Covid-Related Opening and Closing Updates

Updated: March 17, 2023

While the threat of Covid has eased, serious staffing issues have prevented us from reopening as completely as we would prefer. All three practice centers have experienced a significant drop in residential numbers over these past pandemic years. While interest in residential practice is beginning to increase, it will be some time before SFZC will be able to provide support and staffing for all of our offerings. Thank you for your patience and continued interest in SFZC as we navigate this current challenge.

The City Center Zendo and Buddha Hall are open for in-person morning and evening zazen and service, the Saturday and Wednesday Dharma talks, and for ceremonies. One-day sittings and sesshins are also open at City Center. Green Gulch Farm is offering onsite one-day sittings and some Sunday Dharma talks (not yet the full Sunday morning schedule) are open to the public with pre-registration; see below. We are excited to welcome our friends, old and new, back to the temple again!

We will continue to support our online community with online zazen, service, Dharma talks, and classes and workshops. See SFZC Online offerings.

San Francisco Zen Center remains committed to the health and safety of our residential and wider sangha, and to sharing the Dharma with all who seek it. May all beings, without exception, be safe and free from harm.

Note: As the Covid-19 situation is fluid, this page may be updated frequently. Be sure to consult it often and be prepared for information to change. If you have any questions or concerns, please email our Temple Coordinator, ellen.simpson@sfzc.org

City Center

  • Zendo and Buddha Hall: Vaccination required. Please be prepared to respond to a query regarding this when you visit the temple. NOTE: Individual events such as workshops and classes may require filling out a vaccination form.

    Morning zazen and service: Open to the public. Masking with a K/N95 is required at all times inside the building.
    Evening zazen and service: Open to the public. Masking with a K/N95 is required at all times inside the building.
        Visit our Daily Schedule page for more information about morning and evening zazen.
    Saturday and Wednesday Dharma Talks: Open to the public; in the Buddha Hall. Masking with a K/N95 is required at all times inside the building. See the calendar for upcoming Dharma talks.

Monthly Saturday lunch: Come join us for the Saturday morning program on April 8 (this is Buddha's Birthday), May 6, June 10, July 1, August 5, September 2, October 14, and November 11, which will include a public lunch!

The full program includes:
9:25 am Zazen (seated meditation) in the zendo
10:00 am Dharma talk, short break, and Q&A in the Buddha Hall
11:30 am Tea and cookies served in the courtyard
12:00 pm Lunch (by donation) in the courtyard (served in the kitchen)

You're welcome to come for part or all of the morning events. All offerings are by donation. Participants must be vaccinated and have at least one booster shot and must wear a KN95 or N95 mask at all times indoors.

  • May – June 2023 Intensive — Be Nothing: Understanding Impermanence & Finding Liberation, May 9 – June 3, with Chimyo Atkinson. Residential option: Applications due April 3. Visitor/Online option: Applications due May 1.
  • Meals in the Temple: Breakfast is open to the public for those participating in the morning program and is available by donation. Lunch and dinner are not yet available to the public. However, dinners on Monday nights and Wednesday nights are available by donation in February and March for those registered for the Winter 2023 Practice Period.
  • One-Day Sittings and Sesshins: Open to the public. Visit our Calendar or the Sitting Meditation & Sesshins page for upcoming events.
  • Practice Periods and Intensives: Open to the public. Visit our Calendar or the Practice Periods & Intensives page for upcoming events.
  • Short-term and long-term residential student stays: Open to the public. See our guest student program. See also the three apprenticeship programs (Work Practice Apprenticeship and two new apprenticeship programs; Mindful Activity Apprenticeship and Zen Kitchen Apprenticeship).
  • Conference Center Rentals: Open for rentals to the public. Visit our Conference Center Rentals page for more information or contact Roger at ccshika@sfzc.org
  • Sewing classes: Not yet open to the public. Contact sewing teacher, Tim Wicks, at timothywicks@comcast.net
  • Wednesday evening Dharma talk: Available in-person as well as livestreamed via Zoom and archived.
  • Saturday morning Dharma talk: Available in-person as well as livestreamed via Zoom and archived.
  • Practice Groups - Meditation in Recovery, Young Urban Zen, Queer Dharma, Zen en Espanol: Available online or in the temple (300 Page Street). Search the name of the practice group on sfzc.org to find Zoom links and more information.
  • Classes and Workshops: Available both onsite and online. View SFZC Online here and the Calendar.
  • Bookstore: Open for in-person shopping and available through the Online Store, which continues to offer contactless pickup and shipping. Closed on days when City Center is closed, including national holidays, Monday, March 13, and during some retreats.
  • Library: Closed
  • Room Rentals: Not open to the public.

Green Gulch Farm

  • Residential student stays: Open to the public, please visit apprenticeship info page.
  • Guest Student stays: From two weeks to longer. This program is currently open, with standard Covid vaccination and related requirements. See the Guest Student Stays page for more information.
  • One-Day Sittings and Sesshins: Open to the public. Visit the Calendar for dates.
  • Sunday Tea Gatherings: Open to the public. See the Sunday Tea Gatherings main page for upcoming dates.
  • Entry to the grounds: Public trails open for hike-through only, no parking or restrooms available on site.
  • GGF Welcome Center: Not open to the public.
  • Zendo: Not open to the public.
  • Sunday Dharma talk: Some Sunday Dharma talks (not yet the full Sunday morning schedule) are open to the public with prior registration. See the Calendar for more information. Available livestreamed via Zoom and archived.
  • Classes and Workshops: Available online; and onsite in a limited capacity. View SFZC Online and the Calendar.
  • Bookstore: Online only; contactless pickup and shipping.
  • Outreach volunteers: Limited – contact Karena Frances at ggfvolunteers@sfzc.org.
  • Guest Room Rentals: Closed to the public.
  • Conference Rentals: Conference facilities are open in a limited capacity. Visit our Conference Center Rentals page for more details and COVID policies. Contact ggfconference@sfzc.org for information.
  • Retreats: Available. View on the Green Gulch Calendar.
  • Family Program: At this time, all family programming is paused.

SFZC Online

Tassajara

The Summer Guest Season of past years will be closed in 2023 and Tassajara will not be operating as a guest and retreat center for this summer.

Tassajara will be open in the following ways for Zen practice in 2023:

  • Summer Work Practice - for returning SFZC students and new students with Zen teacher recommendation
  • The Practice of Awakening: Tassajara Summer Practice Intensive led by Gil Fronsdal and Ryushin Paul Haller, July 8 – 29; application deadline: May 20, 2023.
  • Throughout the summer, Branching Streams Sanghas will visit to practice together at Tassajara. Contact your local Sangha to learn if they are planning a visit.
  • Fall Practice Period - the description and information about requirements and applying will be available soon