Events in February 2025
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Dharma Talk: Greg Fain Dharma Talk: Greg Fain
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Sat, Feb 1, 2025Full Saturday Program Schedule
- 6:00-6:40 Zazen
- 6:40-6:50 Kinhin
- 6:50-7:20 Zazen
- 7:20-7:40 Service
- 7:40-8:30 Breakfast
- 8:30-8:50 Break
- 8:50-9:30 Work Practice
- 9:30-10:05 Zazen
- 10:05-10:15 Kinhin
- 10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
- Followed By Informal Tea
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February Zazenkei February Zazenkei
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Sun, Feb 2, 2025There will be a Zazenkai (a day of just
sitting) on Sunday, February 2, 8:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. There will be eight periods of zazen
plus kinhin, bowing, and eating. We will
maintain silence throughout except for bells to
mark meditation periods and chanting the
refuges aloud at the closing. A mid-day break
will allow time for sack lunches to be eaten
outdoors. The fee is $15 or what you can
afford.Registration details coming soon.
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Open Discussion Open Discussion
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Mon, Feb 3, 2025 -
Way Seeking Mind Talk: hax Baker Way Seeking Mind Talk: hax Baker
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Fri, Feb 7, 2025BZC schedules a Way-Seeking Mind Talk on the First Friday afternoon of each month. The talk, followed by Q&A, begins at 5:45pm after five minutes of zazen and runs until 6:25pm. Please note, our First Friday afternoon WSM Talks are online only. The zendo is closed for in person Zazen on the First Friday of the month.
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Dharma Talk: Carol Paul Dharma Talk: Carol Paul
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Sat, Feb 8, 2025Full Saturday Program Schedule
- 6:00-6:40 Zazen
- 6:40-6:50 Kinhin
- 6:50-7:20 Zazen
- 7:20-7:40 Service
- 7:40-8:30 Breakfast
- 8:30-8:50 Break
- 8:50-9:30 Work Practice
- 9:30-10:05 Zazen
- 10:05-10:15 Kinhin
- 10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
- Followed By Informal Tea
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Way Seeking Mind Talk: Debra Callahan Way Seeking Mind Talk: Debra Callahan
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Mon, Feb 10, 2025There will be a student talk in the online zendo right after a shorter period of zazen:
7:30 am: zazen
8:00 am: way-seeking mind talkWhat is a "way-seeking mind" talk? See below.
Way-Seeking Mind at Berkeley Zen Center
“Way-Seeking Mind” talks by practitioners at Berkeley Zen Center have been a regular event on Monday mornings for more than thirty years. Each of us came to Zen practice as a seeker, with a spirit of inquiry. Each of us arrives at BZC from our own diverse backgrounds—social, familial, educational, religious, and so on. The idea of our way-seeking mind talks is for students to share how it is that they came to practice. Each person tells his or her own story in a unique way that often blends autobiography, spiritual biography, and the practice questions that each of us is engaged with.
The talks are by invitation, and last about twenty-five minutes, including time for presentation and short question & answer period. For newer students, this is a chance to meet and hear those we are sitting with. Those invited to talk have been sitting steadily at BZC; for them it is an opportunity to tell their story and be seen and heard. One of the teachers or senior students is available for advice in shaping one's talk, should that be useful.
Call Me By My True Names with Peter Overton Call Me By My True Names with Peter Overton
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Mon, Feb 10, 2025Join us for three Monday evenings in an exploration of Thich Nhat Hahn’s timeless poem “Call Me By My True Names.”Peter Overton will lead our conversation on Thich Nhat Hanh’s beloved poem. The class will be offered on three Monday evenings (1/13, 1/27, 2/10) from 7:15-8:45. We will explore Thich Nhat Hanh’s invitation to deeply meet ourselves and each other as a doorway to practice.This hybrid class will meet in the zendo. Class fee is $30.Link to Thay’s poem:https://plumvillage.org/articles/please-call-me-by-my-true-names-song-poem.To register and receive any additional class materials: https://forms.gle/tF29cVqvYyEsXSQb8.Contact class coordinator Ryushin Andrea Thach at andrea.thach@gmail.com for questions. -
February One-Day Sitting February One-Day Sitting
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Sat, Feb 15, 2025Berkeley Zen Center will host a one day sitting on Saturday February 15. The schedule begins at 5:00am and ends at 5:30pm. The dharma talk will be given by Linda Galijan. Linda and Greg will offer dokusan.To register, click on this link: https://forms.gle/6HSUZ83P9yAWf5ND7I will be the director for the day and I can answer questions you may have.Berkeley Zen Center suggests a $35 donation for the day. A sliding scale is accepted. Online attendance is also possible.Dharma Talk: Linda Galijan Dharma Talk: Linda Galijan
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Sat, Feb 15, 2025During One-Day Sitting
Those not participating in the sitting, please join us in the online zendo for the public program starting at 9:30 am.
Buddha’s Annual Parinirvana Ceremony Buddha’s Annual Parinirvana Ceremony
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Sat, Feb 15, 2025According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta in the Pali canon, at the age of 80 the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana, or the final deathless state, and abandon his earthly body. After this, he ate his last meal, fell ill, and died. Each year we celebrate Buddha’s transition with a ceremony where we all can make offerings and chant in honor of this occasion.
This year the ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 15, at 5:00 p.m. (closing our one-day sitting on that day). -
Zendo Holiday - Informal Zazen Only Zendo Holiday - Informal Zazen Only
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Mon, Feb 17, 2025Times for informal zazen to be announced.
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Dharma Talk: Laurie Senauke Dharma Talk: Laurie Senauke
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Sat, Feb 22, 2025Full Saturday Program Schedule
- 6:00-6:40 Zazen
- 6:40-6:50 Kinhin
- 6:50-7:20 Zazen
- 7:20-7:40 Service
- 7:40-8:30 Breakfast
- 8:30-8:50 Break
- 8:50-9:30 Work Practice
- 9:30-10:05 Zazen
- 10:05-10:15 Kinhin
- 10:15-11:15 Dharma Talk
- Followed By Informal Tea
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Way Seeking Mind Talk: Peter Carpentieri Way Seeking Mind Talk: Peter Carpentieri
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Mon, Feb 24, 2025There will be a student talk in the online zendo right after a shorter period of zazen:
7:30 am: zazen
8:00 am: way-seeking mind talkWhat is a "way-seeking mind" talk? See below.
Way-Seeking Mind at Berkeley Zen Center
“Way-Seeking Mind” talks by practitioners at Berkeley Zen Center have been a regular event on Monday mornings for more than thirty years. Each of us came to Zen practice as a seeker, with a spirit of inquiry. Each of us arrives at BZC from our own diverse backgrounds—social, familial, educational, religious, and so on. The idea of our way-seeking mind talks is for students to share how it is that they came to practice. Each person tells his or her own story in a unique way that often blends autobiography, spiritual biography, and the practice questions that each of us is engaged with.
The talks are by invitation, and last about twenty-five minutes, including time for presentation and short question & answer period. For newer students, this is a chance to meet and hear those we are sitting with. Those invited to talk have been sitting steadily at BZC; for them it is an opportunity to tell their story and be seen and heard. One of the teachers or senior students is available for advice in shaping one's talk, should that be useful.