Understand the Fundamentals of Zazen
A course designed for the beginner and the experienced meditator, join Zen teachers Paul Haller and Zachary Smith for six weeks of experiential practice with zazen.
Body
Study the elements of posture that offer solid support the the body so it expresses itself naturally and brings balance and steadiness to zazen practice.
Breath
Explore attention to energy, the release of tension, and the soft but engaged posture developed through the act of breathing in zazen.
Awareness
Bring awareness to the natural cycle that returns to presence. Open to the possibilities that arise from an attitude of flexibility and skillfulness.
Essential Practice
This 6-week program drops you into the core practice of Soto Zen Buddhism: zazen. Find out how concepts of awareness and breath can be applied directly to your meditation as you embody hundreds of years old spiritual wisdom in your day-to-day life.
Explore the depth of zazen in Paul Haller's weekly pre-recorded lectures and find resonance in a new series of live practice and discussion sessions led by Anshi Zachary Smith.
Note: Pre-recorded lectures by Paul Haller are made available one week before each live online session, led by Zachary Smith. Zoom link provided prior to first session.
Curriculum
Your Instructors
Ryushin Paul Haller has lived and practiced at San Francisco Zen Center since the 1970s and held many positions at Tassajara and City Center. He received Dharma Transmission from Sojun Mel Weitsman and has been teaching for over 30 years. He served as Abiding Abbot at City Center from 2003 to 2012, and is currently the Urban Temple Dharma Teacher at City Center.
Anshi Daigi Zachary Smith has been practicing Zen since 1993. He ordained as a Zen priest in 2014 (pictured at left) and received Dharma Transmission in 2019, all with former abbot and Senior Dharma Teacher Ryushin Paul Haller. He currently directs North Mountain Zendo, a zazenkai (sitting) group in North Beach.
See our livestream page and audio page for dharma talks.
Photo by Shundo David Haye.
