Jody Ansell started meditating in 2008 with One Drop Rinzai Zen’s Water Moon Sangha. She has been sitting with Valley Streams since 2014. She is retired, a hiking and biking enthusiast, and a poet. Jody serves on the Valley Streams Board of Directors. Each of us has come to Zen practice as a seeker, with […]
Rev. 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, and was priest ordained by Rev. Myo Lahey […]
Joining us this evening is Reverend Mary Mocine, abbess of Clear Water Zendo in Vallejo. She was trained at San Francisco and Berkeley Zen Centers, and Tassajara Zen Monastery. She was ordained in 1994 by Sojun Mel Weitsman, former Abbot of San Francisco Zen Center and continuing Abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. Reverend Mocine […]
The theme of this sitting is the essay Zenki (the Whole Works), Zen master Dogen's vision of realization manifested in both life and death Guest teacher Kokyo Henkel will lead this one-day retreat, which will include alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, punctuated by morning and afternoon Dharma talks and discussion. The theme of […]
This evening’s practice will be zazen (sitting mediation), kinhin (walking meditation), zazen, followed by a memorial service for Kyoji Linda Dekker. Linda passed from this life at 10 p.m. Sunday night after a long illness, surrounded by friends and family. She was a founder of Valley Streams Zen Sangha and a founder of the Sacramento Dharma Center. She […]
Rev. Ganbō Berry Crawford will speak on "The Science of Zen." Rev. Crawford has been a Zen practitioner since 1992. In the mid 90's he lived for a year at a Soto Zen monastery and afterwards practiced with Diane Rizzetto in Charlotte Joko Beck's Ordinary Mind Zen School. He is a fully ordained priest in […]
Rev. 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, and was priest ordained by Rev. Myo Lahey […]
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 […]
Rev. Parāvṛtti Doralee Grindler Katonah will present a dharma talk in person at the Dharma Center. She 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 […]
Rev. Myō Lahey, Valley Streams' guiding teacher, joins us online via Zoom from Hartford Street Zen Center in San Francisco, where he is Abbot. He previously served as Practice Leader at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He is a Dharma heir of Tenshin Reb Anderson. Our Monday night programs are hybrid beginning with zazen (sitting meditation) […]
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 […]
Dōan-ryo are the group of people who serve the sangha in temple roles including the dōan, the fukudo, the chiden, the jiko, and the kokyo. They meet bi-monthly after the Saturday half-day sit to rehearse for upcoming ceremonies.