We will be closed to the general public November 24 -26th
Please enjoy your holiday of gratitude 🙂
Hartford Street Zen Center | Issan-ji temple
A Sōtō Zen temple for the LGBTQ+ community, friends and allies in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood
Hobu Beata Chapman has practiced Zen with chronic nerve pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for 23 years. She studied with Katherine Thanas at Santa Cruz Zen Center and with Darlene Cohen until her untimely death, and received Dharma transmission from Tony Patchell in 2013. Beata also helped Hartford Street Zen Center with its’ council process for several years and is a great friend of Issan-ji Temple.
Beata continues the Suffering & Delight groups for people with chronic pain that Darlene founded around 15 years ago, and teaches an online S&D group she began for people not able to attend in person. For more information about Beata’s work with chronic pain, you can see sufferinganddelight.net. Beata is an organizational consultant currently doing corporate leadership training and assisting health care organizations to develop compliance systems. She recently started a zazen group in San Mateo (PenZen.net).
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.
Please join us Saturdays and we hope to see you often!
Recommendation One: Should the HSZC remain in operation as a property owing,
residential Zen center.
Consensus Yes
Recommendation Two: Are those present willing to step up and do additional work to
recruit and maintain a larger membership and to raise funds.
Yes = 0
Yes, qualified = 7
Not at this time = 2
Recommendation 3: Invest funds to hire a part-time project manager to develop and
operate an organizational structure which will support membership and fund
development activities by the members. With specific measurable goals, timelines and
responsible parties. Steven and Myo will draft a job description and budget for 3 and 6-
month versions of the project. Copy will be sent to the members present today, with a
short and specific window for feedback. A targeted fundraising appeal will be made to
support this part-time position.
Vote: Unanimous support
Recommendation 4: Jeff will spearhead a recruitment and Board development
effort to support current Board members and recruit new members with specific
interests and skills.
Vote: Unanimous support
Recommendation 5: That the Board visit and evaluate the current Mission statement
and enhance its relevance to practice in 2022 and forward.
Vote: Unanimous support
Recommendation 6: That the Board clarify the covid and related health policies for 57
Hartford Street and HSZC- related programs and activities regarding vaccines, masks
and related health and safety precautions.
Please join us for the Winter Light Retreat!
If you’d like more info before we publish 2022 details – Visit here for an idea looking at 2021’s retreat
the ancient ceremony known in Japanese as Sejiki, or “Feeding the Jiki (wandering spirits)” is often performed near Halloween in United States’ Zen Centers.
This ceremony addresses our connection to the “unseen world”, typically overlooked in the West. All aspects of our life that have been disowned, disrespected and denied are invited to come forth from exile and be nourished, a gesture that may have particular significance for members of the LGBTiQQ community, whose own place in the social order has been undermined by fear, prejudice and violence.
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.
Please join us Saturdays and we hope to see you often!