Calendar

2023 BZC Calendar of Events
(revised, 4/26/23; subject to change; see monthly calendar below to confirm. Also note details about whether an event is hybrid, in person only, or online only.)

2023 Spring Practice Period Calendar

Weekly Schedule

Week of Jun 5th

  • Open Discussion

    Open Discussion


    Mon, Jun 5, 2023

    There will be an open discussion in the online zendo right after a shorter period of zazen:

    7:30 am: zazen

    8:00 am: open discussion

  • Founders’ Ceremony

    Founders’ Ceremony


    Wed, Jun 7, 2023

    Wednesday Night Drop-in Sitting and Study

    Wednesday Night Drop-in Sitting and Study


    Wed, Jun 7, 2023

    The Wednesday Drop-in group is a weekly event, now in person, that goes from 7:10 to 9:00 PM. It includes a 30-minute period of Zazen meditation and a brief service in the zendo, followed by tea and refreshments and an hour of reading and discussion in the Community Room. The group particularly welcomes newcomers to Zen Buddhist practice and/or new to 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 groups is facilitated by a BZC Priest, Ikushin Gerry Oliva. Gerry can be contacted at gryoliva@gmail.com for further information.

  • Practice Period Class: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

    Practice Period Class: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind


    Thu, Jun 8, 2023

    This spring our practice period class will draw upon the riches of Suzuki Roshi’s Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Beneath the warm and inviting tone of Suzuki Roshi’s words are boundless depths that appear anew with each reading. Over nearly fifty years of teaching, Sojun Roshi never reached the limits of this book’s Zen wisdom. So, we begin again.
    We will share a selection of chapters, which will be announced. Practice period members, in fact all BZC practitioners ought to have a copy of this book. And a pdf of the whole text can be found at this link. https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Zen-Mind.pdf
    Classes will be held in the zendo and online at 7:15pm, for five Thursday evenings from May 18 to June 15. Suggested class fee is $50 or whatever you can afford. See you in class.
    Please register for the class by clicking this ink: Class – Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind – Sign up
     COVID restrictions will apply. If you have questions, you could reach out to the Class Coordinator Ryushin Andrea Thach at  andrea.thach@gmil.com.
  • Practice Period Bansan - "Tea" - and Discussion

    Practice Period Bansan - "Tea" - and Discussion


    Fri, Jun 9, 2023

    A traditional practice period event.

  • Lecture: Shuso Sue Oehser

    Lecture: Shuso Sue Oehser


    Sat, Jun 10, 2023

    Saturday Morning Schedule

    • Zendo opens:       8:20 am
    • Zazen:                      8:30 – 9:10
    • Service:                   9:10 – 9:30
    • Kinhin/break       9:30  – 9:40
    • Zazen:                      9:40 – 10:10
    • Lecture:                  10:15 – 11:15
    Doanryo Training

    Doanryo Training


    Sat, Jun 10, 2023

    Hozan will lead a Doanryo Training in the Zendo on Saturday, June 10th at 11:45am.

  • All-Sangha Work Day

    All-Sangha Work Day

    All day
    Sun, Jun 11, 2023

    Please save the date and join us for our All-
    Sangha Work Day on Sunday, June 11. The day

    will open with coffee and pastries at 8:00 a.m.,
    then zazen from 8:15 to 8:40, work circle at
    8:45, with work starting at 9:00. Lunch will be
    provided by our tenzos from noon until work
    circle at 12:45 p.m., and we’ll wind up with
    informal zazen at 3:45‒4:00. Mary Duryee will
    be the work leader for the day.
    Please come and join the festivities of caring
    for our temple property. Whether you are here
    for part or the entire work day, all who enter
    through our gates reap the benefits of our
    efforts!