In this Dharma poem we hear how to build a thatched hut and to practice zazen by turning the light around. Our daylong retreat will focus on the classic Zen poem, Song Of The Thatched Hermitage by our lineage ancestor Shitou, who also wrote the Sandokai or the Harmony of Difference and Equality. There will […]
On the second Monday of each month, we offer a 40-minute introduction to Zen practice. 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. Following the instruction the Valley Streams Zen Sangha meets […]
Be part of our Sangha of Embodied Women Co-creating Our Future. Our weekend together at Green Gulch Farm will include dharma teachings, meditation, mindfulness practice, yoga, conversation and sharing, communal living and eating. There will be generous free time for walking in nature or whatever your heart desires. Plus, the merriment of art making and […]
Our practice of observing thoughts and feelings without getting involved in them cultivates the mind of equality. As we go through life, we learn that it is not possible to control circumstances so that everything always goes smoothly; not possible to make it so that there are never any deviations from our plans, our hopes, […]
On the second Monday of each month, we offer a 40-minute introduction to Zen practice. 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. Following the instruction the Valley Streams Zen Sangha meets […]
We create nests of being that call for release for our true nature to freely engage our everyday lives. Come practice together. The theme of this one-day retreat will be a discussion of the koan, “If you don’t swing the sword, the fisherperson stays in the nest.” (68 Jiashan “Swinging the Sword”, Book of Serenity.) […]
On the second Monday of each month, we offer a 40-minute introduction to Zen practice. 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. Following the instruction the Valley Streams Zen Sangha meets […]
On the second Monday of each month, we offer a 40-minute introduction to Zen practice. 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. Following the instruction the Valley Streams Zen Sangha meets […]
In zazen, we rest awake in the boundless silence and stillness that invisibly nourishes and sustains our everyday, active lives. The mind holds the body, and the body holds the mind, in deeply habitual ways. In zazen (just sitting with nothing to get ahold of and nothing to get away from – in complete acceptance), […]
After 2 opening periods of zazen, followed by morning service, we will offer Doan training for anyone who would like to strike the bells (the doan), play the wooden fish or mokugyo (the fukudo), or intone the sutra title and dedication (eko) of the service (the kokyo). Participants don’t have to commit to future service […]
On the second Monday of each month, we offer a 40-minute introduction to Zen practice. 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. Following the instruction the Valley Streams Zen Sangha meets […]
On August 15, the Sacramento Dharma Center is marking 10 years of providing a home for Buddha’s wisdom and compassion in our community. To celebrate this milestone, we invite you to join us for an ice cream social and birthday party at the Dharma Center from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. We will also be […]