Hartford Street Zen Center | Issan-ji temple
A Sōtō Zen temple for the LGBTQ+ community, friends and allies in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood
Please feel free to join us! If you did not register in advance please know we cannot unfortunately accommodate you for meals or sleeping arrangements but the practice schedule does still allow for your participation!
Click Here to see the schedule in effect until Dec 11th!
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 of 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) serves at several Buddhist Church locations 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 are offered a dharma talk at 10:15 am followed by tea and cookies.
Join us next Saturday for A talk at 10:15am offered by Rev. Daiko Tanzen, David Bullock; 
one of our current connections to the early days of Hartford Street’s Zen Center founding; the garden’s long term friend, current Board President and many other capacities past and present of HSZC (as well as the past Maitri); and he was ordained by the temple’s founder – Rev. Issan Dorsey.
Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), 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 a ceremony if applicable, then tea and cookies with socializing. Please know you are welcome and invited!
