Photo by David Del Francia
Come participate in long and short-term residential practice in the newly revitalized Beginner’s Mind Temple!
In anticipation of the reopening of City Center’s Beginner’s Mind Temple in early 2025, applications are now being accepted for Guest Student and Apprenticeship programs. All stays will begin after January 1.
Photo by Liping Zhu
GUEST STUDENT PROGRAM (2-6 weeks)
If you are new to SFZC and are interested in experiencing residential life at City Center, the Guest Student program is the perfect place to start. This 2-6 week program includes morning and evening zazen, Dharma talks, group study sessions, and a variety of work practice options. Being a Guest Student is a prerequisite for the Apprenticeship programs described below. For more information, please see the Guest Student page of our website where you will find an online application.
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS (3-6 months or up to 2 years)
For those who have already been a Guest Student and would like to dive deeper into Zen practice with a longer stay, there are three types of Apprenticeship Programs at City Center: ZKA (Zen Kitchen Apprentice), MAA (Mindful Activity Apprenticeship) and WPA (Work Practice Apprenticeship). ZKA and MAA are both 3-6 months long and can be extended into a two-year WPA stay.
WPA allows for a longer stay that includes participating in practice periods (special study intensives led by an SFZC teacher.) It also may mean a more diverse work practice experience. For more information about these apprenticeship programs, please see the Apprenticeship Programs page of our website where you will also find an online application.
With the reopening of the beautiful new City Center building, this is an exciting time to be a part of the SFZC community. We look forward to welcoming you into residential practice!
