Valley Streams Zen Sangha

Allowing Emptiness to Fill the Page: a Sitting & Writing Retreat with Beth Jacobs (online)
2021-06-05 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
This workshop will be dedicated to writing practices that honor the Buddhist path. We will practice techniques that illustrate the overlap between mindfulness training and expressive writing. Using material from the Abhidharma, Mahayana sutras and writings of Eihei Dogen, we will demonstrate how personal writing can enrich our study of the dharma and provide a space where teachings can come to life in our creativity.
Beth Jacobs is a writer, transmitted lay teacher in the Soto Zen Buddhist lineage, and a clinical psychologist in private practice. She is the author of The Original Buddhist Psychology; Long Shadows of Practice, Poems; and A Buddhist Journal: Guided Practices for Writers and Meditators. She facilitates expressive writing groups for children, teenagers, and grandparents. She has taught Abhidharma classes at several sanghas and has co-taught “Abhidhamma and Buddhist Thought” through the Mid-American Buddhist Association and the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka.
Register on Eventbrite.com
Tickets: $20-$60 (or an amount that is right for you.)
For questions, email Doralee at grindkaton@icloud.com

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

Register for the retreat to receive the 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.
Join the meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/[Meeting ID],[Password]
A detailed schedule will be emailed to those who are registered.

*To join by telephone (audio only):

Dial 669 900 6833 (San Jose) and follow voice prompts for entering the Meeting ID and password.
Phone Controls: *9 = Raise hand; *6 = Mute/unmute

Annual Sangha Meeting - on ZOOM
2021-10-24 10:30 - 12:00 | 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
It’s a virtual event!
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, meeting our two new Board members, adventuring into an ice-breaker game, and sharing ideas!
President Doralee will review events of the past year, 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

Sejiki Ceremony (in-person & online)
2021-11-01 19:00 - 21:00 | 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Our Sejiki, or food-offering, ceremony is an opportunity to call forth the spirits of those who have passed this way before, offering them solace and acknowledging our ongoing connection to them.
If you would like the name of a loved one who has died during the past year, recited in the ceremony, please send the full name of that person (and pronunciation) to info@valleystreamszen.org.
All are welcome.

Our Monday night programs begin with zazen (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.

Jukai Ceremony
2021-11-14 13:30 - 15:30 | 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
The ceremony of Jukai consists in receiving the precepts of the Bodhisattva and, by doing so, takes refuge in the three treasures: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.

Winter Solstice Celebration (in person and online)
2021-12-20 19:00 - 21:00 | 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Welcome the new year by celebrating the treasure of sangha with your sangha friends. This will be an evening of sharing poetry, stories, and music.

Our Monday night programs begin with zazen (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.

POSTPONED to May 1 - Buddha's Birthday Celebration
2022-04-16 10:30 - 14:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
This event has been moved to Sunday, May 1 at the Dharma Center.

Buddha's Birthday Celebration & Family Picnic (in person)
2022-05-01 10:30 - 14:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Join the sangha and their families at the Dharma Center for a celebration of Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth and to honor his mother, Queen Maya, who died shortly after his birth. We will ceremoniously bathe the baby Buddha; then have a dramatic reading of Norman Fischer’s Buddha’s Birthday poem.
• Bring a picnic lunch and drinks for your family. Cupcakes will be provided for dessert.
• 10:30 am – 2:00 pm
• REGISTER on EVENTBRITE.COM (If you registered before the date/location change, you do not need to register again.)

Dharma Art Day: Zazen and SoulCollage® with Alexa Singer-Telles (in person)
2022-06-04 13:00 - 17:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Preparing a Sincere Offering to the Three Treasures: A Creative Exploration of Dogen’s Instructions for the Cook

Please join us for a day of mindful practice to explore Dogen’s teachings for cooking your life in a creative and experiential way. It is said that “bodhicitta is born of the smallest offering made with sincerity.” In our time together we will practice cultivating the mind of love by combining the ingredients of zazen, SoulCollage®, guided writing practice, collaboration, and ritual. Please bring your open heart, imagination and curiosity to see what unfolds in this transformational process. Our offerings will be honored in a closing ceremony.
The SoulCollage® process was developed by Seena B. Frost, M.Div. as a mixture of joyful art play and as a healing guide using the potentiality of images and symbols to access our own innate wisdom through journaling and sharing.
Alexa Singer-Telles, True Silent Action, is a dharmacharya (teacher) in the Plum Village tradition, receiving Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh in 2014. She is the guiding teacher for several sanghas in California, Washington, Oregon and Calgary. She co-founded the River Oak Sangha in Redding, and led it for 30 years. She is a practicing psychotherapist, certified facilitator of SoulCollage® groups, and women’s spiritual ceremonialist. She recently founded the MotherRoot Sangha. Inspired by studying our Buddhist women ancestors, she aspires to be an old woman of no rank.
You don’t need artistic skill to attend this event, but you do need to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Mask wearing is optional and will be supported.
Register on Eventbrite.com Event Flyer

BIPOC Sangha Meeting with Rhonda V. Magee (Online)
2022-09-11 16:15 - 18:00 | ONLINE via Zoom
BIPOC Sangha is pleased to welcome Professor Rhonda Magee for “Reflections on Engaged Mindfulness: The Inner Work of Confronting Social Injustice in a Time of Distress”
*This program is for BIPOC practitioners.

REGISTER FOR THIS ONLINE PROGRAM
Rhonda Magee, MA, JD has dedicated her life to healing and teaching that inspires personal, interpersonal and collective transformation. Professor of Law at University of San Francisco since 2004, her teachings support compassionate conflict engagement and management, holistic problem-solving to alleviate suffering, presence-based leadership and humanizing approaches to education. A trained mindfulness teacher, she demonstrates the merit of embodied meditation allied with the disciplines of study and community engagement. A Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, she is also a guest teacher and has held senior leadership positions with several international mindfulness organizations. Author of numerous articles and book chapters, her first book, The lnner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities through Mindfulness, was published in 2019.

⇒ Rhonda Magee will also be guest teacher on Monday, September 12, 7-9 PM at Valley Streams Zen Sangha.

Reflections on Engaged Mindfulness with Rhonda V. Magee (Hybrid)
2022-09-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Rhonda Magee, MA, JD joins us on zoom with reflections on the inner work of confronting social injustice in a time of distress. She is an internationally recognized educator, author, and practice leader, focused on integrating mindfulness into social change. She draws from Buddhist teachings, law and legal history, weaving together storytelling, poetry, analysis and practices. A trained mindfulness teacher, Rhonda Magee demonstrates the merit of embodied meditation.
Professor Magee has dedicated her life to healing and teaching that inspire personal, interpersonal and collective transformation. Professor of Law at University of San Francisco since 2004, her teachings support compassionate conflict engagement and management, holistic problem-solving to alleviate suffering, presence-based leadership and humanizing approaches to education.
This event is co-sponsored with BIPOC Sangha-Sacramento, an affiliate of Sacramento Buddhist Meditation Group (SBMG).

The zendo opens at 6:50 pm.
Zoom link for this program: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82008151977
Tonight’s chant: Zenju Earthlyn Manuel’s “Loving Kindness Meditation – For All Beings”
Donations for Professor Magee may be sent via Paypal to rvmagee@usfca.edu

Jukai Ceremony (Hybrid)
2022-10-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
The ceremony of Jukai consists in receiving the precepts of the Bodhisattva and, by doing so, takes refuge in the three treasures: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. It is the ceremony for lay ordination.
Preceptor Rev. Myo Lahey, together with So’on Jim Hare, will convey the precepts to sangha members Brendan O’Brien and Tony Wallin-Sato. A reception will follow the ceremony.
The Jukai ceremony and reception is an in-person event with a Zoom option. Masking is optional, but please be vaccinated and boosted for Covid 19.
• The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83950936011.

Annual Meeting Celebrating 20 Years of Valley Streams Zen Sangha (In-person)
2022-11-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Join Valley Streams Sangha Board of Directors for a Sunday potluck brunch to celebrate Valley Streams’ 20th Anniversary. Spouses, partners, friends and family—are all invited. Gather at 10 am to share a meal and each others’ company. After a fun social mixer, President Doralee Grindler Katonah will introduce the 2022-2023 Board and give a report on the state of the sangha. Tanto Jim Hare and other long-time sangha members will share memories and reflect on Valley Streams Zen Sangha’s 20 years.
RSVP via Eventbrite. An email confirmation will confirm your potluck contribution.

Winter Solstice Celebration (Hybrid)
2022-12-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Celebrate the winter solstice with your sangha friends.
After a 35 minute meditation and service, we will gather to entertain each other on this long winter night with instruments, song, favorite poetry new and old, stories and skits. Bring your creativity and share your hidden talents.
*Zoom link for this program: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82008.151977

Inter-Sangha Jizo Ceremony (In person)
2023-04-22 13:00 - 16:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Jizo is the beloved Great Bodhisattva found within many Buddhist traditions, who carries us across the threshold of death and loss and safely accompanies us through the ‘hell zones’ of deep suffering.
Especially honored in Japan, Jizo (also known as ‘Earth Store’ or ‘Earth Womb’) brings to us the qualities of courage, fearlessness, and tenderness needed to enter into our experiences of grief and loss and to open our hearts to the mystery of life and death.
This will be a sacred time for us to come together to acknowledge and remember the death of someone dear to us or another kind of significant loss, whether recent or from long ago. We will take refuge in the safe container of our shared presence with each other for the sake of our healing.
We will be introduced to this ceremony by our facilitator and then in silence we will create hand-made offerings for our loved ones. In a ceremony of remembrance we will honor their lives and our relationship with them. We will complete the ceremony with a processional into our garden to offer prayer flag messages for the dying and for ourselves as we continue to live our lives.
In this sacred space we will together turn towards the complexity of grief and discover the strength that arises when we embrace our interconnectedness with all beings.
Register on Eventbrite.
Everyone is welcome and there is no fee. Donations offered will be given to the Susan Orr Memorial Garden.
For further information contact: Doralee Grindler Katonah at grindkaton@icloud.com
This ceremony has been brought to us from Japan by Yvonne Rand and Jan Chosen-Bays and transmitted to Chris Forten and Sarah Emerson (all transmitted Zen Priests). Rev. Paravrtti Doralee Grindler Katonah will lead this fourth inter-sangha event. She has had two years of training in preparation for guiding this ceremony.
Rev. Paravrtti Doralee Grindler Katonah serves as Ino, or head of the meditation hall for Valley Streams Zen Sangha. She studies in the Soto Zen lineage with Sojun Diane Martin, founder and guiding teacher of Udumbara Zen Center in Illinois and Rev. Val Szymanski, Head Priest of Bamboo in the Wind Zen Sangha in California. She was lay ordained in 2008 and priest ordained in 2019. She served as head student for the Spring practice period at Bamboo in the Wind Zen Sangha in May 2022..

Half-day Sit led by Rev. So'on Jim Hare & Buddha's Birthday Celebration
2023-05-06 08:30 - 12:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Rev. So’on Jim Hare will lead a half-day sit in the morning with a special service at noon for the ceremonial washing of the Baby Buddha statue and the chanting of the Buddha’s Birthday Eko in gratitude for Queen Maya’s sacrifice.
Buddha’s birthday is celebrated in Japan on April 8th. In south and southeast Asia it is celebrated as Vesak or Buddha Day on May 5th. We will celebrate on May 6th, to honor the life of our original teacher in India, Shakyamuni Buddha. You are welcome and invited to join this sitting and ceremony. During the latter, we will chant the Heart Sutra and bathe the Baby Buddha. Please bring a lunch to enjoy with your Dharma friends following the ceremony. Birthday cake will be provided.
You are welcome to join the sangha at noon just for the service without participating in the half-day sit.
Register on Eventbrite.

Shukke Tokudo Ceremony for Clement Spring (Hybrid)
2023-06-03 14:00 - 16:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Come, monk*
The ceremony of Shukke Tokudo consists in receiving the precepts of the Bodhisattva and, by doing so, taking refuge in the three treasures: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. It is the ceremony for priest ordination. Preceptor Rev. Kyōshō Valorie Beer will convey the precepts to sangha member Clement Spring and will ordain him as a Soto Zen priest in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi. All are invited.

Download Invitation RSVP at 775.636.4814 or springcj@att.net

*calligraphy by Shunryu Suzuki

Memorial Service for Kyōji Linda Dekker (Hybrid)
2023-07-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Kyōji Linda Dekker
Kyōji Linda Dekker was a founder of Valley Streams Zen Sangha and of the Sacramento Dharma Center. She served on the Boards of SBMG, Valley Streams, and the Dharma Center and incorporated all three organizations as nonprofits. Linda served on the Sacramento Dharma Center Board for over 8 years, through the entire process of inception, fundraising and locating the Wissemann Drive property we now occupy. She also served on the SDC Art and Design Committee, helping to transform the building into the pleasing aesthetic we have today. In addition to all of this, Linda served as the first office manager of the Sacramento Dharma Center, stepping down in 2022 when her illness made it infeasible for her to continue. Linda’s service throughout was offered from her great spirit of giving and devotion to the Dharma.In her practice life, Linda became a student of Tenshin Reb Anderson in the late 1990’s. She was lay-ordained by him and practiced in residence at Green Gulch Farm 2001-2002. She served as Ino (head of the meditation hall) for Valley Streams Zen Sangha 2015 – 2018.
Linda passed from this life April 2, 2023 after a long illness, surrounded by friends and family.
Linda is survived by her son Bryn, partner Nuala, and grandchild Parlee, as well as best friends, Gwen Roedel Green, Garry Green, honorary grandson Nathaniel Green, and many close friends, Dharma brothers and sisters.
A reception will follow the service. Bring cookies, a sweet or fruit to share.
View the ceremony via Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89161166483
Download the Program & the Chants.

Practice Talk with Sho Kan Clement Spring (Speaker in-person)
2023-07-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Sho Kan Clement Spring was recently priest ordained to by Rev. Kyosho Valorie Beer. He has served as the treasurer for the Valley Streams Board of Directors and formerly as Head Doan.
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 in the zendo or on zoom.
*Zoom link for this program: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82008151977

Envisioning the Future of SDC and the 3 Sanghas
2023-09-10 12:30 - 17:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Hozan Alan Senauke will lead a discussion on the future among all our sanghas and the Sacramento Dharma Center. Bring your questions, concerns, and thoughts about YOUR vision of the future of the Sacramento Dharma Center. Hozan is also a musician, and as a bonus, promises some musical entertainment!
Hozan Alan Senauke has been an engaged Buddhist activist for many years. He is currently Abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center and was the director of Buddhist Peace Fellowship for many years. Alan was a founder of Think Sangha, a group of writers and intellectuals that are affiliated with the BPF and the International Network of Engaged Buddhists. Think Sangha is a group of individuals who meet to identify some of the most pressing social issues that they feel engaged Buddhists should be addressing. He is also the founder of the Clear View Project, which focuses on social change and relief efforts in Asia, most recently in Burma.

Potluck Brunch and Valley Streams Zen Sangha Annual Meeting (In-person)
2023-10-14 10:00 - 13:00 | CA
Join the Valley Streams for a Sunday potluck brunch and Annual Meeting. Spouses, partners, friends, and family—all are invited. Gather at 10 am to share a meal and each other’s company. After a fun social mixer, President Dave Jarrell will introduce the 2023-2024 Board and give a report on the state of the sangha. We look forward to enjoyable conversations and thoughtful contributions to deepening our Buddhist practice in sangha life.
RSVP via Eventbrite.

Sejiki Ceremony (Hybrid)
2023-10-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Our Sejiki, or food-offering, ceremony is an opportunity to call forth the spirits of those who have passed this way before, offering them solace and acknowledging our ongoing connection to them.
If you would like the name of a loved one who has died during the past year, recited in the ceremony, please send the full name of that person (and pronunciation) to info@valleystreamszen.org.
Please bring bells, cymbals, drums, or other noisemakers with which to call the hungry ghosts into the Dharma Hall to eat our food offerings. Everyone is invited to stay for treats and conversation after the ceremony.
*Click here for zoom link.

Winter Solstice Celebration (Hybrid)
2023-12-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Celebrate the winter solstice with sangha friends.
After a 35-minute meditation and service, we will gather to entertain each other on this long winter night with instruments, song, favorite poetry new and old, stories and skits. Bring your creativity and share your hidden talents. Bring a treat to share after the entertainment.
We offer a Well-Being Ceremony on the third Monday of every month to remember friends, family, neighbors, pets and people of the world who are ill, facing a recent loss, or struggling with some difficulty in their lives. Please send the names of those you wish to be remembered to: Parāvrtti Doralee Grindler Katonah (Ino@valleystreamszen.org) by the Sunday evening prior.
Zoom link to program
Our Monday night programs begin with zazen (sitting meditation) followed by a devotional service and dharma talk, group discussion, or practice circle. 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. If this is your first visit please arrive at least 15 minutes early for a brief orientation.

Welcoming the New Year (In Person)
2023-12-31 19:00 - 21:30 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
On Sunday evening December 31st, we will welcome the New Year at the Dharma Center with a silent sitting, walking meditation, and the traditional ringing of 108 bells. We hope to debut a new Densho bell of unknown provenance, acquired from Japan. The sitting will be from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by a quiet celebration with mock sake and treats. Since Valley Streams Sangha will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day (both Mondays), this will be an opportunity for communal practice during the holidays. This sitting will be open to everyone, with a special invitation to those who regularly practice with other sanghas at the Dharma Center and elsewhere.
Register on Eventbrite

A Buddhist Women’s Retreat (In Person)
2024-03-01 - 2024-03-03 | Green Gulch Farm, 1601 Shoreline Hwy, Muir Beach, CA, 94965, United States
EMBODYING OUR WILD SPIRIT ~ A Buddhist Women’s Retreat at Green Gulch Farm.

Led by: Parāvṛtti Doralee Grindler Katonah, Ino and WaDen EiDo Barbara Baccei, Sensei
Imagine connection, creativity, body practices, deep sharing, and other guided practices.
Rev. Parāvṛtti Doralee Grindler Katonah serves as Ino, or head of the meditation hall. She studied in the Soto Zen lineage with Sojun Diane Martin, founder and guiding teacher of Udumbara Zen Center in Illinois and Rev. Val Szymanski, Head Priest of Bamboo in the Wind Zen Center in Sunnyvale, California. She was lay ordained in 2008 and priest ordained in 2019. She served as head student for the Spring practice period at Bamboo in the Wind Zen Sangha in May 2022. She offers Practice Interviews upon request.
WaDen, an ordained Soto Zen Teacher, received Lay Entrustment from Kyōshō Valorie Beer Roshi. She is also a Soto Zen sewing teacher lineage holder of Suzuki Roshi. An alignment-focused yoga teacher, she is a graduate of the Berkeley Yoga Room Teacher Training. A contemplative artist and book artist, she works on paper and fabric embellished with findings from the natural world.
This retreat is now full.

Sangha Picnic and Hike (In Person)
2024-03-24 10:00 - 14:00 | Cache Creek Nature Preserve, County Road 20, Woodland, CA, 95695, United States
Join the sangha for a private guided tour and a picnic lunch at the Cache Creek Nature Preserve. Cache Creek Nature Preserve is a 130-acre complex of wetlands, oak woodlands, grasslands, and creekside lands located outside of Woodland. The site is home to two unique features: the Tending and Gathering Garden (TGG) and the Jan T. Lowrey Memorial Grove. The Nature Preserve has about 1.5 miles of trails through the grasslands, oak savanna, and by the wetlands. The riparian area bordering the Lower Cache Creek has been maintained in a natural state with willows and cottonwood trees shading the trail that winds along the southern edge of the Nature Preserve.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about the Native American stewardship of this land and share time with each other in this special place.
To learn more and reserve you spot on the tour see Eventbrite.

Jukai Ceremony (In Person)
2024-04-20 14:00 - 16:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
The ceremony of Jukai consists in receiving the precepts of the Bodhisattva and, by doing so, takes refuge in the three treasures: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. It is the ceremony for lay ordination.
Preceptor Rev. Myō Lahey, together with So’on Jim Hare, will convey the precepts to sangha members Dave Jarrell and Malia McCarthy. A reception will follow the ceremony.

Tassajara Sangha Week (In Person)
2024-05-24 - 2024-05-28 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States

SDC Intersangha Library Cataloguing Party (In Person)
2024-06-22 10:00 - 15:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
If you are a Dharma bibliophile (and even if you are not) join us to create an internet accessible catalogue of SDC’s Buddhist book collection. Bring your own computing device (laptop, mobile, pad).
Come for the morning (10:00-Noon) or afternoon sessions (1:00 – 3:30), or the whole day. Meditate with fellow SBMG, SIM and VSZS sangha members and share a potluck lunch.
R.S.V.P. to Jody Ansell at joaansell@gmail.com

BIPOC Sangha Movie Night Fundraiser (In Person)
2024-07-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
Join SBMG’s BIPOC Sangha for an inspiring movie night as we screen the powerful 2008 film “The Dhamma Brothers.” This event is a special fundraiser hosted by The Sacramento Buddhist Group to support our BIPOC Sangha (Meditation) group. Your generous contributions will help provide class and retreat scholarships for BIPOC practitioners, support visiting BIPOC teachers through dana (donations), and cover general costs incurred by the sangha.
Date & Time: July 19th, 2024 | Doors open 6pm, Screening begins 6:30pm
Location: Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Dr, Sacramento, CA 95826
Suggested Donation: $10-$15 (However no one will be turned away for lack of funds)
About the Film: “The Dhamma Brothers” tells the remarkable story of a group of inmates at a maximum-security prison in Alabama who undergo a transformative journey through the practice of Vipassana meditation. The film offers a profound look at the power of meditation and its ability to bring change in the most unexpected places.
Event Highlights:

Inclusive Community Event: Welcoming BIPOC and allied practitioners to explore diverse perspectives within the dharma.
Refreshments: Enjoy a selection of snacks and drinks.
Support Local Businesses: Take the opportunity to support a few small, local BIPOC businesses that will be present at the event.

This movie night is more than just a film screening; it’s a chance to come together as a community, learn, and support a meaningful cause. Whether you’re a long-time practitioner or new to meditation, this event is open to all. We look forward to seeing you there!
To RSVP, click here.
All funds raised will directly benefit the BIPOC Sangha, helping to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all practitioners. Thank you for your support!

Valley Streams Zen Sangha Annual Meeting (In-person)
2024-10-19 10:00 - 13:00 | Sacramento Dharma Center, Sacramento Dharma Center, 3111 Wissemann Drive, Sacramento, CA, 95826, United States
You are invited to Valley Streams’ Annual Meeting and potluck brunch. Spouses, partners, friends, and family—all are welcome. Gather at 10 a.m. to share a meal and each other’s company. After the brunch, the 2024-2025 Board and officers will be introduced and give a report on the state of the sangha. You will get an update on the Sangha’s financial health, including the Maitreya Fund that was established last year to provide a resource for future Sangha leadership. We look forward to enjoyable conversations and hearing your thoughts about ongoing Sangha activities.
