2026 Fall Practice Period at City Center

A fall practice period is not a weekend retreat. This one runs September 30 through December 5, 2026 — a bit over nine weeks — and the description calls it a "traditional intensive practice period." In Zen training, a practice period (ango in Japanese) is an extended season of concentrated, sustained practice, a traditional structure at Zen temples. The organizing theme here is the Six Paramitas, which the description glosses as bodhisattva practices; in the standard enumeration these are generosity, ethical conduct, patience, diligent effort, meditation, and wisdom.

The components named are zazen, dharma talks, sesshins (multi-day intensive meditation retreats held within the period), and individual meetings with the abbot, Tenzen David Zimmerman — one-on-one time with the teacher to discuss your practice directly. The listing identifies him only by the title of abbot; there is no further biography or teaching detail in what's been published. It also doesn't give the sesshin dates within the two-month span or a daily schedule, so you'll want to ask the center what a typical week looks like before committing to a stay of this length.

Two ways to participate are named: residential and commuter. The listing shows a single price of $3,089 without a breakdown between the two, and doesn't specify what the fee covers — meals, lodging specifics, or program costs are all unstated. It also doesn't say whether prior sitting experience is expected or whether newcomers may join a practice period like this. For the fee structure, eligibility, and registration details, contact San Francisco Zen Center or see the signup page linked from this listing.