Upcoming

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Study hour is moving on to a new text!

We are scheduled to conclude on July 31, 2014 The book of serenity

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The next book scheduled is the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, also called Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra,  a Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtra. It dates from no later than the 3rd century ce, based on its earliest Chinese translations, and most likely from the 1st or 2nd centuries ce.

In the sūtra the layman and householder Vimalakīrti, who is also, significantly, a model bodhisattva, instructs deities, learned Buddhist arahants, and lay people in all matters concerning the nature of enlightenment and Buddhist truth.

There are multiple translations, we may focus a bit on the Dr Robert Thurman version, but welcome any version to compare the translations.

We can share books for anyone who wants to join in, or feel free to purchase a copy and join us (many are very low cost online). Check our twitter page for any changes in schedule.

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26 July, 10:15am – Guest Speaker Jamie Howell

Please join us this upcoming Saturday for guest speaker Kogen Seido Jamie Howell (Wild, Untamed Source – Sincere Way) who began his Zen practice with Joshu Sasaki Roshi in 1979 at the Mount Baldy Zen Center.

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In 1983, when he was living in San Francisco and his eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, Jamie began to study with Michael Wenger at the San Francisco Zen Center. He spent the next 28 years raising four children with his wife, working in the music business and later the real estate business while dedicating himself to Zen practice. He now has three grandchildren.

Jamie was a soccer player and coach for over 40 years and still competes in triathlons with the Golden Gate Triathlon Team. He road managed Hot Tuna and Natalie Cole, was the sales manager of Hill and Company, and currently works with his partner Luba Muzichenko at Zephyr Real Estate.

It took Jamie almost 17 years to sew his first rakusu; he received the precepts in a jukai ceremony in 2000. He was chairman of the board of San Francisco Zen Center in 2004 and 2005, and was shuso at City Center in 2006. In 2011, Jamie received lay Dharma Entrustment from Dairyu Michael Wenger.

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 wrap up with a Dharma talk at 10:15 am (followed by ceremony if applicable) and then socializing,  tea and cookies.

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19 July Guest Speaker – Renshin Bunce!

Renshin Bunce was a resident of SF Zen Center from 2001 to 2008, first for three years at Tassajara and then for four more years at City Center. She has helped hundreds of students sew their rakusus in Untitledthe SFZC sewing room, where she currently leads a class with Tim Wicks every other Saturday afternoon.

She is a great caring support in the process of the sewing of Buddha’s robe (rakusu) and a tremendous good humor and a very warm heart. She is also known for her photographs, and her page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/renshin/ has been called “The Zen Center Yearbook.”

Ren made jukai with Myogen Steve Stücky in 1996, when he gave her the name Renshin Jiko (Lotus Heart/Mind, Boundless Compassion); was priest ordained with Zenkei Blanche Hartman in 2003; was Shuso with Myogen-roshi at Tassajara in 2008; and received Dharma Transmission from him in 2013. She lives on the Peninsula, where she works as a hospice chaplain.

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 wrap up with a Dharma talk at 10:15 am (followed by ceremony if applicable) and then socializing,  tea and cookies.

 

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12 June – Full Moon Ceremony

We’ll have the monthly Full-Moon Ceremony renewal of our Bodhisattva vows this Saturday morning after the Saturday Morning Dharma talk.40

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. This month according to the Farmer’s Almanac is the Full Thunder, Hay or Buck Moon.

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 followed by ceremony if applicable and then right to social time, tea and cookies.

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Happy Independence day (USA’s) on July 4th!

p1953_buddhaflagsOr as we like to joke in Buddhist company, Interdependence day! Although there is an actual day for this day in the Fall that is internationally recognized.

Please continue to have enjoyable and safe holidays and remember HSZC will be closed Friday, July 4, Saturday the 5, and following Sunday as usual, July 6th.

 

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Happy LGBTQI Pride & July 4th right after/ Schedule changes

We want to wish all our friends, families and communities the happiest of pride weekends  as they occur around the world this month and beyond.  May you be safe, happy, healthy and enjoy the celebrations!3

And we would like to let you know due to pride events and July 4th (USA independence day), we will be just open next week July 1,2,3 & then back to regular posted schedule on July 7th. (closed Jun 29th, 30th and Jul 4th, 5th and 6th)

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29 Jun; LGBTQI pride festival & parade, SF, 2014!

400px-San_Francisco_Pride_Parade_2012-3From our LGBTQI family of SFZC – “Happily, we continue our annual tradition of having a San Francisco Zen Center contingent walking in the Pride Parade.  We are going to meet at 300 Page St. and at 9 a.m. we will go together to the Muni and travel to our assigned starting place.  If you prefer, you can meet us at our starting place(which almost certainly will be in the Financial District) at 10 a.m.  We will send details about the 10 a.m. starting place later in the week.  Please join us and celebrate as we cover the world with pride.”

 Color the World with Pride

What is the color of pride?
If we were to color the world with pride how would it look?
Sound?
Taste?
Feel?
Would there be space in our hearts and minds for all colors?
Could we come from an understanding that all colors need to be seen so that one color
doesn’t stand out and dominate the others?
Could we learn that colors complement one another?
Could we let the margins between colors go soft and blend the colors, rub them like pastels
and wonder at the range, the subtle gradations that are also part of the rainbow?

When I color my world with pride, I want the 72 Crayolas, not the narrow box of eight.

– Tova Green

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LGBTQI – Pride parade & festival: 29, June

SF Zen Center’s Queer Dharma & sangha will be organizing and marching in the San Francisco’s LGBTQI Pride Parade (June 29th). They wanted to extend to Hartford Street Sangha and Friends that you are are warmly welcomed to join in this joyous celebration.

SF Zen Center’s Queer Dharma is in need of volunteers to act as contingent monitors who will monitor the safety of our group of parade participants. This requires a one-hour training prior to the day of the parade. If you are interested in volunteering for the event please email Dan Belsky at ccwork@sfzc.org