San Francisco Zen Center Dharma Talks

Given by Nyokai Kristin Diggs at Green Gulch Farm on June 14th, 2026
Nyokai Kristin Diggs talks about zazen as a practice of realizing the non-separation of body and mind, and about the dynamic relationship that is the body-mind.

Given by Sozan Michael McCord at City Center on June 13th, 2026
Sozan Michael McCord teaches that when we look at the cause of suffering, we see that it is grasping and clinging or aversion and not accepting what is. We have known since the Industrial Revolution, very clearly, but now have it even more greatly elucidated in the age of artificial intelligence: if a human being equates their value to production, they are obsolete.

Given by Anshi Zachary Smith at City Center on June 10th, 2026
Anshi Zachary Smith examines the "doing nothing” of zazen, and how much it actually does.

Given by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler at Green Gulch Farm on June 7th, 2026
Jiryu Rutschman-Byler shares the story from Dogen Zenji’s chapter "Jinzu" about the “great supernatural accomplishments” of the Zen ancestors Guishan and Yangshan, as they spend a morning together expressing the heart of Zen practice through their ordinary, everyday care and intimacy.

Given by Ryotan Cynthia Kear at City Center on June 6th, 2026
Ryotan Cynthia Kear shares Darlene Cohen’s core teachings on the importance of cultivating concentration, personal koans, transformation of suffering and vow.