
Zen Ritual: A Practitioner’s Perspective on the Expressions of Forms
by Konin Cardenas
The class I’m offering on Zen ritual will look at the ways in which each one of us can connect at a profound, personal level with the ceremonies and activities of Zen. It means looking at formal practice from the place of our personal dharma position. That is, the class is about the ways in which ritual relates to us—individually, in community, and from the standpoint of the absolute. We’ll look at a number of ceremonies over the course of five classes, and talk about these layers of experience and how they deeply inform our practice. Read more

Freedom with Our Inner Critics: A Reflection by Dr. Lee Lipp
This morning I noticed that impatience, accompanied by inner critic thoughts, must have entered my house while I was sleeping last night. Not being awake to these visiting thoughts, I found myself entangled and fighting with them this morning as if thoughts had substance and were real. It was hard to remember that these were simply thoughts, not TRUTH. Read more

Beneficial Insight: A Testimonial from Meditation Training
by Shelley Adler, student
I’ve taken three of Liên Shutt’s classes: Meditation Training, Accessing Ease in Practice, and, most recently, Access to Zen. As part of my work as an educator in integrative medicine and end-of-life care, I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to experience many types of meditation training, offered by wonderful teachers of different traditions and backgrounds—but Lien’s approach has been uniquely impactful. Read more

Featured Artwork, May 28
For the month of June, the City Center Art Lounge features artist Mike Hardin, with an exhibit titled
“Art Supporting Art.” Read more
TassNow: End of May Availability
Need a last-minute getaway? There are a smattering of private cabins and shared rooms available in the final week and a half of May!

The Great Creativity in Being Bodhisattvas
by Chris Fortin and Jaune Evans
Life—its essence/suchness—is creative. It is endless and vast creative possibility. Read more

Featured Photo, May 21
From the archives (2002)
This summer, SFZC is pleased to again offer an Alumni Retreat at Tassajara, from July 11 to 14, 2014. SFZC alumni from all three temples (and all years) are warmly invited. Follow the link above for more information, and be sure to reserve your space now. Read more

San Francisco Pride Parade 2014 – June 29
Sunday, June 29, 9 am – 5 pm
The San Francisco Zen Center sangha will be marching in the Pride Parade for the seventh consecutive year, manifesting the harmony of difference and equality. You are warmly welcomed to join in this joyous celebration. Read more

Zen Center Participates in Bike to Worship, May 31
May is Bike Month in San Francisco. Thursday, May 8th, saw the 20th annual Bike to Work Day, and this year the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and the San Francisco Interfaith Council have teamed up to create Bike to Worship Week, to promote cycling to your place of worship. Read more

Working Bicycles Needed at Green Gulch Farm—and More
A list of current needs for donated items on the farm at Green Gulch, by Farm Manager Qayyum Johnson Read more