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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for San Francisco Zen Center
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261110T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261115T140000
DTSTAMP:20260919T000153Z
CREATED:20260510T214922Z
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UID:10000200-1794322800-1794751200@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Five-Day Sesshin\, GGF 11/10–11/15
DESCRIPTION:Sesshin\, meaning “to gather\, collect\, and convey the mind-heart\,” is a traditional Soto Zen meditation retreat that includes formal zendo meals\, Dharma talks\, sitting and walking meditation\, and private interviews with senior teachers. \nIn order to understand the nature of our formal retreats\, and to be clear about the details of the practice\, please review a typical sesshin schedule\, as well as the guidelines for zendo conduct. We ask those who attend sesshin to commit to following these guidelines and to participating in the schedule completely. If you have questions regarding the schedule or guidelines\, please consult with the head of the meditation hall (the ino) via email (ggfino@sfzc.org) before completing your registration. \nThe in-person sesshin is open to those who have experience with formal Zen practice\, including at least two in-person One-Day Sittings at Green Gulch Farm or City Center (or comparable experience and permission of sesshin leader). \nThere will be an orientation on Tuesday\, November 10 at 3:00 pm. The sesshin will begin on Tuesday after dinner and conclude with lunch on Sunday. \nTo register for this sesshin\, begin by completing the application form. \nOnce you have been approved for the sesshin\, you will be sent an email with a link to complete your registration and process your payment. \nPlease pay as soon as you are able and at least 2 weeks before the event so waitlist people can be accommodated. \nMeals are included in the cost of sesshin. As most meals will be eaten formally in the zendo meditation hall\, please plan on bringing your oryoki set. If you do not have a set\, you can purchase one on arrival for an additional $55. \nThis sesshin is part of the 2026 Fall Practice Period at Green Gulch Farm\, but is open to registration by those not participating in the practice period. If you are already registered for the practice period there is no need to register for this sesshin.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/five-day-sesshin-ggf-11-10-11-15/
CATEGORIES:Sitting Meditation & Sesshins
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T120000
DTSTAMP:20261015T004238Z
CREATED:20261014T230659Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261015T004238Z
UID:10004820-1794562200-1794571200@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Zazenkai Series\, CC 10/9–11/20
DESCRIPTION:Fridays\, October 9–November 20 \nA series of half-day sittings led by senior students at City Center will take place every Friday morning from October 9 through November 20 in the zendo. Everyone is welcome to drop-in\, no registration required. \nZazenkai\, CC 10/9\nZazenkai\, CC 10/16\nZazenkai\, CC 10/23\nZazenkai\, CC 11/13\nZazenkai\, CC 11/20 \nZazen is the practice of sitting with awareness and experiencing whatever arises. Throughout the history of Zen\, the practice of zazen has been considered the primary agent of awakening. As Dogen Zenji declared\, before bowing\, offering incense or chanting Buddha’s name\, the practice of zazen reveals and expresses awakening. With this in mind\, zazenkai is a period of time dedicated to zazen with minimal traditional formalities. \nThese sittings are suitable for both beginners and experienced sitters. There will be instruction in the details of posture\, breath\, and establishing the mental disposition of experiencing whatever arises. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about one’s practice. \nThere will be scheduled periods of sitting and walking\, with the option of continuing to sit through the walking meditation if desired. \nPrior Instruction: Although general instruction for meditation is included in these events\, it is recommended that participants attend public Zazen Meditation Instruction beforehand\, which is available in-person on select Saturdays at 8:40 am at 300 Page Street.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/zazenkai-series-cc-10-9-11-20/2026-11-13/
CATEGORIES:Sitting Meditation & Sesshins
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T163000
DTSTAMP:20261016T221247Z
CREATED:20260918T223824Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261016T221247Z
UID:10004612-1794576600-1794587400@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Jizo Peace Project: Clay Making Gathering for Remembrance and Peace\, CC 11/13
DESCRIPTION:Jizo Bodhisattva is the fearless guardian with deep vow to enter all hell realms to help. They are unwavering in their steadfast resolve and compassionate presence. \nThe Jizo Peace Project arose as a response to the great tragedy in Gaza and Israel. The project’s intention is to honor the children who have perished since October of 2023 in Gaza and Israel. More than 19\,000 children have lost their lives. \nThrough the meditative and intimate act of working with clay\, we create Jizo bodhisattvas who will become part of public exhibits and peace sites\, offering spaces for reflection\, mourning\, and hope. Our gatherings conclude with a simple ritual to honor the lives of these children by reading names. We create a shared space of warmth and care together\, where there is an opportunity to tend to our own hearts while taking part in love in action. \nPlease join us. There is no need for prior experience with clay. Donations are appreciated to cover the materials and expenses for the peace project.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/jizo-peace-project-clay-making-gathering-for-remembrance-and-peace-cc-11-13/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T233000
DTSTAMP:20261021T170313Z
CREATED:20260905T225107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261021T170313Z
UID:10004238-1794596400-1794612600@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Zenefit 2026: A Night of Sonic Exploration and Deep Listening\, GAMH 11/13
DESCRIPTION:Friday\, November 13\, 2026\nDoors open at 6:00 pm\nEvent starts at 7:00 pm and ends by 11:00 pm \nGreat American Music Hall\n859 O’Farrell St\, San Francisco \nIn November of 1966\, San Francisco Zen Center launched a series of fundraisers to help purchase Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. For nearly a year\, local musicians\, poets\, thinkers\, and spiritual leaders held events across the Bay Area to help raise enough money to purchase the old hot springs resort located deep in the Ventana Wilderness that would soon become our beloved monastery. \nIt’s in this spirit\, exactly sixty years later\, that we bring back the Zenefit to support Tassajara in this time of challenging fires and critical infrastructure repairs. \nIn a single\, magical evening\, Zenefit 2026 will bring together experimental musicians\, poets\, historians\, and spoken-word and visual artists for an immersive night of live performance and unexpected collaboration. Psychedelic folk\, improvisational soundscapes\, beat poetry\, meditative spoken word\, and a liquid light show—all set against the ornate backdrop of the Great American Music Hall. \nAll proceeds support San Francisco Zen Center and the Tassajara Fire Recovery Fund\, helping sustain the future of practice and community at Tassajara. \n$60 General Admission\n$160 VIP Balcony Seating \nGet Your Tickets!\n \nFeaturing \n\nPreshow with Brian Perrino\, Zen student\, farmer\, musician\, and teacher who shares his practice\, music\, stories\, and experiences of his time while living at Tassajara\, and Philip Toscano is a Chicago-born\, San Francisco-based musician who also performs with the moody garage-blues rock band\, The Bribes.\nWelcome from Peter Coyote (MC): one of the founders of the Diggers\, actor\, director\, screenwriter\, author\, narrator\, and an ordained Zen Priest.\nLonely Parrots San Francisco queer folk-pop duo Michael Martinez and Max Embers\, known for their harmonies and acoustic sound.\nColleen Morton Busch Bay Area poet and author of Smolder and Fire Monks: Zen Mind Meets Wildfire.\nDōshin Dan Gudgel is a sound artist and currently serves as Director of Online Content for SFZC.\nDennis McNally Author\, historian\, and former publicist for the Grateful Dead.\nChuck Gould An original member of the Diggers\, a Soto zen priest ordained in the Suzuki Roshi Lineage\, and photographer who documented San Francisco’s 1960s counterculture.\nMarc Lesser Zen teacher\, author\, former Tassajara director\, and mindfulness educator in the SF Bay Area.\nResonance is a music+mindfulness offering created by contemplative artists Nkechi Njaka and Tauwoo\, exploring sound\, deep listening\, presence\, and collective connection.\nBen Gustin Nor Cal musician whose “Zen Buddhist Campfire Songs” began at Tassajara and the Avatamsaka Collective is a Post Punk Buddhist Gospel Rock Opera\, telling the story of the Buddha’s defeat of Mara under the Bodhi Tree.\nRoger Hillyard Pioneer of 1960’s psychedelic liquid light shows and immersive visual environments using analog techniques and Christine Marie\, a pioneer in 3D stereoscopic art.\nChristopher Robin Gallagher Bay Area poet and host of Not Poems!\nBorn I DC-based hip-hop artist\, author\, mindfulness teacher and Zen practitioner. Creator of Hip-Hop Soundbath – an immersive experience blending meditation\, sound healing\, and live hip-hop.\nDevendra Banhart (DJ set) Singer\, songwriter\, visual artist\, and unique voice in contemporary psychedelic folk.\n\n  \n\nThe Story of Zenefit \nZenefit has its roots in a remarkable moment in San Francisco history. \nOn November 13\, 1966\, San Francisco Zen Center launched a fundraising campaign to purchase Tassajara Hot Springs and establish a mountain monastery. Musicians\, poets\, artists\, and members of the city’s emerging counterculture came together to help make it happen. A benefit concert at the Avalon Ballroom featured the Grateful Dead\, Big Brother and the Holding Company\, Quicksilver Messenger Service\, and others. Additional benefits and gatherings happened for many months following. See this wonderful collection of old benefit posters on the Cuke.com website for details. \nNovember 13\, 2026 (exactly 60 years later) Zenefit returns in that same spirit of connection—where music\, art\, practice\, and community meet. One night. One legendary room. A collision of sound\, poetry\, improvisation\, and contemplative practice to support Tassajara’s recovery. \n  \n\n 
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/zenefit-2026-a-night-of-sonic-exploration-and-deep-listening-gamh-11-13/
LOCATION:Great American Music Hall\, 859 O’Farrell St\, San Francisco\, CA\, 94109\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events & Exhibits
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261113T210000
DTSTAMP:20260925T010057Z
CREATED:20260512T221452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T010057Z
UID:10001078-1794598200-1794603600@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Meditation in Recovery\, Friday weekly meeting\, Online
DESCRIPTION:Meditation in Recovery will be meeting by Zoom. \nFriday Nights at 7:30 \nJoin Online MeetingMeeting ID: 886 966 3311Passcode: Meditate23 \nPlease join us at the usual time; log in five minutes before the meeting opens. \n\nFridays\, 7:30 – 9 pm \nThis drop-in group explores the connections between Buddhist practice and recovery. The evening begins with a brief meditation instruction\, followed by a period of meditation\, a short talk and discussion. \nThe group is led by senior practitioners in recovery. Donation requested. \nPlease visit our MiR homepage for more information about our weekly meetings\, meditation instructions\, and other special events.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/meditation-in-recovery-friday-weekly-meeting-online/2026-11-13/
CATEGORIES:Practice Groups
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