San Francisco Zen Center Dharma Talks

Kindness and Oneness

Given by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler at Green Gulch Farm on August 23rd, 2026 Jiryu Rutschman-Byler reflects on Suzuki Roshi’s encouragement to “not lose these points: how to

Spiritual Friendship & Dharma Friends

Given by Odo Ellen Simpson at City Center on August 19th, 2026 Odo Ellen Simpson explores the nature of spiritual friendship in the context of Buddhist life is a suppor

The Gift of Attention

Given by Dan Zigmond at City Center on August 13th, 2026 Dan Zigmond explores attention itself as a form of generosity: dana, the first of the Buddhist perfections and,

Cleaning Our Environment/Cleaning Our Mind

Given by Kika Susan Hellein at Green Gulch Farm on August 9th, 2026 Kika Hellein discusses the relationship between interior and external realities.

Heart-Teachings of a No-Good, Lazy Monk

Given by Jan Willis at Green Gulch Farm on August 2nd, 2026 Dr. Jan Willis discusses the life of eighth-century poet and philosopher, Shantideva, and what it can teach

Attention: Practice to Benefit the World

Given by Eijun Linda Cutts at Green Gulch Farm on July 26th, 2026 Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts explores how caring with wholehearted attention to what is before us and within

Turning the Light Around to Illuminate the Light

Given by Tenzen David Zimmerman at City Center on July 25th, 2026 Central Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman offers three analogies related to light as supportive practices f

Joy and Responsibility in Zen

Given by Doshin Dan Gudgel at City Center on July 22nd, 2026 Doshin Dan Gudgel explores joy as a fuel for practice and shares a practice for connecting with joy during

Nothing Wasted

Given by So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson at Green Gulch Farm on July 19th, 2026 So-on Eli Brown-Stevenson explores a practice that rejects nothing, wastes nothing, and reveal

We Are Buddhas and Ancestors

Given by Odo Ellen Simpson at City Center on July 18th, 2026 Odo Ellen Simpson explores the depth and complexity of Soto Zen ancestor practice in the context of monasti

When A Buddha Breaks

Given by Tenzen David Zimmerman at Green Gulch Farm on July 12th, 2026 Central Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman speaks to the loss felt by the fire that destroyed the Tassa

Honoring My Teacher

Given by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho at City Center on July 11th, 2026 Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho shares the experience of being a student and learning from a Zen teache

Returning and the Settled Self

Given by Horin Nancy Petrin at City Center on July 8th, 2026 Horin Nancy Petrin reflects on the ‘settled self’ inspired by Suzuki Roshi’s lecture ‘Be Kind with Yourself

To Shine One Corner

Given by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler at Green Gulch Farm on July 5th, 2026 Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler shares some of Suzuki Roshi’s views on WWII, America and Japanese natio

Taste The Truth

Given by Shundo David Haye at City Center on July 1st, 2026 Shundo David Haye reflects on the role and value of practice in imbuing us with inner integrity, in this age

The Dharma of Demi-Girls

Given by Shoren Heather Iarusso at Green Gulch Farm on June 28th, 2026 Shōren Heather Iarusso explores the intersection of Buddhism, gender fluidity and the PRIDE movem

Holding It All

Given by Jisho Lisa Beth Hoffman at City Center on June 27th, 2026 td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;} Jisho Lisa Beth Hoffman, in this

The Gulch, the Valley, as the Embodiment of Silent Illumination

Given by Guo Gu at Green Gulch Farm on June 21st, 2026 td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;} Chan Teacher Guo Gu speaks of the significanc

The Historical-Political Rise of Silent Illumination, Shikantaza, and the Embodied Experiencing of this Practice

Given by Guo Gu at City Center on June 16th, 2026

Zazen Sits Zazen for the Welfare of the World

Given by Nyokai Kristin Diggs at Green Gulch Farm on June 14th, 2026 Nyokai Kristin Diggs talks about zazen as a practice of realizing the non-separation of body and mi