Calendar

Aspects of Practice Calendar

2024 BZC Calendar of Events

Weekly Schedule

Events in November 2024

  • Way Seeking Mind Talk: Laurie Senauke

    Way Seeking Mind Talk: Laurie Senauke


    Fri, Nov 1, 2024

    BZC 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.

     

  • Dharma Talk: Ryushin Andrea Thach

    Dharma Talk: Ryushin Andrea Thach


    Sat, Nov 2, 2024

  • Open Discussion

    Open Discussion


    Mon, Nov 4, 2024

  • Drop-in Sitting and Study Group

    Drop-in Sitting and Study Group


    Wed, Nov 6, 2024

    The Drop-in Sitting and Study Group meets weekly from 7:10 to 9:30 PM on Wednesdays. It
    includes a 35-minute period of zazen meditation in the Zendo, followed by an hour of reading and
    discussion, tea and refreshments in the Community Room. The group particularly
    welcomes newcomers to Zen Buddhist practice or folks new to the Berkeley Zen Center. It also provides an
    opportunity for practitioners to sit and study together on an ongoing basis. We meet every Wednesday
    except for the five-day Spring Practice Period sesshin (retreat) in June, the annual seven-day Buddha’s
    Enlightenment sesshin in December and during the two-week interim period during the December
    holidays. We also maintain a Google group to share reading materials we are studying, announce other
    BZC events and issues related to logistics.

    The group is facilitated by a BZC Priest, Ikushin Gerry Oliva.
    Gerry can be contacted at gryoliva@gmail.com for further information.

  • Aspects Class: Ordinary Bodhisattvas

    Aspects Class: Ordinary Bodhisattvas


    Thu, Nov 7, 2024

    This fall the Berkeley Zen Center sangha is so happy to welcome Visiting-Teachers-In-Residence Greg Fain and Linda Galijan. They will lead our Aspects of Practice period with the theme “Ordinary Bodhisattvas: The Brahmaviharas in Action.” This theme will be studied at  4 Thursday evening classes as well as in Saturday dharma talks and Way-Seeking Mind talks.

    The class will be both in person and online and are open to anyone who would like to attend; we especially encourage those who participate in Aspects of Practice to sign up. Attend on line by clicking on the “Enter Zendo” link on the BZC homepage.

    The class series begins on Thursday, October 17 and runs through November 7 (7:15—8:45).

    Class fee is $40, or whatever you can afford.  Registration form coming soon.

  • Love, Power and Liberation: Angela Davis & Lama Rod Owens

    Love, Power and Liberation: Angela Davis & Lama Rod Owens


    Fri, Nov 8, 2024

    At East Bay Meditation Center and Live Streamed

    Registration is open

    Berkeley Zen Center is co-sponsoring an exciting event in support of our sister sangha, East Bay Meditation Center, on Friday November 8, 7 pm to 9 pm Pacific Time (check out our "ad" in the "program". It features Angela Davis & Lama Rod Owens in Conversation, moderated by Prentis Hemphill. This event is a fundraiser to support EBMC. Registration and more information at:

    https://eastbaymeditation.org/

    We hope to see many of you at this groundbreaking event.

  • One-Day Sitting/Close Aspects

    One-Day Sitting/Close Aspects


    Sat, Nov 9, 2024

    This sitting will conclude our Fall Aspects of Practice period.
    The schedule will begin at 5:00am and end at 5:30pm. The Doshi and speaker will be Linda Galijan.
    To sign up, go to this link: https://forms.gle/TptZXt7EMsCsEZ2v6
    Berkeley Zen Center asks for a $35 donation for in person  attendance and a $15 donation for online attendance. A sliding scale is accepted.
    When you complete registration, you will  receive an email from Google Forms. If you don't receive an email, we have not received your registration.
    Questions? contact:
    Mark Copithorne
    510.703.5465
    Dharma Talk: Linda Galijan

    Dharma Talk: Linda Galijan


    Sat, Nov 9, 2024

  • Way Seeking Mind Talk: Rob Lyons

    Way Seeking Mind Talk: Rob Lyons


    Mon, Nov 11, 2024

    There 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 talk

    What 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.

  • Drop-in Sitting and Study Group

    Drop-in Sitting and Study Group


    Wed, Nov 13, 2024

    The Drop-in Sitting and Study Group meets weekly from 7:10 to 9:30 PM on Wednesdays. It
    includes a 35-minute period of zazen meditation in the Zendo, followed by an hour of reading and
    discussion, tea and refreshments in the Community Room. The group particularly
    welcomes newcomers to Zen Buddhist practice or folks new to the Berkeley Zen Center. It also provides an
    opportunity for practitioners to sit and study together on an ongoing basis. We meet every Wednesday
    except for the five-day Spring Practice Period sesshin (retreat) in June, the annual seven-day Buddha’s
    Enlightenment sesshin in December and during the two-week interim period during the December
    holidays. We also maintain a Google group to share reading materials we are studying, announce other
    BZC events and issues related to logistics.

    The group is facilitated by a BZC Priest, Ikushin Gerry Oliva.
    Gerry can be contacted at gryoliva@gmail.com for further information.

  • Dharma Talk: Luminous Heart Penelope Thompson

    Dharma Talk: Luminous Heart Penelope Thompson


    Sat, Nov 16, 2024

  • Women's One-Day Sitting

    Women's One-Day Sitting


    Sun, Nov 17, 2024

    There will be a Women’s Sitting on Sunday, November 17, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., with tea and cookies following in the courtyard. We are delighted to have Linda Galijan, one of our visiting teachers, as our doshi and speaker. Colleen Busch will be the director. Sign-ups will be posted on the website and listserv. Registration deadline is November 13. Online attendance will be possible if there is sufficient interest. Please direct any questions to Marie Hopper (marie_hopper@sbcglobal.net).

  • Way Seeking Mind Talk: Nanzan Harald Schoeklmann

    Way Seeking Mind Talk: Nanzan Harald Schoeklmann


    Mon, Nov 18, 2024

    There 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 talk

    What 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.

  • Drop-in Sitting and Study Group

    Drop-in Sitting and Study Group


    Wed, Nov 20, 2024

    The Drop-in Sitting and Study Group meets weekly from 7:10 to 9:30 PM on Wednesdays. It
    includes a 35-minute period of zazen meditation in the Zendo, followed by an hour of reading and
    discussion, tea and refreshments in the Community Room. The group particularly
    welcomes newcomers to Zen Buddhist practice or folks new to the Berkeley Zen Center. It also provides an
    opportunity for practitioners to sit and study together on an ongoing basis. We meet every Wednesday
    except for the five-day Spring Practice Period sesshin (retreat) in June, the annual seven-day Buddha’s
    Enlightenment sesshin in December and during the two-week interim period during the December
    holidays. We also maintain a Google group to share reading materials we are studying, announce other
    BZC events and issues related to logistics.

    The group is facilitated by a BZC Priest, Ikushin Gerry Oliva.
    Gerry can be contacted at gryoliva@gmail.com for further information.

  • Dharma Talk: Abbot Hozan

    Dharma Talk: Abbot Hozan


    Sat, Nov 23, 2024

  • Half-day Sitting

    Half-day Sitting


    Sun, Nov 24, 2024

  • Way Seeking Mind Talk: Preston Evers

    Way Seeking Mind Talk: Preston Evers


    Mon, Nov 25, 2024

    There 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 talk

    What 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.

  • Drop-in Sitting and Study Group

    Drop-in Sitting and Study Group


    Wed, Nov 27, 2024

    The Drop-in Sitting and Study Group meets weekly from 7:10 to 9:30 PM on Wednesdays. It
    includes a 35-minute period of zazen meditation in the Zendo, followed by an hour of reading and
    discussion, tea and refreshments in the Community Room. The group particularly
    welcomes newcomers to Zen Buddhist practice or folks new to the Berkeley Zen Center. It also provides an
    opportunity for practitioners to sit and study together on an ongoing basis. We meet every Wednesday
    except for the five-day Spring Practice Period sesshin (retreat) in June, the annual seven-day Buddha’s
    Enlightenment sesshin in December and during the two-week interim period during the December
    holidays. We also maintain a Google group to share reading materials we are studying, announce other
    BZC events and issues related to logistics.

    The group is facilitated by a BZC Priest, Ikushin Gerry Oliva.
    Gerry can be contacted at gryoliva@gmail.com for further information.

  • Zendo Holiday - Informal Zazen Only

    Zendo Holiday - Informal Zazen Only


    Thu, Nov 28, 2024

    Times for informal zazen to be announced.

  • Dharma Talk: Ross Blum

    Dharma Talk: Ross Blum


    Sat, Nov 30, 2024