Saturday One-Day Sitting
Soto Zen
Six-hour silent Soto Zen sesshin at San Francisco Zen Center's City Center location. Traditional schedule with zazen, kinhin, oryoki meals in the zendo, and dokusan. Full-day commitment required; bring or rent an oryoki set.
San Francisco Zen Center's one-day sittings follow the traditional Soto Zen schedule: continuous zazen (sitting meditation) and kinhin (walking meditation) in periods, with formal meals served in the zendo using oryoki (traditional eating bowls). This is a full sesshin day, not an introductory class — you're expected to commit to the complete schedule from 6:30am to 6:00pm.
Soto Zen emphasizes shikantaza (just sitting) without a specific object of focus. SFZC, founded by Shunryu Suzuki, is one of the oldest established Zen communities in the West. The one-day format offers a full sesshin experience without the multi-day commitment.
Practical notes: Bring or rent an oryoki set for formal meals in the zendo. Wear comfortable sitting clothes; layers are recommended. Arrive early enough to check in and receive any orientation before 6:30am.
Full details from San Francisco Zen Center
Traditional Soto Zen all-day meditation practice from 6:30am to 6:00pm. Participants must commit to the complete schedule and bring or rent an oryoki set for formal meals in the zendo.
Wednesday – Sunday · 5 days
Introductory Four-Day Sesshin
San Francisco Zen Center