Bringing Mindfulness to the Fore; a half-day sitting
2020-09-12 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
“A monk goes to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty room, sits down cross-legged in the lotus position [or some other way], holds the body straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of him/her.” ~The Satipatthana Sutra.

The schedule for this retreat will include sitting and walking meditation, and a short Dharma talk by Valley Streams Zen Sangha practice leader, So-On Jim Hare. The schedule will include the option to begin sitting early, before joining the group on Zoom.
•This event is offered by donation. Please consider making an offering through Eventbrite.com when you register, or from the link on our homepage.
REGISTER HERE to receive full details and instructions for joining via Zoom.

"Uses of the Heart Sutra" (Pt. 1 of 2) by So-On Jim Hare (ONLINE)
2020-09-14 18:50 - 20:30
Tonight’s talk, “Uses of the Heart Sutra” is Part 1 of 2. The second talk will be given next Monday, Sept. 21.
So-On Jim Hare serves as head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984, and was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985. He served as Head Student at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period. He was priest ordained by Myo Lahey in 2016.

During the current health crisis, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. *To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software.

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you “Wait for the host to start the meeting” click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID]
The program will begin at 7 pm with this approximate schedule:
20-minute sitting; 5-minute chant; announcements; then a 30-minute Talk/Discussion, about 1.5 hour total.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID#.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.

"Uses of the Heart Sutra" (Pt. 2) by So-On Jim Hare (ONLINE)
2020-09-21 19:00 - 20:30
Join us tonight for Part 2 of “Uses of the Heart Sutra”, given by So-On Jim Hare.
So-On Jim Hare serves as head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984, and was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985. He served as Head Student at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period. He was priest ordained by Myo Lahey in 2016.

During the current health crisis, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. *To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software.

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you “Wait for the host to start the meeting” click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID]
The program will begin at 7 pm with this approximate schedule:
20-minute sitting; 5-minute chant; announcements; then a 30-minute Talk/Discussion, about 1.5 hour total.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID#.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.

Dharma Talk by Rev. Myo Lahey (ONLINE)
2020-09-28 19:00 - 20:30
Rev. Myo Lahey, Abbot of Hartford Street Zen Center in San Francisco and our guiding teacher, will offer the Dharma talk this evening. Myo has previously served as head of practice (Tanto) at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He is a Dharma heir of Tenshin Reb Anderson. Raised in an observant Roman Catholic home, Myo was drawn to religion and spirituality at an early age and found Zen Buddhism in his teens. He began sitting in 1969 and practiced with many San Francisco Zen Center practitioners and teachers, including Dainin Katigiri-roshi, Kobun Chino-sensei, Yoshimura-sensei, and Issan Dorsey. Myo studied Sanskrit at UC Berkeley for ten years.

During the current health crisis, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. To receive the Meeting ID# and password for each meeting, please Sign Up for our Weekly Emails.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID#
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you “Wait for the host to start the meeting” click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID]
The program will begin at 7 pm with this approximate schedule:
20-minute sitting; 5-minute chant; announcements; then a 30-minute Talk/Discussion, about 1.5 hour total.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID#.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.

Way-seeking Mind Talk, by Brett Gardali (ONLINE)
2020-10-05 19:00 - 20:30
Our Monday night programs begin with zazen (sitting meditation) followed by a devotional service and dharma talk, group discussion, practice circle or retreat night. There are no membership requirements to participate. We invite donations to support the room rental, visits by teachers, and other sangha activities. Valley Streams Zen Sangha is dedicated to the study of Buddha’s teaching and the practice of meditation. We invite newcomers and experienced Zen students to join us.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Half-day Sitting (outdoors), led by So-On Jim Hare
2020-10-10 08:30 - 12:30
After these many months of sitting at home, we have an opportunity to practice together, sitting outside, socially distanced. (Air quality and weather permitting!) This will be a “zazenkai” sitting, meaning a schedule of silent sitting and walking meditation, with no dharma talk. Everyone will be masked and at least 6 feet apart.
Registration is by donation and the number of attendees is limited. Please send an email if you are not already on our email list.

Dharma Talk by So-On Jim Hare (ONLINE)
2020-10-12 19:00 - 20:30

Dharma Talk by Hoka Soko Chris Fortin (ONLINE)
2020-10-19 19:00 - 20:30
This evening we welcome guest teacher, Chris Fortin, a Soto Zen teacher who began practicing Buddhism in 1976 while living at the San Francisco Zen Center. After many years of practice she received Dharma Transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer of Everyday Zen, in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi.

Chris founded Dharma Heart Zen to share the path of wholehearted living and awakening with others. She leads the Dharma Heart Zen Sangha in Cotati and the Woman’s Lotus Sangha in Sebastopol. She is a senior teacher in the Everyday Zen community and leads workshops at SFZC. She is guiding teacher of Sky Island Zen in Tuscon Arizona and leads retreats in ancient Aravaipa Canyon. She was the co- founder of Veterans PATH (formerly Honoring the Path of the Warrior), offering retreats and meditation and mindfulness practices for returning veterans. She offers Jizo Bodhisattva trainings and ceremonies for those who have lost children, loved ones and those who are grieving the pain and suffering of the world. Chris is actively engaged in the dharma of social and racial justice and the climate crisis. She coleads a monthly Racial Literacy and Dharma Group and serves on the Soto Zen Buddhist Association’s Diversity Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (DEIA) Committee.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Dharma Talk or Practice Circle, by Paravrtti Doralee Grindler Katonah (ONLINE)
2020-10-26 19:00 - 20:30

Study Group (ONLINE)
2020-10-29 08:00 - 09:00
During this time of separation, please join us online for our ongoing study of ancient and contemporary texts. The study group is facilitated by Rev. So-On Jim Hare, with readings from Mahayana Buddhism & Soto Zen texts and commentaries.
The group is currently reading The Mountains and Waters Sutra: a Practitioner’s Guide to Dogen’s Sansuikyo by Shohaku Okumura.

To join the Thursday morning study group, email the coordinator, Rollin Ives, twl4148@gmail.com

Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you “Wait for the host to start the meeting” click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.

Meeting ID: 205584902 (the same each week)
At 7:50 am, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/205584902
If you cannot download or run the application, you can join from your browser. (We have not tried this option yet.)

**From your telephone, tap once: +16699006833,,205584902# US (San Jose)
OR
Call 669 900 6833 (San Jose). At the prompt, enter 2005584902
Use these controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = mute/unmute
We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so. You may also enjoy listening to our archived Dharma Talks, or online programs from Hartford Street Zen Center and San Francisco Zen Center.

Dharma Talk by Hozan Alan Senauke (ONLINE)
2020-11-02 19:00 - 20:30
Hozan Alan Senauke is a Soto Zen priest, folk musician and poet residing at the Berkeley Zen Center (BZC) in Berkeley, California, where he currently serves as Vice Abbot. Hozan was ordained and received Dharma Transmission from Sojun Roshi in 1998. As a former Executive Director of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship (BPF), he brings a global perspective on socially-engaged Buddhism and Zen as a force for positive change. He founded the Clear View Project, bringing Buddhist-based resources for relief and social change where they are needed around the world.
Our Monday night programs begin with zazen (sitting meditation) followed by a devotional service and dharma talk, group discussion, practice circle or retreat night. There are no membership requirements to participate. We invite donations to support the room rental, visits by teachers, and other sangha activities. Valley Streams Zen Sangha is dedicated to the study of Buddha’s teaching and the practice of meditation. We invite newcomers and experienced Zen students to join us.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Half-day Sitting, led by So-On Jim Hare
2020-11-07 09:00 - 13:00
Resting the mind in the midst of the habitual activity of thought is the ultimate form of relaxation.

This will be a online sitting with a schedule of sitting and walking meditation and a short Dharma talk by Valley Streams Zen practice leader, Jim Hare. The schedule will include the option to begin sitting early, before joining the group on Zoom, as we did in the September sitting.
Register on Eventbrite.com

Annual Sangha "Brunch" (Virtual)
2020-11-08 10:00 - 12:00
Bring your coffee or tea and a pastry and spend a relaxed Sunday morning catching up with Sangha friends, hearing the latest news from VSZS Board members, and sharing your ideas!
President Doralee will review the past year’s events and Treasurer Larry Smith will present the Sangha’s financial report. We will assemble in our Zoom cubicles and in breakout rooms to more easily talk about what has been and what could be for our sangha in the coming year.
• Register on Eventbrite

Dharma Talk by guest teacher Susan Moon (ONLINE)
2020-11-09 19:00 - 20:30
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.

Our Monday night programs begin with zazen (sitting meditation) followed by a devotional service and dharma talk, group discussion, practice circle or retreat night. There are no membership requirements to participate. We invite donations to support the room rental, visits by teachers, and other sangha activities. Valley Streams Zen Sangha is dedicated to the study of Buddha’s teaching and the practice of meditation. We invite newcomers and experienced Zen students to join us.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Dharma Talk by So-On Jim Hare (ONLINE)
2020-11-16 19:00 - 20:30
So-On Jim Hare serves as head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984, and was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985. He served as Head Student at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period. He was priest ordained by Myo Lahey in 2016.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Dharma Talk by Rev. Myo Lahey (ONLINE)
2020-11-23 19:00 - 20:30
Rev. Myo Lahey, Abbot of Hartford Street Zen Center in San Francisco and our guiding teacher, will offer the Dharma talk this evening. Myo has previously served as head of practice (Tanto) at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He is a Dharma heir of Tenshin Reb Anderson. Raised in an observant Roman Catholic home, Myo was drawn to religion and spirituality at an early age and found Zen Buddhism in his teens. He began sitting in 1969 and practiced with many San Francisco Zen Center practitioners and teachers, including Dainin Katigiri-roshi, Kobun Chino-sensei, Yoshimura-sensei, and Issan Dorsey. Myo studied Sanskrit at UC Berkeley for ten years.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Rohatsu Sesshin (online), led by So-On Jim Hare
2020-11-29 19:00 - 20:45
Welcome and orientation for Rohatsu Sesshin offered via Zoom.
Rohatsu sesshin is a time for bringing light into the dark time of the year and celebrating Buddha’s awakening, which is our awakening too. This Rohatsu will be on Zoom and will have a very different format. It will last a full week, but we’ll be sitting only the morning and evening periods, Sunday, Nov. 29 – Friday Dec. 4. On Saturday, Dec. 5, we will offer a full day sitting. We’ll close out the week on Sunday, Dec. 6, with morning zazen, a Dharma talk and ceremony. Our regular programs, on Monday and Thursday, will proceed online as usual.
Sun. – Fri. Sesshin Schedule
Sat. & Sun. Sesshin Schedule
*Please contact Jim Hare at info@valleystreamszen.org to sign up.

Rohatsu Sesshin (morning schedule)
2020-11-30 06:00 - 07:15
Rohatsu sesshin is a time for bringing light into the dark time of the year and celebrating Buddha’s awakening, which is our awakening too. This Rohatsu will be on Zoom and will have a very different format. It will last a full week, but we’ll be sitting only the morning and evening periods, Sunday, Nov. 29 – Friday Dec. 4. On Saturday, Dec. 5, we will offer a full day sitting. We’ll close out the week on Sunday, Dec. 6, with morning zazen, a Dharma talk and ceremony. Our regular programs, on Monday and Thursday, will proceed online as usual.
*Please contact Jim Hare at info@valleystreamszen.org for further information.
Sun. – Fri. Sesshin Schedule
Sat. & Sun. Sesshin Schedule
Chants for Rohatsu Sesshin

Dharma Talk by So-On Jim Hare
2020-11-30 19:00 - 20:30
So-On Jim Hare serves as head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984, and was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985. He served as Head Student at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period. He was priest ordained by Myo Lahey in 2016.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer or smart phone, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone with audio only:

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Rohatsu Sesshin (evening schedule)
2020-12-01 17:00 - 20:45

Rohatsu Sesshin (modified evening schedule)
2020-12-03 19:30 - 20:45

Rohatsu Sesshin, One-day Sitting (online)
2020-12-05 06:00 - 20:45
Rohatsu sesshin is a time for bringing light into the dark time of the year and celebrating Buddha’s awakening, which is our awakening too.
Our Rohatsu is on Zoom this year and has a very different format. It will last a full week, but we’ll be sitting just the morning and evening periods, Sunday through Friday. On Saturday, December 5 we have a full day sitting, and we’ll close out the week with Sunday morning zazen, Dharma talk and ceremony.
Sat. & Sun. Sesshin Schedule
Chants for Rohatsu Sesshin

Rohatsu Sesshin - (closing program)
2020-12-06 09:00 - 11:30
Last day of sesshin with morning zazen, a Dharma talk, and closing ceremony.
Sat. & Sun. Sesshin Schedule
Chants for Rohatsu Sesshin

Practice Circle, led by Paravrtti Doralee Grindler Katonah (ONLINE)
2020-12-07 19:00 - 20:30
The Three Treasures are the foundation of the Practice Circle: (1) the Oneness of Buddha, (2) the Diversity of Dharma, (3) the Harmony of Sangha. The circle itself is a container for being in the present, manifesting just as we are in the truth of the moment.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Introduction to Zen Meditation - ONLINE
2020-12-14 17:45 - 18:30
On the second Monday of each month, we offer a 40-minute introduction to Zen practice. For now, we are offering the instruction online, using using Zoom video conferencing software. We focus on the art of sitting meditation, with emphasis on posture, breath and mental focus. This is for new meditators and those wishing to refresh their practice of meditative immersion.
If you are not already on our mailing list, please sign up for Weekly Emails to receive the Zoom Meeting ID and password for this meeting.

Dharma Talk by So-On Jim Hare (ONLINE)
2020-12-14 19:00 - 20:30
So-On Jim Hare serves as Tanto, or head of practice. He lived in the San Francisco Zen Center community from 1980 to 1984, and was lay ordained by Tenshin Reb Anderson in 1985. He served as Head Student at Green Gulch Farm during the spring 2002 practice period. He was priest ordained by Myo Lahey in 2016.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Morning Zazen & Service
2020-12-17 06:00 - 07:30
Please join us for early morning silent meditation each Thursday before Study Group meeting. Contact Rollin Ives at twl4148@gmail.com for Zoom login and program information.
Schedule:
5:45-Zoom room opens,
6:00-Zazen,
6:30-Walking Meditation,
6:40-Zazen, 7:10-Service

Winter Solstice Celebration (ONLINE)
2020-12-21 19:00 - 20:30
Welcome the new year by celebrating the treasure of sangha with your sangha friends – albeit virtually this year! This will be an evening of sharing poetry, stories, or music, with time to visit in small groups on Zoom.
One and all are welcome!
Program Schedule

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.

*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Retreat Night (ONLINE)
2020-12-28 19:00 - 20:30
On Retreat Night we offer an opportunity to settle into your meditation practice with three 25-minute periods of zazen, interspersed with walking meditation (called kinhin). Turning the light inward we explore the causes of suffering and what can end it. This invitation is extended to everyone.

Our Monday night programs begin with zazen (sitting meditation) followed by a devotional service and dharma talk, group discussion, practice circle or retreat night. There are no membership requirements to participate. We invite donations to support the room rental, visits by teachers, and other sangha activities. Valley Streams Zen Sangha is dedicated to the study of Buddha’s teaching and the practice of meditation. We invite newcomers and experienced Zen students to join us.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 20 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Practice Circle: "Reflecting on the Year Past, and the Year to Come"
2021-01-04 19:00 - 20:30
This evening’s practice circle will be led by our head of practice, So-On Jim Hare.
The Three Treasures are the foundation of the Practice Circle: (1) the Oneness of Buddha, (2) the Diversity of Dharma, (3) the Harmony of Sangha. The circle itself is a container for being in the present, manifesting just as we are in the truth of the moment.
Our Practice Circle Guidelines are adapted from the Zen Center of Los Angeles:
When speaking, we practice speaking from integrity and speak the truth as we know it. We stay focused on our own experience as opposed to taking about others or talking abstractly.
In listening, we try not to interrupt, even with our thoughts. We practice receiving whatever is being offered by another without attachments or judgements.
In silence, we allow all things to arise and pass away, accepting and honoring different expressions and perspectives. We sit with our discomfort.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we will meet online using Zoom video conferencing software. We will continue to monitor local health advisories regarding group meetings. We of course hope to be able to resume our in-person programs as soon as it is safe to do so.
*To join the meeting by computer, you must install Zoom software:

Sign Up for Weekly Emails to receive each Meeting ID and Password.
Prior to the meeting, download the free Zoom Client for Meetings (13 MB) As you Wait for the host to start the meeting click the Test Computer Audio button to make sure you can hear and be heard by others.
Download the chants in PDF.
At 6:50 pm, join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
The program will begin at 7pm with this approximate schedule: 30 minute sitting; 5 minute chant; announcements; then a 30-40 minute Talk/Discussion.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
The one tap string of numbers are included in the Weekly Email.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute
