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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for San Francisco Zen Center
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260630T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260705T110000
DTSTAMP:20260511T010119Z
CREATED:20260510T214857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T010119Z
UID:10000155-1782835200-1783249200@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Whole Heart\, Boundless Heart: A retreat on the four Brahmaviharas\, ZMC 6/30–7/5
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a creative and heart-centered retreat! The four Immeasurables\, or Brahmaviharas\, are boundless capacities of love and kindness\, compassion\, empathetic joy\, and equanimity.  Recent scientific studies support what Buddhist practitioners have experienced for millenia: Cultivating these qualities supports increased satisfaction and joy in our hearts and interpersonal lives\, and grounds the mind and meditative practice. \nJoin old friends Dawn Neal and Abbot Mako for a retreat dedicated to cultivating these boundless qualities. We will spend time learning the ancient meditative practices\, as well as integrating them with creative and conversational approaches.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/whole-heart-boundless-heart-a-retreat-on-the-four-brahmaviharas-zmc-6-30-7-5/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260630T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260705T113000
DTSTAMP:20260511T010118Z
CREATED:20260510T214857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T010118Z
UID:10000154-1782835200-1783251000@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Rooted in Awareness: Iyengar Yoga and Zen to Embody Your Life\, ZMC 6/30–7/5  – Waitlist Only
DESCRIPTION:Through the practices of Iyengar Yoga and Zen meditation\, we explore what it means to live with steadiness\, clarity\, and compassion. In this retreat\, we will utilize alignment and awareness as gateways to presence\, cultivating a body that is grounded\, a mind that is quiet\, and a heart that is open. \nEach day will include asana (yoga postures)\, pranayama (breath work)\, and zazen (sitting meditation). Together\, we will investigate how these disciplines support one another\, revealing the interconnection between physical stability and mental stillness. In the peaceful setting of Tassajara\, surrounded by mountains and streams\, we can return to the simplicity of direct experience and the refuge found in awareness itself. \nAll levels of yoga and meditation experience are welcome. Prior study with a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher is helpful but not required. Athena offers in-person and online classes for those who wish to become familiar with her teaching before attending the retreat. Book at www.tinyhavenyogasf.com.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/rooted-in-awareness-iyengar-yoga-and-zen-to-embody-your-life-zmc-6-30-7-5-waitlist-only/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260707T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260712T110000
DTSTAMP:20260924T211120Z
CREATED:20260510T214857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260924T211120Z
UID:10000159-1783440000-1783854000@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:The Heart of Yoga and Zen\, ZMC 7/7–7/12
DESCRIPTION:Yoga invites us into our bodies. Meditation stabilizes and opens the mind. Inquiry offers a gateway into deeper understanding. All three are illuminated through the heart. This retreat will harness the power of these practices to step into the fullness of our hearts and our lives. \nMornings will begin with a vigorous\, mindful Vinyasa Flow which will be followed by meditation and a Dharma teaching. In the afternoons\, we will inquire into our relationship with our heart and integrate the day with restorative yoga and meditation. \nFor centuries\, people have discovered what it is to be human through the forms of yoga\, meditation\, and inquiry. Join us for this inner exploration that will open you to the heart of your practice and life. 
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/the-heart-of-yoga-and-zen-zmc-7-7-7-12/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260710T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260710T210000
DTSTAMP:20260924T214420Z
CREATED:20260510T214857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260924T214420Z
UID:10000162-1783711800-1783717200@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Nada Brahma\, "Universe is Sound"\, CC 7/10
DESCRIPTION:We invite you to an evening with Srinivas Reddy to experience the spiritual tradition that is Hindustani Classical Music. Srinivas is a scholar and translator with a PhD in South and Southeast Asian Studies from UC Berkeley\, as well as a classical sitarist trained by his guru Pandit Partha Chatterjee\, a direct disciple of the late sitar maestro Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. After a brief introduction to the cultural and spiritual context of the tradition\, Srinivas will offer a performance alongside dear friend and tabla player Ferhan Qureshi. \nThis event is co-sponsored by Access to Zen (A2Z).
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/nada-brahma-universe-is-sound-cc-7-10/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260711T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260711T153000
DTSTAMP:20260712T004345Z
CREATED:20260712T004001Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260712T004345Z
UID:10002733-1783776600-1783783800@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Tea\, Chocolate & Mindfulness\, CC 7/11
DESCRIPTION:If you love to relax with a cup of tea and enjoy savoring award-winning chocolate\, join this tea and chocolate pairing workshop and dive into the world of single-origin teas and chocolates! \nYou will embark on a journey through the history of tea\, the many different varieties\, how they are made\, and how to brew the perfect cup or pot of tea for yourself. You will also taste an example of five different categories of tea paired with three distinct single-origin chocolates from Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco. \nYour instructor\, Jody\, has been working in the tea world since 2009 and has traveled extensively through Asia to visit tea farms\, tasted hundreds of teas to find the right ones to source\, and learned from some incredible people along the way. He loves sharing the vast world of tea with others\, and in this pairing workshop will explore a chocolate hand-picked to complement the flavors of each tea he has selected for this event. \nRegister Online
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/tea-chocolate-mindfulness-cc-7-11/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260715T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260719T110000
DTSTAMP:20260511T010125Z
CREATED:20260510T214909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T010125Z
UID:10000164-1784131200-1784458800@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Embodying the Genjo Koan in our Daily Lives\, GGF 7/15–7/19
DESCRIPTION:The secret of all teachings of Buddha is how to live in each moment\, how to obtain absolute freedom moment after moment. This is the theme of the Genjo Koan.—Suzuki Roshi \n\nIn Dogen’s beautiful\, seminal Genjo Koan\, he extends a wonderful and challenging invitation: how to engage fully in the present moment and discover liberation in the midst of our daily lives\, no matter what the internal or external circumstances might be. \nIn this retreat we will study this and other themes of Genjo Koan with an emphasis on incorporating these liberative teachings not just in mind but equally in heart and body. Using multiple experiential modalities\, such as zazen\, yoga\, sense walks\, movement meditation\, self-care\, journaling\, and practice discussions with the teachers\, we will embrace the Genjo Koan and invite it to embrace us. \nAs the cries of our world become more urgent\, our need to focus on the healing power of embodied practice-realization becomes greater.  If we\, as dedicated bodhisattvas\, are to be helpful to others\, we must nurture our own capacity to embody practice\, finding our place where we can more deeply realize the connection between our interior life and the exterior world. According to Dogen\, our peaceful efforts themselves are the source of peace in each moment. \nWhether you are new to the Genjo Koan or have been long reflecting on this rich teaching\, we invite you to join us in this fresh inquiry.  While not a required purchase\, Okumura’s Realizing Genjokoan will be the main reference text. \n\nWhen you find your place where you are\, practice occurs\, actualizing the fundamental point. When you find your way at this moment\, practice occurs\, actualizing the fundamental point.—Eihei Dogen
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/embodying-the-genjo-koan-in-our-daily-lives-ggf-7-15-7-19/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260715T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260719T110000
DTSTAMP:20260511T010126Z
CREATED:20260510T214909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T010126Z
UID:10000165-1784131200-1784458800@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Zen and Drawing\, ZMC 7/15–7/19 – Waitlist Only
DESCRIPTION:The Zen and Drawing retreat proposes drawing as a meditative practice in which we develop the capacity to contemplate what we observe both outside and inside ourselves. The chosen drawing exercises for the sessions help us observe things as they really are and not as we think they are. In the same way that we see ourselves while meditating\, when drawing we encounter our own mental challenges and judgments\, but are not limited by them. \nThe retreat offers periods of zazen alternating with observation drawing sessions\, and the opportunity to share. This retreat is for everyone\, independent of drawing ability. We all drew as children\, but we tend to stop drawing when we receive criticism and comparisons. This retreat makes it possible to recover this means of expression.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/zen-and-drawing-zmc-7-15-7-19-waitlist-only/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260716T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260719T110000
DTSTAMP:20260511T010127Z
CREATED:20260510T214909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T010127Z
UID:10000166-1784217600-1784458800@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Zen and Modern Leadership\, ZMC 7/16–7/19
DESCRIPTION:Where personal growth in leaders creates empowering environments. \nIn this immersive retreat\, you’ll deepen your connection to yourself and others through Zen principles integrated with the Leadership Embodiment and Conscious Leadership programs. Drawing on Zen\, mindfulness\, and somatic engagement\, you’ll learn to work with posture—thought\, emotion\, and body—to recover quickly from stress\, stay poised and creative in conflict\, and navigate difficult conversations with greater ease. You’ll explore how to cultivate genuine connectedness in an age of AI\, and how reverence can spark joy and meaning in your leadership. You’ll leave with practical tools and deeper awareness that transform how you lead and connect under pressure—creating conditions where everyone can thrive.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/zen-and-modern-leadership-zmc-7-16-7-19/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260717T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260717T210000
DTSTAMP:20260712T004338Z
CREATED:20260712T003947Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260712T004338Z
UID:10002722-1784316600-1784322000@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:NOT POEMS! A free monthly Poetry Night at SF Zen Center\, CC 7/17
DESCRIPTION:Who says my poems are poems? My poems are not poems. When you know that my poems are not poems\, Then we can speak of poetry!— Ryokan\, Zen monk & poet (1758-1831) \n\nAll are invited to participate in a monthly night of poetry in the City Center Bookstore. \nFacilitated by Kevin Starbard and Christopher Robin Gallagher\, this offering will take place once a month\, on a date that will be announced and found on the SFZC calendar. \nWe welcome you to express yourself\, down to the marrow of your heartstrings. These are extraordinary times that we are living in. Please let us know what you have to say. \nInvite your friends and loved ones to witness your take on the current state of affairs\, and/or existence as a whole. We look forward to seeing and hearing from you there! \nSan Francisco Zen Center Bookstore300 Page StreetSan Francisco\, CA 94102 \n  \n \nChristopher Robin Gallagher \nChristopher Robin Gallagher has served as the Program Registrar and Senior Reservationist for San Francisco Zen Center since 2015. He has performed poetry throughout North America for close to thirty years. Here is a sample of the message that he is hoping to uplift the human race with: \nMy heart breaks like porcelainOver the beauty of it allI’m not sure where to beginWinter\, Spring\, Summer\, or Fall \n  \n \nKevin Starbard \nKevin Starbard has been curating Zen Arts events at City Center since 2022. \nHe currently serves as Bookstore Manager at City Center\, and has practiced at all 3 SFZC temples\, and at Toshoji temple in Tokyo.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/not-poems-a-free-monthly-poetry-night-at-sf-zen-center-cc-7-17/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260719T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260719T160000
DTSTAMP:20260712T004325Z
CREATED:20260712T003931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260712T004325Z
UID:10002701-1784455200-1784476800@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:In the Rhythm of the Heart\, GGF 7/19
DESCRIPTION:Set in the vibrant summer landscape of Green Gulch Farm\, this day-long workshop explores the season of growth\, expansion\, and joy through Zen and Daoist teachings\, along with insights from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). \nIn TCM\, summer is associated with the Heart\, which governs awareness\, connection\, and emotional balance. As energy naturally moves outward during this season\, we are invited to cultivate openness while remaining grounded and at ease. Through meditation\, gentle movement\, and reflection\, we will explore how to support body and mind in the fullness of summer\, allowing growth to unfold with clarity and balance. \nPlease come dressed in comfortable clothing suitable for meditation and outdoor walking.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/in-the-rhythm-of-the-heart-ggf-7-19/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260721T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260726T110000
DTSTAMP:20260511T010128Z
CREATED:20260510T214909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T010128Z
UID:10000168-1784649600-1785063600@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Taichi Retreat\, ZMC 7/21–7/26 – Waitlist Only
DESCRIPTION:Harmonize\, balance\, improve health\, and cultivate a sense of well-being through Taichi and Qigong. During this retreat we will learn Form One of Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan\, a gentle\, flowing form of movement that combines Taichi\, Qigong\, and yogic stretching. This rare and beautiful Taichi style\, once a secret family heirloom of Taoist Grandmaster Yu Anren\, circulates and cultivates Qi\, and enhances balance\, flexibility\, and coordination. Swimming Dragon Taichi combined with Qigong and meditation offers a lyrical and restorative experience for the body and mind and is enjoyable for people of all ages. No previous experience necessary. \nVideo of Taiyi Swimming Dragon Tai Chi / Qi Gong exercise:
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/tai-yi-swimming-dragon-taichi-retreat-zmc-7-21-7-26-waitlist-only/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260721T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260726T110000
DTSTAMP:20260511T010129Z
CREATED:20260510T214909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T010129Z
UID:10000169-1784649600-1785063600@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Communication\, Connection\, Heartbreak and Forgiveness-Sangha Week\, ZMC 7/21–7/26 – Waitlist Only
DESCRIPTION:Sitting with the Buddha\, Ven. Ananda once said\, “This is half of the holy life\, lord: admirable friendship\, admirable companionship\, admirable camaraderie.” The Buddha responded\, “Don’t say that\, Ananda! Don’t say that! Admirable friendship\, admirable companionship\, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life.” \nPrecisely because of the depth of trust we hold in Sangha\, the human tendency to fall short\, betray\, or take each other for granted can result in deep levels of disconnection and despair. And precisely because Sangha is a practice of refuge\, we can use heartbreak and forgiveness as gates to a broader sense of interconnection and intimacy. \nIn this retreat\, we will study together how to build unbreakable Sangha friendship. We will explore methods that nourish both our inner lives and the wider communities we are part of\, including: \n\nTraditional zazen\, teachings\, and discussion\nDevotional work practice\nSomatic practices such as Qi Gong and/or Iyengar Yoga\, accessible to a wide range of abilities\nNourishment of the body\, senses\, intention\, and consciousness
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/communication-connection-heartbreak-and-forgiveness-sangha-week-zmc-7-21-7-26-waitlist-only/
CATEGORIES:Sangha Week (Tassajara)
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260726T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260726T150000
DTSTAMP:20260712T004356Z
CREATED:20260712T004017Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260712T004356Z
UID:10002751-1785060000-1785078000@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Trans Sangha Half-Day Retreat\, CC 7/26
DESCRIPTION:A half-day program of extended meditation and community practice\, led by members of the Trans Sangha. Meditation instruction will be provided. Some experience with meditation is encouraged. Open to anyone who identifies as trans.  \nEmail TransSangha@proton.me to register or with questions.  \nThere is no fee to participate. \nRegistration deadline: July 19
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/trans-sangha-half-day-retreat-cc-7-26/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260730T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260802T110000
DTSTAMP:20260728T232542Z
CREATED:20260510T214909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T232542Z
UID:10000173-1785427200-1785668400@www.sfzc.org
SUMMARY:Joyful Ease\, Your Own True Body\, GGF 7/30–8/2 – Waitlist Only
DESCRIPTION:Awaken a sense of fully embodied joy and ease through yoga asana\, breath\, and Zen meditation. \nIn this retreat we will leave behind our usual busy schedules and to-do lists and settle into a more contemplative routine. With two full days of classes and a half day to begin and end the retreat\, we will have time to allow nature to nurture us and to encounter the joy of “just this\,”—just this moment and all it contains. The retreat begins with the first yoga session at 4 pm in Stillwater Hall\, followed by dinner and a meeting for introductions and orientation. Zazen instruction will also be offered. \nPatricia will be co-leading this retreat with Branching Streams Director Heather Shōren Iarusso. Each day we’ll sit together in zazen and engage with Heather in Dharma talks and discussions. \nIn our morning yoga classes\, we will practice active poses taken from the Iyengar system as well as other influences. We will work deeply\, often spending time in poses in order to become sensitive to our inner workings. There will be long breaks for enjoying the land\, hiking to the beach\, etc. Afternoon classes will feature mostly floor stretches\, including restoratives\, with gentle pranayama (breath practices).  \nThe retreat ends with lunch on Sunday.
URL:https://www.sfzc.org/event/joyful-ease-your-own-true-body-ggf-7-30-8-2/
CATEGORIES:Workshops and Retreats
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