Introductory Four-Day Sesshin, GGF 5/6–5/10

Teachers
Practice Center
Date / Time
May 6, 2026 / 3:00pm - May 10, 2026 / 2:00pm
Event Type
Sitting Meditation & Sesshins
Description

Wednesday, May 6, 3 pm—Sunday, May 10, 2 pm

This Introductory Four-Day Sesshin at Green Gulch Farm will focus on the basics of formal Zen practice, providing extended instruction in zazen, walking meditation, bowing, and chanting. It offers an introduction to intensive sesshin retreat practice for those newer to the Zen forms, and a chance for more experienced sitters to renew the fundamentals of formal practice.

Please review the example sesshin schedule. The sesshin will consist of sitting and walking meditation, Dharma talks, and ceremonies, with light instruction as needed throughout. Meals will be eaten silently.

There will be an orientation on Wednesday at 3 pm. The sesshin will begin on Wednesday after dinner and conclude with lunch on Sunday.

This sesshin is open to anyone who has participated in an Introductory Half-Day Sitting at Green Gulch (or has comparable formal Zen experience) and previous participation in a One-Day Sitting at Green Gulch Farm is strongly recommended. If you have questions about your participation in this sitting, please contact the Ino, Head of the Meditation Hall, at ggfino@sfzc.org.

To register for this sesshin, begin by completing this form.

Once you have been approved for the sesshin, you will be sent an email that will include a link through which you can process your payment and complete your registration.

Fee Information

Guest House, Single Room:

  • Benefactor (125%): $910 — supports others’ participation
  • Standard (100%): $728 — covers full program costs
  • Member (90%): $655 — for current SFZC members
  • Sliding Scale 1 (50%): $364 — supported rate
  • Sliding Scale 2 (30%): $255 — access rate

Guest House, Shared Room:

  • Benefactor (125%): $717 — supports others’ participation
  • Standard (100%): $573 — covers full program costs
  • Member (90%): $516 — for current SFZC members
  • Sliding Scale 1 (50%): $287 — supported rate
  • Sliding Scale 2 (30%): $201 — access rate

Single student housing:

  • Benefactor (125%): $801 — supports others’ participation
  • Standard (100%): $641 — covers full program costs
  • Member (90%): $576 — for current SFZC members
  • Sliding Scale 1 (50%): $320 — supported rate
  • Sliding Scale 2 (30%): $224 — access rate

Shared student housing:

  • Benefactor (125%): $604 — supports others’ participation
  • Standard (100%): $483 — covers full program costs
  • Member (90%): $435 — for current SFZC members
  • Sliding Scale 1 (50%): $242 — supported rate
  • Sliding Scale 2 (30%): $169 — access rate

In addition to the above sliding scale rates, San Francisco Zen Center is committed to making Zen practice and the Dharma accessible to all who seek it by offering both a General support fund and a dedicated BIPOC support fund. After your application has been accepted, please email supportfunds@sfzc.org to request financial support.

For more information on our fee structure, see this document.

Meals are included in the cost of sesshin.

Please apply by Tuesday, April 28.

Sesshin Application Form

  1. Please fill out a sesshin registration form.
  2. After reviewing the registration form and determining the number of spaces available in the sesshin, the Ino will confirm by sending a letter of acceptance by email.
  3. The final steps to complete the registration and payment via the SFZC website will be provided in the acceptance email sent by the Ino.