Tag: peakperformance
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A Letter to the Sangha: Abbot Mako on Skillful Action
Dear Sangha, As I sit at my desk at Tassajara—a place beloved by myself and so many others—and watch the evening light cast flickering shadows across the tatami floor of the Abbot’s cabin, I feel deeply grateful to be right here. From this seat, I am in harmony with the ancient oaks, the sound…
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The Presence of Poetry in Our Lives: A Conversation with Paul Haller and Naomi Shihab Nye
Ryushin Paul Haller and Naomi Shihab Nye By Tova Green Poet Naomi Shihab Nye and SFZC Senior Dharma teacher Ryushin Paul Haller will co-host A Benefit for Gaza: Writers Witness for Peace on May 18, 4 pm at City Center, 300 Page Street. Naomi and ten writers of diverse faiths and backgrounds will read…
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History of Qigong: The Small Universe (or Microcosmic Orbit)
The Small Universe. The Microcosmic Orbit. The Small Circulation. Believe it or not, all three of these terms are translations of the same Chinese qigong technique, called Xiao Zhou Tian (小周天). If you want to hear a native speaker, who may or may not also be a robot, pronounce the words in Mandarin, click here…
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13 Reasons Why the Small Universe (Microcosmic Orbit) is Awesome
The Small Universe (Microcosmic Orbit) is awesome. Whether you’re an intermediate or advanced practitioner, this technique has something profound to offer. Let’s dive into why it’s more relevant today than ever. The Small Universe is a powerful and ancient qigong technique. I’ve written several blog posts about it, and this will be another in that…
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Jukai Ceremony at City Center on April 19
From L to R: Margaret Coad, Elliot Mercer, Jisan Tova Green, Shosan Victoria Austin, Anshi Zachary Smith, Benchi Tangde and Sherwin Yu. Photo by Shundo David Haye. Congratulations to the initiates who received the precepts in a Jukai Ceremony at SFZC’s City Center on April 19th. Receiving the precepts from Shosan Victoria Austin: Benchi…
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How to Inhabit a Life: An Interview with Tatsudo Nicole Baden
Photo by Jürgen Frank By Tova Green Tatsudo Nicole Baden recently spoke with me about her path to Zen, her initial meeting with Richard Baker Roshi, and what her focus is now as a Zen teacher and Abbot. She will be giving a Dharma talk at City Center on May 14 and at Green…
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Healing Through Surrender: Try This Meditation
Many qigong students experience a frustrating paradox: The more desperate you are to heal, the longer it takes. I’ve experienced this frustration myself in my own healing journey, and it breaks my heart when I see my students going through the same thing. In this article, and the accompanying meditation below, I’m hoping to shift…
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Metta Meditation: Unlocking the Power of Loving Kindness
Yes, this is AI generated, but I think it’s pretty good! For years, I’ve taught a powerful and ancient tool that sometimes gets overlooked – Metta Meditation, also known as Loving Kindness Meditation. This practice, rooted in ancient Buddhist traditions, is a game changer, especially when combined with qigong and tai chi. In this post,…
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Greens’ Chef Katie Reicher on Her New Cookbook and Her Journey to Greens
By Tova Green Katie Reicher, Executive Chef at Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, has published her first cookbook, Seasons of Greens. Katie is Greens’ fourth Executive Chef (all of them women) since it was founded in 1979. Cooking has been an important part of Katie’s life since childhood. “I grew up in a huge,…
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Celebrating Recent Shusos at SFZC
Photo by Shundo David Haye. There have been several Shusos at SFZC since early 2024, when we last ran a feature on them. Please see below to get up to date on our four newest Shusos. Warm wishes and congratulations to all! Senior Dharma Teacher Eijun Linda Ruth Cutts (l) and Shuso Nyokai Shindo Kristin…