Please join us for our annual celebration of Buddha’s Birthday this coming Saturday. There’ll be zazen (seated meditation) a little earlier than usual for Saturday, at 6:00 a.m., walking meditation at 6:40 a.m., and a shorter sitting at 6:50 a.m. followed by morning chanting at 7:20. A simple breakfast will then be taken semi-formally in our dining room, but please note that you must sign up ahead-of-time if you want breakfast (415-863-2507, hszc108@yahoo.com). There will be the usual period of sitting at 9:25 a.m., and the Dharma talk at 10:15, after which we’ll walk-and-sit until about 11:40, when we’ll have the ceremony of Bathing the Baby Buddha. Then we’ll have refreshments for all upstairs in the living room. Everyone is welcome. Donations are always appreciated and very much needed, but don’t let that stop you from attending if you’re not in a position to donate right now. Happy Buddha’s Birthday to all!
Cesar Chavez Day: 31 March – No MORNING Schedule
27 February @10:15am Guest Speaker – Shokan, Jordan Thorn
Please come and join us this Saturday for a Dharma talk by Shokan Jordan Thorn.
Jordan has been at SF Zen Center for 30 years. Ordained by Richard Baker 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 he even played in a rock band briefly with a famed beat poet that lead to his connect to Zen. 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 shuso at Tassajara. Recently he served as City Center Tanto (Head of Practice) and became SF Zen Center’s Treasurer/CFO in September 2011 and he is the teacher of a few of the HSZC Sangha.
Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15am for < 60minutes, followed by ceremony when applicable and then right to social time, tea and cookies.
Please join us!
20 February full moon ceremony & half day retreat
Please join us for a half day retreat/schedule including Oryoki breakfast if you let us know in advance (sign up). this event will go from 6am until a bit after 12, noon. included in the schedule is the monthly full moon ceremony.
The full snow moon. usually the heaviest snows fall in February. hunting becomes very difficult, and hence to some Native American tribes this was the Hunger Moon.
The Full Moon Ceremony is our renewal of our Bodhisattva vows and will occur this upcoming Saturday morning after the Saturday Morning Dharma talk.
The ceremony takes about a half-hour and involves some thirty full prostrations, but simple standing bows are also all right if prostrations are too strenuous. All are welcome to join in this ceremony/celebration.
Every Saturday we offer early morning zazen (seated meditation), morning service, a brief drop-in meditation instruction at 8:30am. And again zazen at 9:25 am. We wrap up with a dharma talk at 10:15am for < 60minutes, followed by ceremony when applicable and then right to social time, tea and cookies.
Please join us!
Opening for Zen Students (Resident Students)
The Hartford Street Zen Center presently has availability for two practice resident students. We are looking for individuals interested in and committed to experiencing residential practice at a small, urban temple. Ideally applicants would have prior experience with full-time residential Buddhist community practice. Attendance to zazen, study group, ceremonies and teachings/lessons and should be of strong interest. While participation and assistance in the daily events of the sangha are expected of any potential practice resident, it is our expectation that most residents are employed outside of the center (you must be able to pay your monthly tuition), we are accommodating toward one’s professional schedule balanced with the need of assistance in keep up temple operations on required attendance arrangements. If you’re interested but we don’t know you, please make sure to join us for practice as a first step.
13 February Parinirvana ceremony
…the Tathagata has completely extinguished the fire of the mental afflictions that have been accumulated over countless aeons, the nature of the diamond Tathagata permanently endures – not transforming and not diminishing.*
This coming Saturday, we’ll have a brief ceremony commemorating the entry into Nirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha, following a short Dharma talk at the usual time of 10:15 a.m. Everyone is welcome & invited to attend.
We then go on to have social time, tea and cookies. 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. Please join us!
Recent news, happy new year and a reminder…
Reminder : HSZC will be closed for Presidents day Monday, Feb 15th.
And check out our most recent newsletter and;
Welcome to the Chinese new year of year of the Fire Monkey on Feb 8th!
Memorial Service for Shunko Michael Jamvold
We will be holding a simple memorial service for our longtime friend, Rev. Shunko Michael Jamvold, who died of pneumonia this past week in Japan, where he had been living for many years. The service will take place on Friday, 5 February, immediately after the evening period of meditation, which ends at 6:40 p.m. All are welcome.