Alive to Your Life: The Teachings of Darlene Cohen, Online 1/11–2/1
Description
The Zoom link to participate in this event will be provided at least 24 hours before it begins. Please call 415-354-0360 if you have any questions.
Four Mondays, January 11–February 1, 6:00–7:30 pm PT
The path of Zen is a path straight to the heart of intimacy: intimacy with ourselves, intimacy with our lives, intimacy with our world. And this intimacy is characterized, as Suzuki Roshi famously pointed out, with things just as they are.
Darlene Cohen, an important early figure and Zen Master in the Suzuki Roshi lineage, lived and taught from this place of intimacy. Whether it was crippling rheumatoid arthritis, heartbreak, or the endless challenges inherent in life, Darlene met and transformed all circumstances with intimacy—meeting experience with deep, steady connection.
At the end of her life, she identified the core teachings she had found central to becoming intimate with all things. We will explore those teachings: concentration, personal koans, transformation of suffering, and vow.
While this course will draw on material in the book Alive for It All: Wisdom for Everyday Life, purchase of the book is not required.
Please join Cynthia and Lisa in this important inquiry of Zen as the path to the heart of intimacy.
Recordings:
All course sessions will be recorded, and registered participants will receive temporary access to the recordings for later viewing.
Fee Information
- Benefactor Ticket Price: $210 — supports others’ participation
- Standard ticket price: $168 — covers full program costs
- Member (Become an SFZC Member): $151 — for current SFZC members
- Supported: $101 — community supported rate
- Deeply Supported: $42 — for broadest accessibility
- Current SFZC residents and qualified SFZC retirees may attend this course for free. To register, please email onlineprograms@sfzc.org at least 72 hours before the program begins.
Or call 415-354-0360.
Ryotan Cynthia Kear
Cynthia is Guiding Teacher of Great Spirit Sangha and Women of the Way Sangha. She is also a senior teacher of Meditation in Recovery. Receiving Jukai with Paul Haller in 2004, Cynthia was subsequently ordained in 2008 and then Dharma Transmitted in 2010 by her heart teacher, Darlene Cohen.
Jisho Lisa Beth Hoffman
Jisho Lisa Beth Hoffman’s passion is bringing Zen and mindfulness into the world in a practical way that resonates in our real, everyday lives. She has been a Zen Buddhist practitioner since 1995. Ordained as a priest at San Francisco Zen Center in 2008 by the late Darlene Cohen, and Tony Patchell, Lisa received dharma transmission from Tony in 2013.