The SFZC Audio Archive

12/17/2025, Shundo David Haye, dharma talk at City Center. Shundo reflects on two recent deaths in his family, and what our practice can teach us about facing death and cherishing life.  The talk reflects on personal encounters with death and impermanence, discussing how Zen practice encourages engagement with these concepts. Key themes include the necessity of cherishing life, the acceptance of mortality, and...

12/07/2025, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Abbot Jiryu Rutschman-Byler reflects on a line from the Song of the Trusting Mind, “If you want the Way to manifest, then hold no opinion for or against,... The talk examines the phrase "If you want the Way to manifest, then hold no opinion for or against" from the Song of the Trusting Mind, while integrating five aspects of practice derived from Suzuki Roshi's...

Hiro Ikushima reflects on gratitude, suffering, and the Zen practice of “just sitting.” Through stories of kindness, mistakes, competition, and retreat, this talk explores how letting go of ego and clinging opens a... The talk explores the theme of gratitude, particularly in the context of Zen practice, leading into the Rohatsu Sesshin meditation retreat. It discusses the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, emphasizing meditation as a...

11/16/2025, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm.Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho teaches that sometimes it is necessary to be for or against but there is a broader context in which this is not always necessary.... The talk focuses on the concept of "arising in unimaginable awareness" and emphasizes the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence inherent in life, exemplified through stories and experiences in Zen practice....

11/02/2025, Gyokuden Stephanie Blank, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Gyokuden Stephanie Blank honors the effort and awakening of our ancestors and calls on us—the living—to rise up in support of Decency, Dignity and... The talk reflects on the importance of honoring ancestors and practicing ethical discipline, delving into Zen teachings that emphasize awakening together and supporting decency and dignity. The narrative weaves in personal...

Serial: SF-12392 Talk by Sessei Meg Levie at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-10-26 The talk focuses on the impact of Suzuki Roshi's teachings and the establishment of Zen practice in America, particularly through the founding of the San Francisco Zen Center. It highlights Suzuki Roshi's journey from Japan to...

Serial: SF-12408 Koji Vanessa Able asks: What is true readiness and how can we respond when we just don’t feel ready for a change or a challenge? What can practice teach us about showing up, even when we are unprepared? The talk explores the theme of "being oneself" and readiness, particularly in the context of Zen practice and personal experiences. The discussion highlights the challenges of embodying authenticity and the perceived need for...

Serial: SF-12420 Talk by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel Osho at City Center on 2025-10-18 The talk emphasizes the theme of uncertainty and the constant evolution of understanding in Zen practice. Through personal anecdotes and references to Zen teachings, the discussion challenges the audience to examine their...

Serial: SF-12433 Talk by Eli Brown Stevenson at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-10-12 The talk discusses the theme of impermanence in Zen, using the metaphor of bubbles to illustrate the concepts of suffering, impermanence, and no-self. The discussion revolves around the teachings of Suzuki Roshi and the Heart...

Serial: SF-12481 The talk focuses on the acceptance of leadership roles within a Zen practice community, specifically addressing Vanessa Able's role as Shuso at the City Center in Fall 2025. It explores themes of readiness and humility in...

Serial: SF-12394 Tatsudo Nicole Baden explores how Zen practice literally shifts the architecture of our experience — from a narrow, biographical “here” into a living, embodied field of contact. The talk focuses on the Zen practice of experiencing oneness and the relational act of Dharma teachings, utilizing classic Zen stories and personal experiences to explore themes of presence, awareness, and ethical practice. The...

Serial: SF-12472 The transcript outlines the agenda for an upcoming nine-week Zen practice period, focusing on the theme "the heart of Buddha and koans," emphasizing personal and collective awareness through Zazen practice. Details...

Serial: SF-12371 Tenmyo Dojima shares how her early struggles with depression led her to rediscover Buddhism in the U.S., begin monastic training in Japan, and continue the joy of walking the Buddha Way—together with others, rooted in... The talk explores the transformative journey from personal hardship to spiritual awakening through dedicated Zen practice. It emphasizes the significance of community, or Sangha, by recounting a story where Buddha tells Ananda...

Serial: SF-12398 Talk by Shinshu Roberts at City Center on 2025-09-13 The talk explores Dogen's teachings, particularly focusing on the Genjo Koan and the idea of "realization beyond realization," illustrating how Dogen's teachings remain relevant in contemporary practice. These teachings highlight...

Serial: SF-12452 Talk by Shosan Victoria Austin Mary Mocine at City Center on 2025-09-03 The talk primarily discusses the practice and symbolism of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva within the context of Zen practice, highlighting the teachings of wholehearted practice and the Ten Vows of Samantabhadra. Additionally, it...

Serial: SF-12375 08/23/2025, Myles Cowherd, dharma talk at City Center.Myles Cowherd explores the transformative power of sincerity and acceptance as a counterpoint to a life of seriousness and fear. The talk explores the transformative role of sincerity and acceptance in overcoming seriousness and fear. The discussion highlights sincerity as a way of bearing witness to one's reality without judgment, promoting self-...

Serial: SF-12424 Talk by Paul Haller Jonah Willihnganz at Tassajara on 2025-08-16 This talk centers on the integration of Zen practice with mythopoetic traditions, exploring their combined potential to foster a sense of wholeness and spiritual awakening. Two primary aspects of Zen practice are discussed: the...

Serial: SF-12447

Serial: SF-12415 Talk by Ryushin Paul Haller at City Center on 2025-07-26 The talk discusses the practice of shikantaza in Zen Buddhism, emphasizing the importance of experiencing the present moment fully and the challenge of maintaining non-reactivity amidst life's uncertainties and discomforts. The...

Serial: SF-07287 07/13/2025, Gengyoko Tim Wicks, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm. Gengyoko Tim Wicks explores cultivating joyful energy in times of crisis, with reference to Eihei Dogen Zenji and the Dhammapada. The talk addresses the significant impact of "hyper-normalization," a term from Soviet scholar Alexei Yurchak, referring to the normalized acceptance of societal dysfunction during the Soviet Union's decline, and how it parallels...

Serial: SF-12438 Talk by Michael McCord at Tassajara on 2025-07-12 The talk explores the significance of retreats like Tassajara in providing a transformative space for developing presence, awareness, and adaptability. The speaker examines using Zen rituals and practices for grounding oneself...

Serial: SF-07259 06/21/2025, Chikudo Catherine Spaeth, dharma talk at Tassajara. The talk delves into the theme of spiritual growth as a deepening of vows within the context of a five-day retreat at Tassajara. Emphasizing transformation and interconnectedness, it reflects on the symbolic journey of personal...

Serial: SF-07270 06/15/2025, Gyokuden Steph Blank, dharma talk at Green Gulch Farm.Gyokuden Steph Blank shares her experience of grief and gratitude arising through the intimate process of accompanying her father during his recent transition from... The talk focuses on the themes of fatherhood, grief, and Zen practice, exploring the speaker's personal experiences with a deceased father, touching on the importance of humor and guidance provided by father figures. Reflections...

Serial: SF-07272 Talk by Michael Gelfond at Green Gulch Farm on 2025-06-08 This talk explores the Satipatthana Sutta and its significance in Buddhist practice, specifically concerning mindfulness. It discusses mindfulness as a path to liberation by emphasizing attention to inner and outer experiences,...