Rev. Daigan Gaither began Buddhist practice in 1995 in the Vipassana (Insight) tradition, and then began to study Zen in 2003 with Ryushin Paul Haller Roshi. He received Lay Ordination in 2006 where he was given the name Daigan or “Great Vow”, and received Priest Ordination in July 2011. Daigan speaks internationally on a variety of topics particularly around gender, sexuality, social justice and their intersections with the Dharma.

He has a BA in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Buddhist Studies from the Graduate Theological Union and the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

We also will conduct our monthly brief annual memorial for our founder Issan – Rev. Issan Dorsey, whose life story is told in the book Street Zen by David Schneider (winner of the Tricycle Prize for Best Book on Buddhism in America), brought the center from its early beginnings as The Gay Buddhist Club of 1980 to the modern-day Hartford Street Zen Center, becoming Abbot there in 1989.

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. there’s an early session at 6:30am and then the more popular 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 after the Dharma talk, this week we’ll have a short ceremony thanking Issan for his life and work to bring us our small and deeply loved temple.

And as always you can contact us to arrange an introductory session ~8:30am if you are a beginner.

On Saturday Jan 28 2023 we will recognize his birthday and contributions to Buddhism.

Dogen was born in Kyoto on January 2nd (January 26th in the solar calendar). On January 26th, two ceremonies are held in many Soto Zen temples in celebration of his birth, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. In the morning ceremony, a scroll with a painting of Dogen is hung in the Lecture Hall (Hatto). A pail is placed in front of the painting containing holy hot water in which such incense as aloes, sandal wood have been boiled. In the afternoon is the ceremony of appreciation (Ho-on Koshiki). Special shomyo Buddhist music is chanted as an expression of gratitude.

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 after the Dharma talk, and at noon we’ll have a short ceremony commemorating Dogen’s birthday. 

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.