist Church of San Francisco (BCSF) and serves as the Buddhist Community Clergy Chaplain for several SF hospitals. Elaine is an ordained priest serving the Resident Minister at BCSF.

Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.

Please join us this Saturday and we hope to see you often!