Young Urban Zen SF
Young Urban Zen is a group under the auspices of the San Francisco Zen Center, with a particular focus on those between 20 and 40. It meets on Tuesday evenings for meditation and discussion about Zen practice. People of all experience levels are welcome.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Episodes
- 112
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
Joy
Michael McCord: in a world with so much suffering, how can a person (should a person?) be joyful? Is this not taking the cares of the world seriously? And in the face of so many existential threats …
Just One Finger
Zachary Smith shares a collection of strange Zen stories, including Case 19 of the Blue Cliff Record, about a teacher named Jùzhī with a very eccentric teaching style,
Expectations of Enlightenment
In this week's gathering we will talk about practical application of some of the core Buddhist teachings by bringing inquiry and curiosity to the expectations we hold.
This Is Not A Dharma Talk
Kodo Conlin: In this brief dharmette, we collapse the gap between audience and speaker and set the stage for intimate exchange about the Zazen.
Celebrating Our History
Michael McCord discusses “things that are broken” and celebrating the way we are.
Yun Men's Appropriate Statement
Zachary Smith covers case 14 of the Blue Cliff Record, “Yun Men’s Appropriate Statement”
Focus and Distraction
Michael McCord: Is it "OK" to use Zen to get from A to B as a transactional practice or should a person only practice Zen and see what the fruits of this are? In other words: can Zen be my workout t…
Zazen is Loving Kindness
Portion from The Loving Kindness Meditation, " Let no one deceive another nor despise any being in any state. Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another. Even as a mother at the risk of her lif…
Anger and strong emotions: are they in conflict with Zen principles?
Michael McCord: In this week's session I plan to unpack the various ways strong emotions - particularly ones that are often thought of as 'negative' - play in our lives from the perspective of Zen an…
Mudita
Zachary Smith: following on from Mei’s recent talk on Equanimity, I’ll be talking about another of the four Brahmavihārās, Muditā or Sympathetic Joy. We’ll talk about how this marvelous quality can a…
Equanimity
Mei Elliott: Sometimes considered the crown jewel of Buddhist practice, equanimity allows us to remain centered and peaceful, even within troubling circumstances. Through the development of insight, …
Practicing with Integrity: standing on your own two feet
Kōgetsu Mok talks about "Practicing with Integrity: standing on your own two feet"
Transforming Obstacles into the Way
Mei Elliot: The topic for the evening is "Transforming Obstacles into the Way."
How Easy Should This Life Be?
Michael McCord: If a person follows a spiritual path, should they expect things to get easier each year? Should I have any expectations at all? If life doesn't get that much easier, why follow a sp…
Letting Go
Mei Elliott: When difficulty arises, it's common to lean on the time-honored advice to practice letting go. Yet the capacity to let go often seems to be out of our control and proves to be more chall…
Four Noble Truths
Kodo Conlin: Let's start the new year with a return to the root of Buddhist teaching. We'll reflect together on the Four Noble Truths, the first teaching the Buddha gave after his Awakening. Perhaps …
I Vow to Refrain from Intoxicants
Michael McCord: This Buddhist precept can lead to infinite discussion on what we get intoxicated by (substances, behaviors, etc) and can be easy to misunderstand as a black and white list of do's and…
Gift of Nothing
Eli Brown-Stevenson: After we sit and do nothing. I will be sharing a childhood tale about one of the greatest gifts you can give. "The Gift of Nothing".