Don’t forget that you’re invited to our traditional New Year’s Eve event on 31 December, starting about 7:30 p.m. PLEASE NOTE, however, that there won’t be the usual morning or evening zazen sessions on the 31st. Afterwards the zendo will be closed all day Tuesday and Wednesday 1 and 2 January. Happy New Year to all!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Wishing you a safe, peaceful and happy season to you and yours during holidays you celebrate or even if you do not celebrate any holidays in December! 
For those who celebrate our deepest support and intentions of love during: Ashura, Yom Kipper, Feast of St. Nicholas, Bodhi Day (Rohatsu), Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Feast of Lady of Guadalupe, Hanukka (Chanukah), Yalda, Yule (winter solstice), Christmas, Zarathustra Memorial, Kwanzaa.
Dec 23 – Dec 26, 2012: Zendo Closure
Please rejoin us for our regular schedule as of Dec 27th and have a safe and equanimous few days or if you celebrate… Holiday!
HSZC will house a pot luck dinner on December 25th for those who are around. Please see our facebook page post on Dec 16th for details!
Saturday 5 January 12:30PM: Sangha Council
The Hartford Street Zen Center Sangha Council: We’ve formed council as a forum to continue to talk of and discuss with each other – and with the sangha at large – issues, concerns, questions and conflicts which have been challenging – downright hard to talk about or never seem to have an appropriate time we are all together to discuss. We’ll use a practice model of working with each other with the most skillful speech we can access. This is a great opportunity also for those who haven’t been around lately to reengage and be a part of the present and future Hartford Street!
Our next meeting will be on Saturday 12:30pm to 2:30pm, January 5, 2012 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, a long time member and Board president of the Santa Cruz Zen Center. 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!
If you have questions regarding this, call Peter Goetz at 510.595.1281. If you’d like a copy of the Ojai Foundation guidelines for Council process, email Peter at goetzpj@aol.com
Guest Speaker, Sat. 22 Dec.: Steven Tierney
Ko Shin Steven Tierney, Ed.D. CAS is Professor of Counseling Psychology and Chair of the Community Mental Health Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. A certified addiction specialist, he is the Co-Founder of the San Francisco Mindfulness Foundation, providing relapse prevention and mindfulness-based services to individuals and families. Steven has been studying and practicing Buddhism for more than 20 years
Every Saturday we offer a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30 am. Zazen (seated meditation) at 9:25 am. A dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.
Please join us for whatever part of the program you are able.
Annual Member & Board of Directors Meeting: Sat. 15 December
An open invitation to the Sangha to attend the Annual Member, Resident Student & Board of Director meeting Saturday December 15, 2012 after the normal morning program schedule.
This meeting covers important items such as Board of Director elections, annual reporting and discussions on larger initiatives, our temple’s current operation conversation(s) and talks of and planning for the future state.
Please join us for this important annual event!
