Category: Sutras and Texts

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February 9th, 2026 – Dharma Talk by Susan Moon

Dharma Talk given on Monday, February 9th, 2026 – Susan Moon (9.8 MB, 29 min).

Susan Moon

Susan Moon

Visiting Teacher

Susan Moon is a writer, editor, and lay teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She is the author of a number of books about Buddhism, including the humor book The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi and This Is Getting Old: Zen Thoughts on Aging with Humor and Dignity. For many years she was the editor of Turning Wheel, the journal of socially engaged Buddhism. Her short stories and essays have been published widely. Sue has been a Zen student since 1976, practicing in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi at Berkeley Zen Center, Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery, Green Gulch Farm, and now with Zoketsu Norman Fischer’s Everyday Zen sangha. She received “entrustment” as a lay teacher in 2005.
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February 7th, 2026 – “When the Wooden Man begins to Sing, the Stone Woman gets up Dancing” – Dharma Talk by So’on Jim Hare

Dharma Talk given on Saturday, February 7th, 2026 – So’on Jim Hare (12.2 MB, 43 min).

So’on Jim Hare

So'on Jim Hare

Board of Directors, Practice Committee, Teachers

Serves as Tanto, or head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984; was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985, and priest ordained by Myō Lahey in 2016. He served as Shuso (Head Student) at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period.  Jim offers practice discussion upon request at info@valleystreamszen.org.

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January 3rd, 2026 – “When arrow points meet head-on” – Dharma Talk by Rev. So’on Jim Hare

Dharma Talk given on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 –  Rev. So’on Jim Hare (14.4 MB, 55 min).

So’on Jim Hare

So'on Jim Hare

Board of Directors, Practice Committee, Teachers

Serves as Tanto, or head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984; was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985, and priest ordained by Myō Lahey in 2016. He served as Shuso (Head Student) at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period.  Jim offers practice discussion upon request at info@valleystreamszen.org.

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September 23rd, 2024 – Dharma Talk by Shosan Victoria Austin

Dharma Talk given on Monday, September 23rd, 2024 – Shosan Victoria Austin (13.1 MB, 52 min).

Shosan Victoria Austin

Shosan Victoria Austin

Visiting Teacher

Shosan Victoria Austin began practicing both Zen and yoga in 1971. In the Soto Zen tradition, she is entrusted as a Dharma heir in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki, an international priest of the Soto School, and a Dharma teacher at San Francisco Zen Center. She trained in the U.S., in India, and in Japan. In the Iyengar tradition, she is certified as an Intermediate teacher.

Contact

Website: http://victoriaaustin.org/about-victoria/

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May 6th, 2024 – Dharma Talk by Rev. So’on Jim Hare

Dharma Talk given on Monday, May 6th, 2024 –  Rev. So’on Jim Hare (13.9 MB, 56 min).

So’on Jim Hare

So'on Jim Hare

Board of Directors, Practice Committee, Teachers

Serves as Tanto, or head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984; was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985, and priest ordained by Myō Lahey in 2016. He served as Shuso (Head Student) at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period.  Jim offers practice discussion upon request at info@valleystreamszen.org.

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February 19th, 2024 – Dharma Talk by Gambō Berry Crawford

Dharma Talk given on February 19th, 2023 –  Gambō Berry Crawford (17.12 MB, 1hr 12min).

Gambō Berry Crawford

Gambō Berry Crawford

Other Sangha Leaders

Berry Gambo Kyogan Crawford first started practicing Zen meditation in 1992. He lived at the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center and practiced as a resident in the mid 1990s. Afterwards, he practiced with Diane "Eshin" Rizzetto in the Ordinary Mind Zen School started by Joko Beck. Later, he became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson under whom he eventually received shiho (2022) and Inka Shomei (2025) in the lineage of Soto priest Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. He has also completed the Open Mind Zen koan curriculum under Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was given dharma transmission in that lineage in 2025. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center. He is the host of the Simplicity Zen Podcast  (https://simplicityzen.com/) and maintains the Science of Zen website (https://scienceofzen.org/).

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July 31st, 2023 – Dharma Talk by Robert Rosenbaum

Dharma Talk given on Monday, July 31st, 2023 –  Robert Rosenbaum (13.9 MB, 59 min).

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD

Visiting Teacher

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD, received lay entrustment in Soto Zen from Sojun Mel Weitsman.  He is also authorized as a senior teacher of the Taoist practice of Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong in the lineage of Yang Meijun by Master Hui Liu.  In addition, he has received denkai  in Ordinary Mind Zen from Karen Terzano. Bob teaches Zen and Qigong at the Meadowmind Center in Sacramento. Bob is the author of several books including Zen and the Heart of Psychotherapy, Walking the Way : 81 Zen Encounters with Tao Te Ching and most recently, That is not your Mind! Zen Reflections on the Sarangama Sutra.
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June 5th, 2023 – A Dramatic Reading of the Holy Teaching of Vimalakīrti

This performance was organized/directed by sangha member Sarah OGara.

This beloved text, unique among Buddhist Scriptures, contains the quintessence of Mahayana doctrines, taught with vivid imagery, dramatic encounters and sly humor. Members of the Thursday morning study group recently completed a study of this text and, together other cast members, presented a dramatic reading of excepts from the Vimalakīrti Sutra, slightly adapted.

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April 10th, 2023 – “The Science of Zen” – Dharma Talk by Gambō Berry Crawford

Dharma Talk given on Saturday, April 10th, 2023 –  Gambō Berry Crawford (14.6 MB, 1hr).

Gambō Berry Crawford

Gambō Berry Crawford

Other Sangha Leaders

Berry Gambo Kyogan Crawford first started practicing Zen meditation in 1992. He lived at the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center and practiced as a resident in the mid 1990s. Afterwards, he practiced with Diane "Eshin" Rizzetto in the Ordinary Mind Zen School started by Joko Beck. Later, he became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson under whom he eventually received shiho (2022) and Inka Shomei (2025) in the lineage of Soto priest Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. He has also completed the Open Mind Zen koan curriculum under Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was given dharma transmission in that lineage in 2025. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center. He is the host of the Simplicity Zen Podcast  (https://simplicityzen.com/) and maintains the Science of Zen website (https://scienceofzen.org/).

Talk Notes:

Science_of_Zen_Lecture_NotesDownload
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October 24th, 2022 – Dharma Talk by Robert Rosenbaum

Dharma Talk given on Monday, October 24th, 2022 –  Robert Rosenbaum (13.3 MB, 57 min).

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD

Visiting Teacher

Meikyo Robert Rosenbaum, PhD, received lay entrustment in Soto Zen from Sojun Mel Weitsman.  He is also authorized as a senior teacher of the Taoist practice of Dayan (Wild Goose) Qigong in the lineage of Yang Meijun by Master Hui Liu.  In addition, he has received denkai  in Ordinary Mind Zen from Karen Terzano. Bob teaches Zen and Qigong at the Meadowmind Center in Sacramento. Bob is the author of several books including Zen and the Heart of Psychotherapy, Walking the Way : 81 Zen Encounters with Tao Te Ching and most recently, That is not your Mind! Zen Reflections on the Sarangama Sutra.