Author: zenzdragon
-
Tassajara Summer Retreats 2026
Photo by Erin Scott San Francisco Zen Center is pleased to announce that Tassajara will be offering an inspiring array of retreats this summer! These Zen meditation and interdisciplinary arts retreats are geared towards guests who are interested in immersing in practice and nature under the guidance of some of our most established teachers.…
-
if not now
There is a long-held view that at this time of year we should take stock of where we are and where we’re headed. I subscribe to that. It’s a good time to renew our intentions and redirect our actions. In Buddhism, “intention” refers to that part of the Eightfold Path which is called “right intention.”…
-
Food that Brings People Together
By Claire de Chivre, City Center Tenzo (Kitchen Manager) Editor’s Note: The City Center Tenzo (Kitchen Manager) recently began sending out monthly notes from the kitchen to the City Center residents. We’re sharing one here with the wider sangha. This newsletter offers a glimpse into the philosophy, values, and operations of a Zen kitchen,…
-
The Oxygen Mask Principle: Why Self-Care Matters
We’ve all heard the airplane safety instruction: in case of emergency, put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. It’s practical advice for survival at 30,000 feet. It is also one of the most profound lessons for living a sustainable, compassionate life on the ground. Yet so many of us resist this wisdom. We…
-
DELUSIONS ARE ENDLESS, WE VOW TO DROP THEM ALL
31 December 2025 / 1 January 2026 May this bell dispel the delusions of all beings everywhere. Today, as we ring out the old year with the joya no kane ceremony, we are reminded that we live in a dream. The dream of the past, the dream of memory, the dream of attachments, the dream…
-
Simple Mindfulness Techniques for Holiday Balance
The end of the year often brings a whirlwind of activity—holiday gatherings, year-end deadlines, and the pressure to finish strong. Amidst the chaos, mindfulness becomes not just a practice, but a necessity for maintaining balance and inner peace. Why Year-End Mindfulness Matters As we rush toward the new year, it’s easy to lose ourselves in…
-
LET ZAZEN BE YOUR SOLSTICE
Richard Reishin Collins Stone Nest Dojo, Sewanee 14 December 2025 People sometimes ask why we sit in zazen twice. Robert Livingston would have said, “because that’s what we do.” Which is a fine answer! Still, I’d like to elaborate on that. We once tried for a while to have three sittings of twenty minutes each…