w e l c o m e Tassajara g u e s t From the bridge at Tassajara, this moment is punctuated by blossoming trees and phenomenal beauty as the 99th Tassajara Practice Period unfolds. This year is the 50th anniversary of Tassajara and includes the 99th and 100th practice periods. So in this special moment, it feels right to acknowledge that thousands of Zen students have passed through these summers and “found out how to know their own way”(Suzuki Roshi). In anticipation of the 50th anniversary, I’m reflecting on how the decision to have a summer guest season was inspired by Anna Beck. Anna and her husband sold us this property and in discussions with Suzuki Roshi, Anna impressed upon him the importance of keeping this refuge available to summer guests. The summer guest season has turned out to be both a wonderful opportunity for the students to practice and for guests to be inspired by the quiet beauty of Tassajara. In the summer of 2016, Tassajara was threatened for the 75 days of the Soberanes Wildfire. The guest season was closed while 30 well-trained Fire Monks worked alongside CalFire and the National Forest Service to protect Tassajara. In the end, the Soberanes Fire was stopped just two miles from Tassajara. The valley remains beautiful, and the whole Big Sur Coast has entered a period of profound renewal. It is my real pleasure to welcome everyone to share our practice in this inspiring valley. We are so grateful for the vital support the summer guest season provides the San Francisco Zen Center community. Warmly, Rinso Ed Sattizahn Abiding Abbot, SFZC City Center
t a b l e of c o n t e n t s About Tassajara and San Francisco Zen Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Summer Work Practice, Guest Practice, Sangha and Study Weeks. . . . 6 Retreat Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Retreat Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Retreat Listings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 About Making Your Reservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Mail-in Reservation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Guest Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Cabin Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Cancellation and Change Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Important Information About Your Visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Travel Information and Day Visits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
reservations Toll-free 1-888-743-zen2(9362) Starting February 14, we will accept online and mail-in reservations Online Reservations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sfzc.org/tassajara Mail-in Reservations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . see page 34 General Inquires . . . . . . . . . . . Monday-Friday, 9:30am-12:30pm Starting March 15, we will also accept telephone reservations Phone Reservations . . . . . . . . . . Toll-free 1-888-743-zen2 (9362) Monday-Friday, 9:00am-12:30pm and 1:30pm-7:00pm Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am-2:00pm
Early reservations are recommended. For more information, please contact us at tassreservations@sfzc.org. Last minute reservations may be available. Cover Art: Valerie Boquet
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a b o u t Tassajara In 1967, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi established Zenshinji,Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, deep in the Ventana Wilderness inland from the Big Sur coast of Central California. Suzuki Roshi envisioned Tassajara, the first Zen training monastery in America, as a monastic temple in the Soto Zen tradition that would bring the practices of Buddhist monasteries in Japan to the West. Year-round, Tassajara hosts students and priests engaged in Zen meditation and practice. For four months in the summer, Tassajara also opens its gates to the public for its renowned summer guest season. Long known as a place of healing, the hot springs of Tassajara were first used by the native Esselen people. Since the 1870s, generations have traveled over the ridge and into the valley seeking renewal and tranquility. Today, the summer guest season still offers an opportunity to enjoy the valley’s peace and beauty, along with a glimpse into the daily practices of resident monks. Our cabins and buildings are situated along Tassajara Creek. Combining a Japanese aesthetic with rustic hand-built details lovingly crafted over the years, they perfectly complement guest stays based in enjoying the natural hot springs, hiking trails, and stunning vistas.
Photo: Valerie Boquet
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Unplugged, Unlocked, and Off the Grid Tassajara is a welcome departure from the pace of modern life. With no locks on the doors and very few clocks, it offers the perfect environment to slow down and recharge. Surrounded by wilderness, guests are afforded the rare freedom that accompanies isolation from cellular and internet access, and often find books are better than laptops when relaxing with their feet in the creek.
Community Connection People come to Tassajara for many reasons—to hike, soak in the hot springs, participate in a wide range of retreats, or simply relax in the peace and tranquility of Tassajara. Experiencing life at a gentler tempo, guests often make new friends or deepen relationships. Meals: Our accommodations and overnight stays include family-style breakfasts and dinners featuring Tassajara’s gourmet vegetarian cuisine. Guests can enjoy lunch in our dining room perched over the creek or prepare a to-go lunch. Each day, we serve fresh-baked breads, which can also be purchased to take home. Bathing and Toilets: At the top of many lists of things to enjoy at Tassajara is our Japanese-style bathhouse. Traditional design blends with a contemporary aesthetic to create a soothing and contemplative space. There are no private showers in individual accommodations. Communal bathing and sharing the hot springs is part of the Tassajara experience. The bathhouse is clothing-optional with gender-separated facilities including communal showers, a private tub room, steam rooms, indoor and outdoor plunges, deck space for sunning, and creek access. Many accommodations have private toilet facilities but there are also housing options with shared toilets and sinks. Public toilet facilities are located throughout Tassajara. Overnight Stays, Retreat Stays, Guest Practice, and Day Visits: Guests may visit Tassajara in a variety of ways. Consider coming for a private retreat or with close friends and family. Study alongside a Zen teacher, work part-time with the community, or just come for the day!
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san francisco zen center Tassajara is one of three residential practice communities that comprise San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) along with City Center, housed in an historic Julia Morgan building in San Francisco, and Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, where organic fields of vegetables and fruit meet the ocean in Marin County. San Francisco Zen Center is one of the largest Zen Buddhist centers outside of Asia. We offer many ways to join our daily meditation practice, study Zen Buddhism, and learn to cultivate the wisdom of Buddhist values in daily life. Visit www.sfzc.org for more information.
Support Tassajara and San Francisco Zen Center San Francisco Zen Center is a nonprofit organization. The generosity of our many friends and supporters ensures that Tassajara is here to welcome you each spring and summer. We invite you to contribute to Tassajara’s continued well-being by taking part in retreats, and also in the following ways: Become a Member: If your visit to Tassajara supports you along your spiritual path, consider membership. Members are an important part of the SFZC community and receive benefits such as discounts of 10% in all bookstores and 15% off Tassajara retreats for Dharma Rain, Forest and Ocean level members. Member support helps us offer many of our public programs free of charge, including dharma talks available online. Make a Donation: Tassajara brings together students engaged in monastic practice and those who enjoy Tassajara as guests to create the refuge that we all treasure. Your tax-deductible donation will ensure that Tassajara continues to be a place of refuge and nourishment, where Zen flourishes, for guests and students alike. You can make a donation when you make your reservation online at sfzc.org, or at the time you check out. Matching Gifts: Ask if your company offers to match employees charitable donations. You can make your donation go twice as far with a matching gift to San Francisco Zen Center. Legacy Giving: Support Tassajara and San Francisco Zen Center now and in the future through a variety of legacy giving options that will sustain the dharma jewel of Tassajara for generations to come. For more information about giving, please contact SFZC Director of Development, Nancy Petrin, at (415) 354-0354 or nancy.petrin@sfzc.org.
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z e n practice p r o g r a m s Tassajara Zen Mountain Center—Zenshinji From September through April, during our two, three-month monastic practice periods, Tassajara is a place of meditation, study, and work. To inquire about joining Tassajara for a practice period or about earning practice period credit as a summer work practice student, go to sfzc.org/zmc-pp.
Summer Work Practice Summer work practice students follow the Tassajara summer monastic schedule along with the monks who work and practice there year-round. The program, intended for those looking to deepen their practice, is subject to availability and prioritized for students committed to the whole season. The minimum stay is five (5) days. For more information and applications, please visit www.sfzc.org/zmcwp or call (831) 659-2229.
Guest Practice Program This program offers guests the opportunity to meditate and work alongside the resident monks. Participants attend morning meditation, eat breakfast and lunch with the students, and work 3 1/2 hours daily. Afternoons and evenings are free time, including dinner in the dining room. Participants are expected to work the morning of their departure. Rates are $73.50 per person, per day, for shared accommodations Sunday-Thursday, and $83.50 Friday-Saturday. Private accommodations are available at the regular guest rate. The minimum stay is three (3) days.
Sangha and Study Weeks Participants attend morning meditation, eat breakfast and lunch with students, and work 3 1/2 hours daily. Afternoons and evenings include free time, dharma offerings, and activities. Dinner is in the dining room. Enjoy the precious gift of silence, as well as group discussion and individual practice discussion with teachers. During Sangha Week, we welcome teachers with their students, as well as individual practitioners. Sangha Week is limited to 20 participants, so register early. Find applications at sfzc.org/zmc-sw. Study Week features a specific topic or focus, and may be available to the public or be privately reserved for small groups. Public Study Week reservations follow the usual process for guests. Private Study Weeks are managed by a teacher or facilitator directly. Please see the retreat calendar for public Study Week dates and the Study Week topic. Contact your teacher for more information about private study weeks.
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Photo: Valerie Boquet
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Photo: Valerie Boquet
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t a s s a j a r a retreats Each Tassajara retreat explores one of the five themes listed below.
Engaging Earth
Wildflowers and Wilderness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Spiritual Practice Mindful Living
Buddhism, Wisdom, Interfaith . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Visioning, Leadership, Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Creative Expression
Visual Arts and Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Body and Mind Yoga, Taichi/Qigong and Well-being .
. . . . . . . . 36
We invite you to join our renowned teachers in practices you may already enjoy, and some that may be entirely new to you. Through meditations and teachings, group discussions and creative exercises, discover the transformative potential of Zen practice and other traditions. Retreats, ranging from two to seven days, begin in the late afternoon on the first day and end before noon on the last day. Retreat schedules include plenty of free time to engage in meditation, enjoy the baths, hike, or simply rest and savor a cup of tea.
t a s s a j a r a retreat h a l l The Tassajara Retreat Hall offers retreat participants a dedicated practice space to study body and mind under the guidance of expert teachers. Built using green materials, this energy-efficient retreat hall is a manifestation of our commitment to environmental sustainability and stewardship. For guests who would like to use the Retreat Hall space for personal use, please check with the Stone Office for available hours and equipment expectations.
Please note that retreat fees do not include accommodations.
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april date
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m a y retreats retreat
Apr 27 - 30
14
The Nature of Zen with Steven Harper and Leslie James
Apr 27 - May 4
36
Zen and Swimming Dragon Taichi with Dr. Liping Julia Zhu and Rev. Mary Stares
Apr 30 - May 4
29
Wild Heart Writing: Beginner’s Mind as Muse with Cynthia Cummins and Laurie Senauke
May 4 - 7
14
Wildflowers and Birds of Tassajara with Diane Renshaw, Myo-On Gloria Lee, and Zenshin Greg Fain
4-8
36
Swimming Dragon Walking Qigong with Dr. Liping Julia Zhu and Rev. Mary Stares
7 - 10
15
Timeless Spring: At the Roots of the Tassajara Garden with Wendy Johnson
8 - 11
38
Reconnecting with the Flow of Life: A Yoga and Zen Retreat with Lisa Marie and Shinchi Linda Galijan
10 - 14
20
Finding Stillness Amid the Storm of Legal Practice with Zenki Mary Mocine
11 - 14
39
Aligning w/ Stillness: Embody Freedom and Vitality through Yoga and Zen with Athena Pappas and Kanzan David Zimmerman
14 - 19
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Sangha Week with Susan O’Connell with Zesho Susan O’Connell
22 - 26
21
Healing & Liberation through Practice & Principals with Ryotan Cynthia Kear and Ko-Shin Steven Tierney
26 - 29
40
Power of Practice: From Right Effort to Effortless Effort with Brian Hogencamp and Shosan Victoria Austin
May 29 - Jun 1
40
Loving the Mountains: The Zen of Hiking and Yoga in the Majestic Tassajara Mountains with Ann Averbach and Shundo David Haye
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j u n e retreats date
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Jun 1 - 4
42
4-9
30
9 - 12
22
Facing the Flames: Exploring Sitting and Writing and Home with Pico Iyer and Furyu Nancy Schroeder
12 - 15
42
The Healing Power of Stillness: Restorative Yoga and Zen with Britt Fohrman and Unzan Mako Voelkel
12 - 15
22
Bodhisattva Leadership: Inspiration from the Life of the Buddha with Pamela Weiss
15 - 18
43
Communion: The Art of Yoga and Zen with Purusha Hickson and Yo-on Jeremy Levie
15 - 19
43
Meditation in Motion: Taiji Qigong and Push Hands with Sally Chang and Laura O’Loughlin
18 - 23
45
Yoga and Zen: Access Vitality, Return to Stillness with Djuna Mascall and Nancy Petrin
23 - 25
45
True Body, True Self: Radical Presence through Zen and Yoga with Christy Brown and Ango Sara Tashker
23 - 26
16
The Path to Wholeness with Ryushin Paul Haller
25 - 30
30
Poetry, Practice, and Plenitude with Jane Hirshfield
26 - 30
46
Vital Body | Beginner’s Mind: A Zen and Vinyasa Yoga Retreat with Rex Stromness and Shogen Danielson
Jun 30 - Jul 2
46
Long Spine, Spacious Mind: The Cultivation of Yoga and Zen with Jim Gallas and Dr. Lucy Xiao 11
Enter the Dharma Gate of Repose and Bliss: A Zen Meditation and Gentle Yoga Retreat with Lirio and Shundo David Haye Words Under Words with Naomi Shihab Nye and Ryushin Paul Haller
j u l y retreats
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Jul 2 - 7
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Return to Our Senses: Living Zen. A workshop in Sensory Awareness with Lee Klinger Lesser
6-9
24
Know Yourself, Forget Yourself: The Mindful Leader with Marc Lesser
7 - 10
47
Energy and Inquiry: The Merging Paths of Zen and Yoga with Rosemary Garrison and Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler
10 - 14
49
Bringing Yoga and Zen Home: Creating and Sustaining a Home Practice with Shogen Jody Greene and Shinchi Linda Galijan
10 - 14
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Warm Hand to Warm Hand: Creating Connection, LGBTIQ Study Week with Dana Tagaki and Jisan Tova Green
14 - 16
49
Turning the Light Inward: Sitting and Settling with Yoga and Zen with Christy Brown and Sessei Meg Levie
14 - 16
17
Presenting Suzuki Roshi’s Teachings with Sojun Mel Weitsman
16 - 21
50
Joyful Ease: Your Own True Body with Patricia Sullivan and Eijun Linda Cutts
20 - 24
25
Mindful Self Compassion with Michelle Becker and Nomon Tim Burnett
21 - 24
50
The Healing Power of Stillness: Restorative Yoga and Zen with Britt Fohrman and Yo-on Jeremy Levie
24 - 31
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The Spirit of Practice: Christian and Zen with Brother David Steindl-Rast and Ryushin Paul Haller
27 - 30
51
Satori and Salutations: Opening to the Heart of Zen and Yoga with James Higgins and Unzan Mako Voelkel
Jul 31 - Aug 3
51
Yoga Zen Healing with Lisa Marie and Qayyum Johnson
Jul 31 - Aug 3
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Radical Dharma: Embodying Race, Love and Liberation with angel Kyodo williams and Fu Schroeder
august date
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s e p t e m b e r retreats
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Aug 3 - 6
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Balanced and Awake: Zen and Yoga to Harmonize Mind and Body with Letitia Bartlett and Kanzan David Zimmerman
6 - 11
52
Joyful Ease: Your Own True Body with Patricia Sullivan and Eijun Linda Cutts
11 - 13
25
Mindful Tech: Can We Tame Technology with Mindfulness? with David Levy and Zoketsu Norman Fischer
13 - 18
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About Nothing: Buddhist & Jewish Conceptions of Ultimate Truth with Danny Matt and Zoketsu Norman Fischer
18 - 21
53
Being Grace: Finding Effortlessness in All Things with Stacie Overby and Cloud Mountain Graham Ross
23 - 27
53
Body & Mind Moving in Harmony: Zen and Qigong with Teja Bell and Edward Brown
25 - 27
26
Embracing Change: Zen and the Art of Creating a Life You Want with Keiryu Liên Shutt
27 - 31
33
The Writer’s Journey: Crafting Personal Stories that are Vivid, Compelling with Laura Davis and Jisan Tova Green
Aug 27 - Sep 1
32
Brush Mind with Kazuaki Tanahashi
Sep 1 - 4
54
Manifesting the Wisdom of the Body: A Zen Mind, Yoga Body Retreat with Samantha Ostergaard and Do-On Robert Thomas
1-5
26
Unplug and Recharge: Living Mindfully in the Digital Age with Myogan Djinn Gallagher
7 - 10
54
The Mind and Body of Practice in Zen and Yoga with Ingen Breen and Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan
7 - 10
27
Arriving at the Further Shore: Cherishing Our Journeys of Resilience and Transformation with Jennifer Block, Dr. Grace Damman and Zesho Susan O’Connell 13
e n g a g i n g earth The Nature of Zen with Steven Harper and Leslie James April 27 - 30 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Explore Zen practice and the natural wild beauty of Tassajara. In this retreat, we will explore nature and the essence of Zen awakening through meditation, group discussions, and day hikes around the wilderness backcountry of Tassajara. Our hikes will range from two to six miles in length. Rugged mountains graced with spring wildflowers provide inspiration to cultivate and nurture awareness. Listen deeply to the silence of nature and discover how mindfulness practice deepens our lives. This wonderful doorway to the heart of mountain Zen is satisfying for both beginners and experienced practitioners. Retreat includes day hikes. Steven Harper is a wilderness guide, author, and consultant. He has taught at Esalen Institute for over 35 years and is a resident of Big Sur. A student of Buddhism since 1972, he also has an MA in Psychology with a focus on wild nature as a vehicle for awakening. www.stevenkharper.com Leslie James is the Abiding Teacher at Tassajara and has practiced at San Francisco Zen Center since 1971. She received lay dharma transmission from Tenshin Reb Anderson in 2001. Leslie has two grown children and has lived at Tassajara with her husband, Keith Meyerhoff, for 30 years.
Wildflowers and Birds of Tassajara with Diane Renshaw, Myo-On Gloria Lee, and Zenshin Greg Fain May 4 - 7 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Experience the glory and renewal of spring in the wilderness landscape surrounding Tassajara. Last summer, fire came again to the area surrounding Tassajara. This spring, we will take advantage of this great opportunity and take a short drive together to some of these burned areas, see for ourselves how this ecosystem is adapted to fire, and discover some of the fire-following plants that bloom only in the wake of a burn. The second day we will explore wildflowers and birds on a leisurely hike through the unburned habitats along Tassajara Creek. We will meet for morning bird watching, an evening of star-viewing, and a dharma talk. Throughout we will cultivate our awareness and contemplate our place in this cycle of constant change. Diane Renshaw began Zen practice at Tassajara in 1978, received lay ordination in 1993, and is working with Tassajara on a native plant project. Diane lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a professional consulting ecologist. Myo-on Gloria Lee was ordained as a priest in 1998, and received dharma transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer in 2009. During the many practice periods while she was a gardener at Tassajara, Gloria propagated native plants for landscaping and restoration. Zenshin Greg Fain received dharma transmission in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi from Sojun Mel Weitsman. Greg is married and currently serves as Tanto (Head of Practice) at Tassajara. His 14 intention is to encourage you in your practice.
e n g a g i n g earth Timeless Spring: At the Roots of the Tassajara Garden with Wendy Johnson May 7 - 10 (Sunday - Wednesday) $280 | $238/Member
This hands-on workshop will celebrate the culture of springtime in the Tassajara mountains. During this retreat, the mornings will be focused on the fundamentals of organic gardening and in the afternoons we will explore the natural world of Tassajara. Throughout the workshop there will be ample opportunity for dialogue and reflection by working and practicing together. Our time together will begin and close with daily meditation. Wendy Johnson has practiced Zen and organic horticulture for 40 years. She received lay dharma entrustment from Eijun Linda Cutts and is a lay-ordained dharma teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Wendy is the author of Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate.
Photo: Shundo David Haye
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s p i r i t u a l practice The Path to Wholeness with Ryushin Paul Haller June 23 - 26 (Friday - Monday) $280 | $238/Member
How do we, in the midst of the demands and opportunities of life, find the expression of integrity and resolve that sets us on the path to wholeness? How do we discover the guidance and support that will nourish our spirit and inspire our efforts? The spirit of inquiry, the powerful questions that embrace the full array of our human responses, from heartbreaks to delights, can guide us in the discovery of the compassion and courage of aliveness. Acceptance of life’s unfolding reveals the unique challenges each of us faces on our path. Within the soothing environment of Tassajara, we will use experiential and writing exercises, poetry, Zen stories, and meditation to draw us into a deeper appreciation of the life we’re living and the people we share it with. Ryushin Paul Haller, Urban Temple Dharma Teacher at City Center, has taught Zen, mindfulness, and meditation for over 25 years throughout the U.S. and Europe. He has created programs that assist with depression and substance abuse, has taught in prisons, and has a long involvement with Zen Hospice Project. He has been practicing yoga for over 25 years.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby
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s p i r i t u a l practice Presenting Suzuki Roshi’s Teachings with Sojun Mel Weitsman July 14 - 16 (Friday - Sunday) $190 | $161/Member
Deepen your practice in the light of Shunryu Suzuki’s vision of the Buddha Way. Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, San Francisco Zen Center’s founding teacher, loved to move the stones that now shape the landscape of Tassajara. Through work, meditation, and community life, he awakened the mind of Zen Buddhist practice in his Western students. With simplicity and subtlety, he presented the most profound teachings of Buddhism, asking always, “What is your own experience?” In this extended weekend gathering, we will explore the essential principles of Suzuki Roshi’s Zen Way and continue the creative work he began with his original students. Sojun Mel Weitsman is Abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center and a former Abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center. He began practice with Suzuki Roshi in 1964 and was ordained as a priest in 1969. He has led many practice periods, given dharma transmission to a number of priests, and enjoys spreading Suzuki Roshi’s teaching. He especially welcomes beginners.
The Spirit of Practice: Christian and Zen with Brother David Steindl-Rast and Ryushin Paul Haller July 24 - 31 (Monday - Monday) $535 | $454/Member Everyone welcome.
Discover the awakening practices at the heart of religious traditions. Awakening the heart and mind has taken many forms throughout the centuries. Now, here in the United States, it is being shaped by both Eastern and Western influences. Brother David Steindl-Rast and Ryushin Paul Haller will offer a variety of practices to help reveal the similarities and differences between Zen and Christianity. Meditation and prayer, faith and spiritual authenticity, and awakening and salvation are among the many topics that will be explored through practicing and talking together. Brother David Steindl-Rast is a life-long Benedictine monk. His Zen teachers include Hakuun Yasutani Roshi, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, and Eido Shimano Roshi. Brother David serves the worldwide Network for Grateful Living. www.gratefulness.org Ryushin Paul Haller, see page 16
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s p i r i t u a l practice Radical Dharma: Embodying Race, Love, and Liberation with Reverends angel Kyodo williams and Furyu Nancy Schroeder July 31 - August 3 (Monday - Thursday) $280 | $238/Member
Come explore what a “radical Dharma” really means in light of our aspiration to live for the benefit of all beings. This workshop will allow us time to speak openly and deeply about our collective pain at being separated from one another by perceived differences, not only of race but also of gender, ability, age, and sexual identity. We will endeavor to connect to one another through our shared commitment to the Buddhist teachings of ethics and compassion as expressions of the Bodhisattva Vow. Using the historical context, our own embodied practice and a commitment to radical candor, our intention as leaders of this workshop is to explore the necessary conditions for creating an enlightened society for all...together. Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Sensei, called “the most intriguing African-American Buddhist” by Library Journal, and one of only three black women senseis, is a maverick dharma teacher, author, founder of Center for Transformative Change, and co-author of her newest book, Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love & Liberation. Furyu Nancy Schroeder, a resident of San Francisco Zen Center for over 35 years, became Abiding Abbess at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in March 2014. She has held numerous monastic positions at San Francisco Zen Center and has been an active supporter of programs for children, people of color, the gay and lesbian community, and the interfaith community.
Photo: Valerie Boquet
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s p i r i t u a l practice About Nothing: Buddhist and Jewish Conceptions of Ultimate Truth with Danny Matt & Zoketsu Norman Fischer August 13 - 18 (Sunday - Friday) $410 | $348/Member
In Buddhism, it’s Shunyata (Emptiness); in Judaism, it’s Ayin (Nothingness). This ineffable sense of the non-thingness of ultimate reality manifests in material existence in myriad ways. Once we see through the dream of self, we can learn to live in, with, and for it. In this five-day workshop, we’ll practice meditation, listen to teachings from Danny and Norman, and engage in study and dialogue as we explore Buddhist and Jewish notions of Nothingness. This is not an exercise in comparative theology - rather we seek to explore the wisdom of both traditions to see what each might contribute to a life deeply lived. Daniel Matt is a teacher of Kabbalah. He recently completed an 18-year project of translating the Zohar, the masterpiece of Jewish mysticism. Among his other books are The Essential Kabbalah and God and the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony between Science and Spirituality. He lives in Berkeley with his wife Hana. Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a poet, writer, priest, and a former abbot of San Francisco Zen Center. He is founder and teacher of the Everyday Zen Foundation. His latest books are Experience: on Thinking, Writing, Language and Religion and What Is Zen? Plain Talk for a Beginner’s Mind (with Susan Moon). www.everydayzen.org
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mindful l i v i n g Finding Stillness Amid the Storm of Legal Practice with Zenki Mary Mocine May 10 - 14 (Wednesday - Sunday) $350 | $297/Member An MCLE retreat for lawyers and law professionals. 4 hours MCLE: 2 ethics, 1 elimination of bias, and 1 substance abuse.
When we can find our still point in the middle of what feels chaotic, we can enjoy our work. Often law practice feels stormy given the many demands from clients, judges, opposing counsel, colleagues, and particularly from ourselves. Where is the ground? What is truly important here? We ignore emotions or attachments at our peril. Mindful awareness of our inner experience is key to being useful to the clients we serve and finding true balance in our practice lives. From that clarity, joy can arise and simple enjoyment from our work. Lawyers are healers, at base, after all. In this workshop, we will meditate and talk together. There will be time to meet individually with the teacher, as well as time to enjoy the grounds and surroundings of Tassajara. Zenki Mary Mocine is a Zen priest and former lawyer. She practiced law for 18 years and now leads a dharma group for lawyers. Mary trained at SFZC and received dharma transmission from her teacher, Sojun Mel Weitsman, in 2005. She is the Abbess at Vallejo Zen Center.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby
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mindful l i v i n g Healing and Liberation through Practice and Principles with Ryotan Cynthia Kear and Ko-Shin Steven Tierney May 22 - 26 (Monday - Friday) $350 | $297/Member A retreat for people in recovery.
Discover the ways in which the dharma and recovery enhance and deepen each other. In this four-day workshop, we will gently inquire into the ways in which Buddhist practice and the principles of 12-step recovery can deepen our sense of liberation and fearlessness. We will use Lojong practice to guide us on a journey that we take most skillfully when we take it together. Come and join this sangha of recovery. Seasoned and new practitioners are equally welcome. Through this potent dual lens and in the safety of sangha, we’ll examine the beautiful options created by our twining vines of practice and recovery to create and support liberation and to offer transformation. Ryotan Cynthia Kear, Guiding Teacher of Great Spirit Sangha, has practiced Soto Zen Buddhism for over 25 years. Her focus is exploring how we can infuse all of our life with space, awareness, stability, and ease. Cynthia also leads meditation-in-recovery retreats and gives dharma talks throughout the Greater Bay Area. Ko-Shin Steven Tierney, Ed.D., LPCC, is a Professor of Counseling Psychology. He co-founded the San Francisco Mindfulness Foundation, which delivers services around recovery and life transitions. A practitioner of Buddhism for over 25 years, Steven was ordained by Dairyu Michael Wenger and served as shuso in 2013.
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mindful l i v i n g Facing the Flames: Exploring Sitting and Writing and Home with Pico Iyer and Furyu Nancy Schroeder June 9 - 12 (Friday - Monday) $280 | $238/Member
How do we find our truest home in an age of distraction? Where do we turn when our plans and assumptions get burned (sometimes every day) to the ground? Green Gulch Abbess Fu Schroeder will lead us in meditation and share tales of the Buddha and daily life. Longtime writer Pico Iyer will talk about his years of sitting at the desk and traveling around the world. Through poems, chats, and exercises—in the zendo and on the page—we’ll all talk (and not talk) about where clarity might lie in an ever more noisy world. Pico Iyer has 12 books on subjects such as globalism, the Dalai Lama, Sufism, and Cuba. He’s also given three talks for TED.com since 2013. For more than 25 years, he has been a regular essayist for Time, The New York Times, Harper’s and Shambhala Sun. www.picoiyerjourneys.com Furyu Nancy Schroeder, see page 18
Bodhisattva Leadership: Inspiration from the Life of the Buddha with Pamela Weiss June 12 - 15 (Monday - Thursday) $280 | $238/Member
Based on Joseph Campbell’s map of the Hero’s Journey and stories from the life of the Buddha, this workshop will introduce a model of Bodhisattva Leadership. A Bodhisattva is a wise, sensitive person, dedicated to alleviating suffering in and around us. The cultivation of Bodhisattva Leadership offers a unique process for exploring and illuminating the intersection of life, leadership, and spiritual practice. During our time together we will weave talks, meditation, reflection, interactive exercises, and ritual. You will leave with a fresh vision of your personal leadership journey, a clear articulation of your leadership aspirations, and new insights, practices, and perspectives to inspire you. Pamela Weiss is a Buddhist teacher and executive coach. She is the Founder of Appropriate Response, and has worked with hundreds of leaders internationally. Pamela has practiced in the Zen and Theravada traditions for almost 30 years. She is the co-leader of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leader Program and teaches through San Francisco Insight.
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Photo: Shundo David Haye
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mindful l i v i n g Know Yourself, Forget Yourself: The Mindful Leader with Marc Lesser July 6 - 9 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Mindful, courageous leadership begins with self-knowing and the ability to step outside yourself. Leadership is the process of building shared vision together with engaging hearts and minds in the midst of self-discovery. This workshop will include meditation, mindfulness practices, and practical tools for developing the art of skillful, compassionate leadership. We will explore Zen teachings on embracing paradox and work with best practices from leadership models for inspiring and empowering others. This retreat is designed for those committed to making a difference—in businesses, organizations, or communities. Marc Lesser is CEO of Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI). Drawing upon core programs developed within Google, SIYLI offers mindfulness-based emotional intelligence trainings worldwide. Marc is a Zen priest, former director of Tassajara and has an MBA degree from NYU. He is the author of Know Yourself, Forget Yourself and Less: Accomplishing More By Doing Less.
Warm Hand to Warm Hand: Creating Connection, LGBTIQ Public Study Week with Dana Tagaki and Jisan Tova Green June 10 - 14 (Monday - Friday) $294 | $250/Member | See page 6 for more info
Photo: Hamish John Appleby
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mindful l i v i n g Mindful Self Compassion with Michelle Becker & Nomon Tim Burnett July 20 - 24 (Thursday - Monday) $350 | $297/Member
When we truly see things as they are the only thing that makes sense is compassion. Suzuki Roshi famously said, “Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.” And yet when we turn towards improvement we often react to the difficulties of life and our own foibles with very little kindness or compassion towards ourselves. Self-compassion is a skill that can be learned by anyone. When we can rely on meeting ourselves with kindness we are able to open more fully to the truth of things as they are. Through a process of meditation, reflective exercises, dialog, and written reflections we will examine the core supports for increased self-compassion. Michelle Becker, MFT, MA,is a senior teacher and teacher trainer for the Center for Mindful SelfCompassion and the University of California San Diego Center. She is also a mindfulness and licensed marriage and family therapist. Nomon Tim Burnett is a Soto Zen priest and Guiding Teacher of Red Cedar Zen Community in Bellingham, WA. He is also the Executive Director of Mindfulness Northwest, a trained MSC Teacher, and a teacher of MBSR and Compassion Cultivation Training.
Mindful Tech: Can We Tame Technology with Mindfulness? with David Levy and Zoketsu Norman Fischer August 11 - 13 (Friday - Sunday) $190 | $161/Member All are welcome; no meditation experience necessary
These days none of us can escape technology. We use it every day, at work, for entertainment, and to reach out to friends. But perhaps our love affair with tech has gone awry. Do our tech advantages make us too busy, too distracted, and too crazed? Maybe there’s another way. With the sort of careful examination that mindfulness fosters, perhaps we can create ways of being with technology that serve our needs yet leave our hearts and minds at ease. During this weekend workshop we will practice meditation, contemplate relevant Zen teachings, and engage in exercises and discussions that might help us improve our relationships with our beloved tech devices. David M. Levy is a professor in the Information School at the University of Washington, Seattle. For nearly twenty years he was a researcher at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). He is the author of Mindful Tech: How to Bring Balance to Our Digital Lives (Yale, 2016). Zoketsu Norman Fischer, see page 19
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mindful l i v i n g Embracing Change: Zen and the Art of Creating a Life You Want with Keiryu Liên Shutt August 25 - 27 (Friday - Sunday) $190 | $161/Member
Are you at a point in your life where you feel it’s time for a change, but you’re not sure how to proceed? Change can be hard—especially change we haven’t chosen, such as changing jobs or a relationship loss. Or perhaps you are experiencing a life transition. At times like these, teachings from both Zen Buddhism and the motivational field can help. We will explore how to incorporate both meditative practices and behavior-change skills to find stability and centeredness, evaluate what you are “called” to, discover obstacles, and gain tools to help you set and achieve goals. Keiryu Liên Shutt received dharma transmission from Zenkei Blanche Hartman. Based at San Francisco Zen Center, she also teaches at East Bay Meditation Center and other Bay Area groups. Liên currently works as a social worker, mainly within the field of homelessness. Please go to www.AccessToZen.org for sitting group information and other events.
Unplug and Recharge: Living Mindfully in the Digital Age with Myogan Djinn Gallagher September 1 - Sept 5 (Friday - Tuesday) $350 | $297/Member
Rediscover the joy of being fully present and begin a new relationship with technology. Tassajara, far from cell phone signals and wifi connections, offers the ultimate luxury—a rare opportunity to sit still. In the space that opens up in the absence of our phones and laptops, we can explore what it is to shift from “doing” to “being.” As we investigate the impact of technology on our brain and body, we’ll have a chance to revel in the sense data of direct experience: mindful eating with the help of the Tassajara kitchen, mindful walking through this remote valley, and mindful connection with others and ourselves. Myogan Djinn Gallagher has been meditating since 1992, but it wasn’t until 2007 that she finally decided to leave her career as a newspaper journalist in Ireland to plunge into monastic life in Tassajara. Ordained as a priest by Paul Haller in 2013, she recently returned to live in Ireland where she is the resident teacher at Black Mountain Zen Center in Belfast, Ireland.
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mindful l i v i n g Arriving at the Further Shore: Cherishing Our Journeys of Resilience and Transformation with Jennifer Block, Dr. Grace Damman, and Zesho Susan O’Connell September 7 - Sept 10 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Discover ways of living to keep your heart open in times of challenge and life-changing experiences. Explore the creativity and strength that lies deep within our life’s center. We will reflect on the situations that entangle us, and consider Zen teachings that grant us greater access to our own wisdom and guidance. Blending meditation, talks, discussion, interactive exercises, and ritual, we will actively discover what sense of purpose consistently motivates us—both internally and externally. Leave with a renewed perspective of where you have been, a clear articulation of how to continue, and practices to support you along the way. Jennifer Block is a Buddhist chaplain who provides care to individuals facing the spiritual and emotional issues related to aging, sickness, dying, and grief. Grace Dammann, MD, was a long time resident of Green Gulch Farm whose life changed when she experienced a head-on collision on the Golden Gate Bridge. After 45 days in a coma, Grace miraculously awoke. She now runs a pain clinic from a wheelchair. Zesho Susan O’Connell is a Zen teacher with 25 years of experience. She was ordained as a priest by Tenshin Reb Anderson. Susan has also been an actress, film producer, and consultant.
Photo: Hamish John Appleby
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Photo: Mitsue Nagase
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creative e x p r e s s i o n Wild Heart Writing: Beginner’s Mind as Muse with Cynthia Cummins and Laurie Senauke April 30 - May 4 (Sunday - Thursday) $350 | $297/Member No previous experience necessary, although the ability to speak, read, and write English is essential. Bring a pen and paper; laptop use is not suited to this modality.
Free your voice, cultivate your creativity, and share your stories in a supportive and inspiring group setting. Through mindfulness and writing practice, we find a pathway to compelling and authentic expression. Writing becomes easy and natural by using meditation, visualizations, poetry and fun props like images and found objects. Suited to novices and experts alike, Wild Heart Writing is a way to discover the writer within, jump-start any writing project, deepen your self awareness, or add tools to your wordsmith’s belt. It’s a shortcut to beginner’s mind, where we “allow” writing rather than “doing” it and discover what we don’t know. Cynthia Cummins regularly leads Wild Heart Writing workshops in San Francisco and the Bay Area. A former journalist, she is a blogger, novelist, and student of writing. She is a graduate of Interchange Counseling Institute and formerly served as San Francisco graduate facilitator for The Hoffman Institute. Laurie Senauke began formal Zen Practice in 1980. She served as shuso at Berkeley Zen Center and received lay recognition in 2006. She was editor of Windbell for three years, assisted in writing/editing two Zen Center-related books, and was a contributor to Dharma Family Treasures and The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-five Centuries of Awakened Women.
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creative e x p r e s s i o n Words Under the Words with Naomi Shihab Nye and Ryushin Paul Haller June 4 - 9 (Sunday - Friday) $410 | $348/Member Everyone is already experienced. We are always beginners.
Dip into nourishing wells of words and silence. Fuel up with poetry and quietude, allowing them to replenish one another. A writing circle of the encouraging kind! We will share beloved poems, writing in response, discussing process and particulars, finding first drafts, lines and images, listening to one another, with language springing up from many voices, and shared daily meditation. Resonance, resilience, simplicity, and a writing walk too! Naomi Shihab Nye’s poetry reflects a world vision and attests to our shared humanity. Author and editor of over 30 books, her recent books include Transfer and There Is No Long Distance Now. Ryushin Paul Haller, see page 17
Poetry, Practice, and Plenitude with Jane Hirshfield June 25 - 30 (Sunday - Friday) $410 | $348/Member All welcome, experienced and beginning writers alike.
An intimate, warm-hearted poetry writing workshop exploring the generosity and generativity that emerge both in poetry’s welcoming awareness and the practice of Zen. Writing and reading poems and practicing Zen, are paths that lead to a wellspring sense of existence. Both inner and outer worlds are renewed by our true offer of invitation. By cultivating the heart and mind as welcoming and open ground, many different seeds can take root in our lives and our words. During this week, we’ll turn toward the varied and almost limitless generative powers that may sometimes seem hidden to us but are always available. We’ll write new “starts,” share previously written poems and practice an open, generous, and creative attention that awakens both new language and new seeing. Jane Hirshfield, an internationally renowned poet, received lay-ordination in Soto Zen in 1979. Her poems are featured in eight editions of The Best American Poems, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Orion, Poetry, and Tricycle. Her most recent books are The Beauty (Knopf, 2015) and Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World (Knopf, 2015).
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m a k i n g your r e s e r v a t i o n Reservation Requests: All reservation inquiries and submissions are received as requests, and are not confirmed until processed by a reservation specialist in the Tassajara Reservations Office. Upon receipt, we will process your request within three business days. Before you begin, please have a sense of which type of visit you are planning, e.g. as a guest student or to attend a retreat. It is also helpful to have several options for available dates. While we will do our best to match your preferences, it helps to have some flexibility in your requirements. There are three convenient ways to submit your request. By Mail: Please remove the Reservation Request Form (next page), complete the form, and mail to:
Tassajara Reservations, 300 Page Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 Beginning on Feb 14, 2017, mail-in Reservation Request Forms will be processed in the order they are received. To facilitate your request, please be sure to fill out all sections of the form, and include payment equivalent to your estimated 50% deposit. By Phone: If you need assistance completing your reservation request or have additional inquiries, please call us at 1-888-743-ZEN2 (9362) after March 15, 2017. All phone inquiries are converted into online requests. Payment information is required to complete and confirm your reservation. Online Requests: Our online booking system allows you to easily submit your request after exploring the offerings on our website. This method expedites your request and efficiently places it into the queue immediately with a system-generated time-stamp. Please go to www.sfzc.org/tassajara to submit your request online. Reservation Confirmation & Cancellation Policy: Your reservation is not confirmed and no charges will be made until you have been contacted via phone or email. If we are unable to reach you, we will hold your unconfirmed reservation for 24 hours. A 50% deposit is required to confirm your booking. Whether booking by mail or online, you must read and indicate that you understand the cancellation policy (page 64). You will then receive an email detailing your paid deposit, remaining balance, and any associated reservations (retreats and Stage, if applicable). You are responsible to check over all details in your confirmation email. Please set your email server to allow messages from Tassajara Reservations at tassreservations@sfzc.org. Your final balance is due and payable at Tassajara upon checkout.
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creative e x p r e s s i o n Brush Mind with Kazuaki Tanahashi August 27 - Sept 1 (Sunday - Friday) $410 | $348/Member No previous experience with brushwork is necessary.
Explore the inner dimensions of brushwork practice and the joy of mindfulness. We will learn the basic skills of brushwork by reproducing ideograms from ancient Chinese masterpieces. We will also interpret these works, improvise, and witness mindfulness, surprise, and joy while exploring healing and how it works in our body, mind, and the environment. Kazuaki Tanahashi is a calligrapher, painter, Zen scholar, and writer. Originally from Japan, he has had solo exhibitions worldwide. As a peace worker, Kaz is founding director of A World Without Armies. He is the editor of a recently published two-volume translation of Dogen’s Shobogenzo, Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. www.brushmind.net
Photo: Margo Morwitz
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creative e x p r e s s i o n The Writer’s Journey: Crafting Personal Stories that are Vivid, Compelling with Laura Davis and Jisan Tova Green August 27 - 31 (Sunday - Thursday) $350 | $297/Member New and seasoned writers welcome to attend.
Discover how writing practice, meditation, and deep listening from a supportive community can unleash your most powerful, compelling stories. Many of us hold a deep dream of wanting to write so we can understand ourselves more deeply and so we can be seen. We sense stories living inside us that need to be told, but we haven’t created the time, space, or circumstances to do so. This healing, transformative workshop will give you that time. We’ll utilize writing practices developed by Natalie Goldberg to create a vibrant, compassionate writing community. Alternating periods of writing with meditation, we will deeply listen to each other. Laura Davis is author of seven bestselling books, including The Courage to Heal and I Thought We’d Never Speak Again. Founder of The Writer’s Journey, she leads writing retreats worldwide and specializes in the use of writing as a tool for healing and transformation. www.lauradavis.net Jisan Tova Green, a San Francisco Zen Center resident and teacher, was priest ordained in 2003 and received dharma transmission from Eijun Linda Cutts in 2015. She views Zen practice as a catalyst for individual and societal change. Tova writes poetry and prose and enjoys helping others find their voice through writing.
Photo: Valerie Boquet
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b o d y and m i n d Zen and Swimming Dragon Taichi with Dr. Liping Julia Zhu and Rev. Mary Stares April 27 - May 4 (Thursday - Thursday) $535 | $454/Member 42 CEU credits/CE Contact Hours available for L.Ac. & RNs. An extra $50 CEU certificate fee to be paid on site to Qi Dragon.
Harmonize, balance, improve health and cultivate a sense of well-being through Taichi, Qigong, and Zen. On this retreat, we will practice one form of Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan—a gentle, flowing form of movement that combines Taichi, Qigong, and yogic stretching. This rare Taichi style, once a secret family heirloom of Daoist Grandmaster Yu Anren, circulates and cultivates Qi and enhances balance, flexibility, and coordination. The combined practices of Taichi, Qigong, and Zen offer a lyrical and restorative experience for the body and mind that is enjoyable and vital for people of all ages. Watch “Swimming Dragon Taichi” on YouTube. Dr. Liping Julia Zhu, DAOM, L.Ac., founder of Qi Dragon Healing Center and Heavenly Essence Qigong Institute, has received direct transmission of Qigong and Taichi from her masters in China. She is the Qigong instructor at ACTCM and SFSU, and also has an acupuncture practice in San Francisco. www.qidragon.com Rev. Mary Stares came to SFZC in 2000, following a period of residential practice at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, Canada. A carpenter by trade, Mary was ordained as a priest in 2010 by Arlene Lueck and Myogen Steve Stücky. Mary was shuso in 2015 at Tassajara and is currently serving as Director of City Center.
Swimming Dragon Walking Qigong with Dr. Liping Julia Zhu and Rev. Mary Stares May 4 - 8 (Thursday - Monday) $350 | $297/Member 18 CEU credits/CE Contact Hours available for L.Ac. & RNs. An extra $40 CEU certificate fee to be paid on site to Qi Dragon.
An ancient Chinese healing and spiritual tradition, qigong is known for its ability to improve qi and blood circulation and to strengthen the immune and nervous systems. Walking is a special art in qigong and has been utilized for healing and life preservation in various qigong lineages for centuries. Swimming Dragon Walking Qigong, a Daoist family tradition, promotes balance, flexibility, strength, and health. Join us for this gentle and graceful Daoist Qigong walking practice along with the Qin Quan Dragon Tiger Walking practice and Zen walking kinhin. Watch “Swimming Dragon Walking Qigong” on YouTube. Dr. Liping Julia Zhu, DAOM, L.Ac., see above
36 Rev. Mary Stares, see above
Photo: Shundo David Haye
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b o d y and m i n d Reconnecting with the Flow of Life: A Yoga and Zen Retreat with Lisa Marie and Shinchi Linda Galijan May 8 - 11 (Monday - Thursday) $280 | $238/Member
May we live our lives like the flow of a river, neither forcing nor holding back. Renew your innate, intuitive connection with the flow of everyday life through the ancient practices of yoga and zen. Lisa and Linda will intertwine Hatha Yoga, including both restorative and flow styles, with zen teaching and meditation. With yoga, we are able to release restrictions that keep us from experiencing our connection to life force energy. In sitting meditation, we’ll let the body–mind align into its natural state of easeful awareness, resting in silence and simplicity. We invite you to give yourself this time and space. Lisa Marie, RYT-500, CST, Reiki Master, and founder of PremaYoga. With 32 years of experience in practice, and 20 years as a teacher she integrates Hatha Yoga and Reiki in her sessions. Her style is accessible to all levels of students. Find out more: premayogahealing.com Shinchi Linda Galijan, PhD, was ordained by Sojun Mel Weitsman in 2004 and received dharma transmission from him in 2012. A professional musician, massage therapist, and licensed clinical psychologist, she has practiced yoga for over 20 years. She currently serves as President of San Francisco Zen Center.
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b o d y and m i n d Aligning with Stillness: Embody Freedom and Vitality through Yoga and Zen with Athena Pappas and Kanzan David Zimmerman May 11 - 14 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Through “meditation in action,” nourish and reconnect to the liberation body and joyful mind that are already yours. Join us as Tassajara once more opens its heart and welcomes you into the refuge found in a quiet mind and natural beauty. Through the dynamic practices of Iyengar Yoga and contemplative Zen teachings, we will cultivate optimal balance and bring our heart, mind, and body into alignment. We will also nurture our capacity to be fully present with sustained composure and joyful ease. We’ll explore the ways in which asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breath work), and zazen (sitting meditation) can reveal the wisdom body allowing us to experience true freedom. Athena Pappas has been immersed in the study, practice, and teaching of yoga since 1989. She is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher whose practice emphasizes alignment and awareness. Athena believes that yoga is a multi-faceted gem that supports our ability to experience peaceful and contented lives. Kanzan David Zimmerman has been practicing Zen for 25 years, was ordained by Rev. Teah Strozer in 2006, and spent eight years at Tassajara. He currently lives at City Center where he serves as the Head of Practice, is a co-facilitator of Queer Dharma, and co-leads workshops on transforming depression and anxiety.
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b o d y and m i n d Power of Practice: From Right Effort to Effortless Effort with Brian Hogencamp and Shosan Victoria Austin May 26 - 29 (Friday - Monday) $280 | $238/Member Six months in yoga or meditation recommended
Suzuki Roshi taught, “We must make some effort, but we must forget ourselves in the effort we make … By the power of practice, the effort will become purer and purer.” In India, B.K.S. Iyengar taught effortlessness as the culmination of dynamic, progressive effort through the various aspects of yoga. Though divided by oceans, these two founding teachers shared an understanding of how as resistance dissolves, the inner light begins to shine. How do we transform our knowledge of the power of practice into wisdom that manifests in the moment? How do we use obstacles to nourish the living power of practice? We invite you to enter deeply into the experience of awakening body and mind through the forms of Iyengar Yoga and Soto Zen. Brian Hogencamp is a dedicated yoga practitioner and senior certified Iyengar yoga teacher. He travels annually to India for extended study with the Iyengar family. Brian is devoted to sharing the art, science, and philosophy of yoga according to the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar. www.iybrian.com Shosan Victoria Austin offers decades of experience in both yoga and Zen practice. She is a senior Iyengar teacher, and has received Soto Zen dharma transmission. She has studied with the Iyengars and others in both traditions in order to cultivate integrity and depth of practice for joy and freedom. www.victoriaaustin.org
Loving the Mountains: The Zen of Hiking and Yoga in the Majestic Tassajara Mountains with Ann Averbach and Shundo David Haye May 29 - June 1 (Monday - Thursday) $280 | $238/Member A good level of physical fitness is required to enjoy hikes of four to six miles.
A unique opportunity to combine meditation, yoga, and hiking as a way to nourish yourself, heal, and explore. Take your meditation off the cushion and into the mountains. Hike with mindfulness on the well-loved trails around Tassajara. This retreat is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the healing beauty of the wilderness and take time to meditate, study, and live the Zen teachings of being deeply connected with our environment. Using the Mountain and Rivers Sutra as our inspiration, our yoga journey will be one of deeply connecting with breath, body, and the earth. Using Yoga Ceremony, we will honor the elements and the earth, create space to heal deeply, and learn to weave ceremonial space into our daily routines. Ann Averbach is the founder of DiviniTree Yoga Studios in Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara and the creator of Yoga Ceremony and Gypsy Yoga Flow. Her classes are deeply tied with a love for the earth. Ann has been teaching for over 15 years and leads retreats worldwide. www.divinitree.com Shundo David Haye began practicing in 2000 and lived at San Francisco Zen Center for 15 years. Ordained as a priest in 2009, he served as shuso (head monk) in 2012 and served in numerous traditional temple administrator roles at Tassajara and City Center. He loves to be in the 40 outdoors — usually either riding a bike or taking photographs.
Photo: Photo:Valerie ValerieBoquet Bouquet
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b o d y and m i n d Enter the Dharma Gate of Repose and Bliss: A Zen Meditation and Gentle Yoga Retreat with Lirio and Shundo David Haye June 1 - 4 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Discover inner tranquility, comfort, and ease in your body through a rejuvenating balance of yoga and zen. Allow the peaceful and nurturing environment of Tassajara to offer you respite from the distraction and stress of daily life. We will learn the basics of zen meditation and mindfulness so that our “true self” can emerge from our habitual “busy self.” Through the deep, accessible, and playful yoga asana practice of gentle yoga, we will unravel physical tension and stress. Come take this time to find a more relaxed, peaceful self by meditating, practicing yoga, and soaking in the healing hot waters of this quiet pristine landscape. Lirio, E-RYT 500 has taught yoga for the last 20 years and her goal is to make yoga available and accessible to students regardless of physical ability or aptitude. She seeks to foster an even ratio of flexibility, strength, and balance while also promoting stress reduction through mindful awareness. Shundo David Haye, see page 40
The Healing Power of Stillness: Restorative Yoga and Zen with Britt Fohrman and Unzan Mako Voelkel June 12 - 15 (Monday - Thursday) $280 | $238/Member
Restorative Yoga gives us an opportunity to balance the effort in our lives with ease and surrender. Through gentle, supported poses, breath awareness and meditation, we will drop into a deep state of physiological relaxation. From this still place, the body is more able to access its natural ability to cleanse, heal, digest, sleep, conceive, and build immunities. With the physical body at rest, a sense of mental, emotional, and spiritual ease naturally follows. This retreat will also include dharma offerings, seated meditation, leisure time, gentle movement, and stretching to complement our theme of cultivating ease, relaxation, and surrender in all aspects of our lives. Britt Fohrman has taught yoga since 1997, with a foundation in Iyengar Yoga, and specializes in restorative, therapeutic, and prenatal yoga. Her teaching emphasizes individualized alignment, meditative focus, and breath-guided movement, and is infused with levity, compassion, and honesty. Unzan Mako Voelkel began practicing at San Francisco Zen Center in 1997. In 2002, she ended a teaching position in philosophy to enter 10 years of monastic practice at Tassajara. Ordained by Ryushin Paul Haller in 2004, Mako is currently the Tanto (Head of Practice) at Austin Zen Center.
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b o d y and m i n d Communion: The Art of Yoga and Zen with Purusha Hickson and Yo-on Jeremy Levie June 15 - 18 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
“Where does the body end and the mind begin?” —B.K.S. Iyengar The Sanskrit word yoga can be translated in English as union. However, a better word may be communion. Communion implies a sacred connection and intimate communication. Through yoga postures, conscious breathing, and Zen meditation practices, we will playfully explore how we are in intimate communication with nature, our breath, our body and mind, and ultimately the deeper parts of ourselves. There will be modifications for beginners and opportunities for everyone to find and gently explore their edges. Purusha Hickson has been teaching Hatha Yoga for over 35 years. His principal spiritual teacher is Swamini Turiyasangitanandaji (Alice Coltrane). He has studied in India with great Hatha Yoga masters such as Swami Satchidananda, the Iyengars, and Pattabhi Jois. His classes are characterized by a unique blend of spirit, technique, and humor. Yo-on Jeremy Levie studied philosophy and theater at Yale University. He was ordained in 2005 and served as Director and Head of Practice at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. He is now the Corporate Secretary of San Francisco Zen Center and lives in San Francisco with his wife and teenage daughter.
Meditation in Motion: Taiji Qigong and Push Hands with Sally Chang and Laura O’Loughlin June 15 - 19 (Thursday - Monday) $350 | $297/Member Build resilience and calm through learning Taiji principles in a gentle Qigong form. In addition, explore Taiji Push Hands in a friendly, relational context. This practice will help you cultivate your inner resources. You can feel freedom within form by learning foundational alignment, posture, breath, and by working with intent. This retreat will help you to build resilience, calm, and nonaggression through Taiji and Push Hands practice. This experience will cover the basics of Wudang Taiji Push Hands through which it is possible to restore and generate energy and essence. Taiji Qigong is a set of 18 movements using Taiji principles in a focused Qigong form. Sally Chang, L.Ac brings over 20 years of martial arts experience and is dedicated to the practice of internal cultivation from a Daoist perspective. Her experience as an acupuncturist and herbalist also integrates principles of classical Chinese medicine into these self-care practices. Sally brings a warm, focused presence to these healing arts. www.evergreentaiji.com Laura O’Loughlin is a psychotherapist, affiliated with the Buddhist Psychotherapy Collective, with her own practice in Manhattan. As a clinician, Laura uses mindfulness and body-oriented practices to support healing and transformation. Before co-founding Brooklyn Zen Center, Laura had trained and lived in various Buddhist communities since 1997, including Tassajara, and Austin Zen Center where she served as Director.
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Photo: Margo Moritz
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b o d y and m i n d Yoga and Zen: Access Vitality, Return to Stillness with Djuna Mascall and Nancy Petrin June 18 - 23 (Sunday - Friday) $410 | $348/Member
Celebrate the Summer Solstice with powerful practices to transform your life. The essence of yoga and Zen is to release our habitual ways of being and awaken to the beauty and creativity of life available to us in each moment. The yoga practice will be both dynamic and restorative, with a focus on inner alignment and awakening to sensation, for deep internal transformation. Zen meditation will allowus to drop into the stillness and spaciousness of calm mind and experience subtleintimacy with all things. This potent combination will unwindour deeply held tensions and bring vitality and tranquility to the body-mind. Djuna Mascall ERYT 500, teaches Prajna Yoga nationally and internationally. Her primary influences are Tias and Surya Little. Her highly accessible approach allows the body, mind, and heart to open. She was featured in Yoga Journal in 2012. www.djunamascall.com Nancy Petrin began Zen practice in 1996 through the Organic Farm and Garden Apprenticeship at Green Gulch Farm, where she lived and practiced for nine years. She served as shuso in the fall of 2014. Nancy currently works as the Development Director at San Francisco Zen Center. She resides in San Francisco with her teenage daughter.
True Body, True Self: Radical Presence through Zen and Yoga with Christy Brown and Ango Sara Tashker June 23 - 25 (Friday - Sunday) $190 | $161/Member
Cultivating complete and compassionate presence of body and mind through Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Zen practice, we actualize our true body and true self. Join us for a two-night retreat devoted to integrating the vital yet calming practices of Vinyasa and Yin Yoga with the wisdom and compassion of Zen meditation and insight. Together, by cultivating presence of body and mind through these parallel practices, we can wake up to this gift of human life. We will offer gentle, mixedlevel yoga, meditation, dharma discussion and ample unstructured time to enjoy Tassajara’s wilderness and hot springs. Together we can find the depth and joy of retreat practice. Christy Brown, E-RYT 500, has studied with Pattabhi Jois, S.N. Goenka, Sarah Powers, Paul Grilley, and H.H. the Dalai Lama. Combining mindfulness, breath, alignment, Buddhism, Taoism, and other wisdom traditions, Christy weaves a creatively flowing, invigorating yet calming, centering yet expanding exploration of self through asana. ChristyBrownYoga.com Ango Sara Tashker has been a residential practitioner at San Francisco Zen Center since 2002. In 2011, she served as shuso at Tassajara with Abbot Myogen Steve Stücky and Sojun Mel Weitsman, and in 2013 was ordained as a priest. She currently serves as Director of Green Gulch Farm. 45
b o d y and m i n d Vital Body - Beginner’s Mind: A Zen and Vinyasa Yoga Retreat with Rex Stromness and Shogen Danielson June 26 - 30 (Monday - Friday) $350 | $297/Member
Investigate the rejuvenating power of the life force within all of us through the lenses of Vinyasa Yoga and Soto Zen. What is this life force that burns so strongly in the heat of a Tassajara summer? What is the open, receptive mind that takes in everything with a sense of wonder? Let’s explore what renews and revives us via Zen practice, Vinyasa Yoga, and the magic of Tassajara. We will have morning meditation practice followed by an active asana class. Afternoons will be a time to explore Tassajara, followed by more meditation, restorative yoga, and practicing kirtan (devotional singing and chanting). Rex Stromness has been practicing yoga and meditation since the mid 1970s and teaching since 1990. His style is Ashtanga-based Vinyasa Yoga with an emphasis on proper alignment, body mechanics, breath, and mindfulness. He leads retreats and workshops worldwide and is the co-owner of the Yoga Center of Chico. Shogen Danielson began Buddhist practice in 1997 and was ordained as a Zen priest in 2008 by Teah Strozer. He taught in Africa for four and a half years with the Peace Corps and has an MS in Physics and Astronomy. Shogen loves spending time in nature with his two children.
Long Spine, Spacious Mind: The Cultivation of Yoga and Zen with Jim Gallas and Dr. Lucy Xiao June 30 - July 2 (Friday - Sunday) $190 | $161/Member
Harmonizing body, breath, and mind for more ease and freedom in life. As we learn to enjoy lengthening the spine, there is more space for the breath. The breath is a direct link to the nervous system. As we settle deeper into relaxation, our natural state of ease and joy surfaces. Mindful of each person’s specific needs, we will focus on posture and breath through yoga and meditation using principles of grounding and lengthening, steadiness and energy. The tools of physical and energetic anatomy, precise alignment with skillful hands-on adjustments, silence, and spontaneous laughter will be enjoyed in this inspiring, fun workshop. Jim Gallas has been teaching yoga, qigong, and shiatsu for over 20 years. He teaches at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, at Five Branches University Santa Cruz, and at Haramara Retreat in Sayulita Mexico. Jim loves his work and aims to meet the needs of each student with compassion, humor, and extensive experience. www.relaxedfocus.net Dr. Lucy Xiao is a Zen priest and a doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine. She started practicing at SFZC in 2000 and lived there as a resident for 12 years. She practices acupuncture in San Francisco and continues to integrate her Chinese heritage with Zen practice and healing work. 46 www.drlucyxiao.com
b o d y and m i n d Return to Our Senses: Living Zen. A Workshop in Sensory Awareness with Lee Klinger Lesser July 2 – 7 (Sunday-Friday) $410 | $348/Member
CEU’s for nurses, massage therapists, MFTs are available. Alan Watts called the practice of Sensory Awareness, “Living Zen.” Explore how to rely on the allies of your sensations to wake up for your life. The experience of returning to our senses, living with embodied presence, and meeting each moment just as it is, is a path to freedom. As we let go of extra, unnecessary effort, and the habits and patterns that hinder us, we learn to live with more curiosity and openheartedness, and to appreciate this wondrous life we’ve been given. Charlotte Selver was the first person invited by Suzuki Roshi to teach at Tassajara. They were good friends, and the practices to which they devoted their lives were aligned and enriching of each other. We will continue this practice together. Lee Klinger Lesser has been leading workshops in Sensory Awareness for 40 years, and led workshops with Charlotte Selver, founder of Sensory Awareness in the United States. Lee began studying Zen in 1978 and appreciates the deep interconnectedness of these two practices. She co-founded Veteran’s PATH, which offers mindfulness retreats for returning veterans. www.veteranspath.org
Energy and Inquiry: The Merging Paths of Zen and Yoga with Rosemary Garrison and Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler July 7 – 10 (Friday-Monday) $280 | $238/Member
Cultivate energy and awareness through the practice of Vinyasa Yoga and Soto Zen. Vinyasa Yoga and Soto Zen both explore the cultivation of energy and emphasize self-inquiry and awareness of breath as a means of accessing internal layers of consciousness, vitality, and peace. Both traditions serve as an entry into the physical aspects of Vinyasa Flow and sitting meditation. Participants can expect daily flow and restorative yoga, meditation instruction and exploration of Zen teachings, and one-on-one time with instructors by request. Come “as is” and expect to return enlivened, grounded, replenished, and supported with the tools to nourish your practice and being. Rosemary Garrison began her study of yoga in the traditional Ashtanga style with Tim Miller. She has since worked with several Vinyasa instructors including Shiva Rea and Dharma Mittra. She incorporates creativity and grace into her teachings and beckons her students into the deeper layers of practice, encouraging greater awareness, transformation, and peace. Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler is a priest in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi with Dharma Transmission from Sojun Mel Weitsman. He lives, works, and teaches at Green Gulch and is the head teacher of the Buddhadharma Sangha at San Quentin State Prison. www.shoresofzen.com
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Photo: Margo Moritz
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b o d y and m i n d Bringing Yoga and Zen Home: Creating and Sustaining a Home Practice with Shogen Jody Greene and Shinchi Linda Galijan July 10 - 14 (Monday - Friday) $350 | $297/Member
The traditions of Zen and yoga encourage us to establish a routine of daily practice or sadhana. By doing so, we bring the sacred into our homes and ground our daily life in the rhythms of practice. Through sitting, chanting, pranayama, asana, and Zen teachings, we’ll explore ways to carry our intentions for practice back into our day-to-day lives. We’ll cover essentials such as creating a home practice space and altar, making time for practice, and how to meet resistance when it arises. Each student will be guided in finding a daily practice that is sustainable and nourishing within his or her own life circumstances. Shogen Jody Greene came to the practice of Vinyasa Flow Yoga in 2002—less than a year after beginning Zen practice at Tassajara. The two practice traditions remain mutually nourishing and deeply intertwined for her. Her root teachers include Janet Stone, Daijaku Kinst, Leslie James, and Ryushin Paul Haller. Shinchi Linda Galijan, see page 38
Turning the Light Inward: Sitting and Settling with Yoga and Zen with Christy Brown and Sessei Meg Levie July 14 - 16 (Friday - Sunday) $190 | $161/Member
Cultivating presence of body and mind through Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Zen practice, we wake up to the gift of this human life. Through yoga, we prepare the body and nervous system for meditative states. Then we sit. The mind settles and the light of our awareness turns inward. As we connect more fully with our own true nature, we can begin to inquire deeply: What is the heart’s innermost request? Join us for this meditative retreat devoted to integrating vital yet calming practices. We’ll share gentle, mixed-level yoga, meditation, dharma discussion, and ample unstructured time to enjoy Tassajara. Christy Brown, see page 45 Sessei Meg Levie, MA, has been practicing Zen for over 25 years and received ordination as a Zen priest in 2003. She travels internationally teaching Search Inside Yourself, a leadership program developed at Google based on mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and neuroscience.
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b o d y and m i n d Joyful Ease: Your Own True Body with Patricia Sullivan & Eijun Linda Cutts July 16 - 21 (Sunday - Friday) $410 | $348/Member
Turning the light of awareness inward. Finding nourishing integration through yoga and Zen. The morning yoga classes will include explorations in stabilizing and realigning the body through simple movements that release compensatory habit patterns and reintroduce stability where it is lacking. We’ll be interweaving these movements with traditional yoga postures, awakening to a more refined awareness of our relationship with gravity and greater freedom from the limitations caused by misalignments. We’ll also engage with Zen practice through zazen, dharma talks, discussion, and direct experience of our subtle and expansive nature. Patricia Sullivan’s 40-year experience teaching yoga enables her to bring forth a natural joy and ease of being through an emphasis on process, explorations, and individual attention. She contributes this depth of experience in retreats, in teacher trainings, and in one-to-one therapeutic sessions. 2017 will be Patricia’s 30th year co-leading retreats at Tassajara! Eijun Linda Cutts is Central Abbess of San Francisco Zen Center. She has been practicing Zen since 1971, and was ordained as a priest in 1975. She has lived at all three temples, and has resided at Green Gulch Farm since 1993. She has been co-leading yoga and Zen retreats for many years at both Tassajara and Green Gulch.
The Healing Power of Stillness: Restorative Yoga & Zen with Britt Fohrman and Yo-on Jeremy Levie July 21 - July 24 (Friday - Monday) $280 | $238/Member
Please see page 42 for a description of the retreat. Britt Fohrman, see page 42 Yo-on Jeremy Levie, see page 43
Photo: Hamish John Appleby
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b o d y and m i n d Satori and Salutations: Opening to the Heart of Zen and Yoga with James Higgins and Unzan Mako Voelkel July 27 – 30 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Enjoy the luminosity of a clear mind, a balanced body, and an open heart amidst the restorative beauty of Tassajara. Join one of San Francisco’s most respected yoga teachers, James Higgins, and Zen teacher Mako Voelkel in this three-day revitalizing retreat. Through soul-enriching asana practices and deeply nourishing periods of meditation and rest, discover your potential for increased vitality and happiness. We also will explore the heart of Zen through the classic collection of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi’s talks, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. With pranayama, yoga nidra, dharma study, and meditation, this workshop will foster optimal wellness and deep nurturing of the spirit. James Higgins weaves a slow, steady, and engaged Vinyasa Yoga practice with his Vipassana meditation experience to offer a unique, appealing, and challenging class. He has been a presenter at Kripalu, Omega Institute, Wanderlust Festival, Yoga Journal Conferences, and Tassajara. Unzan Mako Voelkel, see page 42
Yoga Zen Healing with Lisa Marie and Qayyum Johnson July 31 – Aug 3 (Monday - Thursday) $280 | $238/Member
Dealing with difficult emotions through the four foundations of Buddhism and Healing Yoga. This retreat will integrate Buddhism and Restorative Yoga, which focuses on healing mind and body. Lisa will offer support through the teaching of Zen meditation and Restorative Yoga so students have time to investigate long held patterns in the body–mind. Combining these practices helps to identify both the stories and the habitual ways of living that can keep one held in suffering. Traditional Buddhist practices honor the role of the body in both creating and relieving suffering. Lisa Marie, see page 38 Qayyum Johnson believes in cultivating resilience to “show up” with dignity for the challenge of being human. He proposes that everyday Zen practice is the ground of enlightened activity, a working person’s expression of wisdom and compassion. He teaches in light of ritual, poetry, social justice movements, and through exploring the real emotional texture of our daily lives.
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b o d y and m i n d Balanced and Awake: Zen and Yoga to Harmonize Mind and Body with Letitia Bartlett and Kanzan David Zimmerman August 3 - 6 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Release, open, and settle into authentic joy and repose. Rediscover a deeper sense of trust in life‌ and in your own innate wisdom. Through Iyengar Yoga and Zen meditation, this retreat will guide you into an experience of relaxed, grounded stability and compassionate awareness. As we develop the poses, we release stresses and challenges so that breath, ease, and vitality can flourish. We will focus on developing alignment, stillness, expansiveness, and clarity. With a light-hearted approach, Letitia will help individual students express the poses fully and joyfully. Through Zen teachings, David will support us to deepen our connection to our natural state of confidence, equanimity and insight. Letitia Bartlett has been teaching yoga for 20 years. She is a graduate of the San Francisco Iyengar Institute and has studied in Pune, India with the Iyengar family. Letitia also works as a clown, mime, and acting teacher in San Francisco. Kanzan David Zimmerman, see page 39
Joyful Ease: Your Own True Body with Patricia Sullivan and Eijun Linda Cutts August 6 - 11 (Sunday - Friday) $410 | $348/Member
For information on this retreat see page 50 Patricia Sullivan, see page 50 Eijun Linda Cutts, see page 50
Photo: Shundo David Haye
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b o d y and m i n d Being Grace: Finding Effortlessness in All Things with Stacie Overby and Cloud Mountain Graham Ross August 18 - 21 (Thursday - Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Immerse yourself in the practice of ease—cultivating a place to rest inside through mindful Yin Yang Flow Yoga and Zen meditation. Practicing yoga with an intention to cultivate self-awareness and refine the focus of our attention, we truly embark upon meditation in motion. The rhythmic synchronization of breath with movement facilitates a deep connection with one’s inner being—offering a journey home to oneself and a place to rest inside. Each day will include yoga practices, dharma teachings, and meditation. Integrating these practices will provide a rich tapestry of experience intended to ease and open the heart, body, and mind. There will also be ample time to enjoy Tassajara. Stacie Overby views yoga as a spiritual, psychological, and energetic journey that inspires understanding of self and deep transformation. Her yin-yang flow style classes emphasize integration of breath and movement, meditation and pranayama to support a holistic exploration of the mind, body, and soul. Cloud Mountain Graham Ross practiced at Tassajara from 2004 to 2012. He was ordained by Ryushin Paul Haller and was one of the Fire Monks who protected Tassajara in 2008.
Body and Mind Moving in Harmony: Zen and Qigong with Teja Fudo Myoo Bell and Edward Brown August 23 - 27 (Wednesday - Sunday) $350 | $297/Member
Experience in-forming yourself through the practices of sitting meditation in zazen, and movement in qigong. Being yourself with authenticity and integrity is the great work of a lifetime. Edward and Teja will share their nearly 100 years of zen and qigong practice for cultivating qi and manifesting it with clarity and balance so that “you are you,” with “no more worry about not being perfect.” We will have periods of zazen, qigong, kinhin, outdoor walking meditation, dharma talks, discussion, visiting, and other practices we may dream up-including energy-awareness practices. Participants will develop more intimate connection between mind and body, that is, we will be “re-incarnating” into our own bodies so that more parts of the body are awake, alive, and participating. Teja Fudo Myoo Bell teaches aikido, qigong and healing arts always connected to the Dharma. Teja has taught over 90 residential retreats at Spirit Rock, and continues to practice and teach across the traditions to bring about well-being through the embodied synthesis of modern knowledge with the wisdom of the ancient ways. Learn more: www.qigongdharma.com. Edward Brown, has been practicing Zen since 1965. Ordained as a priest by Suzuki Roshi in 1971, he recieved dharma transmission from Mel Wheitsman in 1996. He is the author of several books and editor of Not Always So, a book of Suski Roshi’s lectures. Edward is the founder and teacher of Peaceful Sea Shangha. 53
b o d y and m i n d Manifesting the Wisdom of the Body: A Zen Mind, Yoga Body Retreat with Samantha Ostergaard and Do-On Robert Thomas September 1 – Sept 4 (Friday-Monday) $280 | $238/Member
Discover how the body is the gateway to clarity, connection, and freedom available in every moment. Join us as we awaken the body’s innate wisdom by becoming intimate with the moment-to-moment experience of the body and cultivating the fundamental Zen practice of mindfulness as open awareness. An embodied yoga and meditation practice helps us to realize our interconnectedness with everything around us. The yoga sessions will be by turns invigorating and restorative and will guide you to find a grounded and focused relaxation while also preparing you for sitting in meditation posture without discomfort. Samantha Ostergaard’s yoga teaching is deeply influenced by her training in Zen meditation practice at Tassajara. Her teaching emphasizes meditative awareness in yoga poses, and alignment principles that energize and harmonize the body. She is an acupuncturist and yoga therapist in San Francisco specializing in helping people recover from chronic pain. Do-On Robert Thomas is an executive coach, business consultant and Zen Buddhist teacher. He leads retreats, classes and gives public lectures throughout the year. Before living as a monk at Tassajara for six years, he was a serial entrepreneur in San Francisco. He lived at San Francisco Zen Center for 23 years and was President for eight years.
The Mind and Body of Practice in Zen and Yoga with Ingen Breen and Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan September 7 – September 10 (Thursday-Sunday) $280 | $238/Member
Experience the joy and wonder of balancing your body and mind in the exquisite setting of Tassajara. Explore the core of Iyengar Yoga and Soto Zen traditions by discovering how they support and complement each other, and how they bring our lives into a deeper, fuller, and richer communication with reality. Alternating between sitting meditation and yoga asana, we come to appreciate how the practices are both different and the same. A full schedule of Zen and Iyengar Yoga sessions is offered, providing the opportunity to experience an intensive retreat. Participation is flexible, however, and you are free to take time out to enjoy Tassajara. Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan was a professional dancer for 27 years and has been teaching yoga in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1988. She received priest ordination from Tenshin Reb Anderson in 2010 and served as head monk in 2014. She currently serves as Guest Program Manager at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. Ingen Breen received dharma transmission from Zoketsu Norman Fischer. Ingen has practiced Buddhism over 25 years. He has led sesshins and retreats in Europe and California and is a member of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association of America.
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Photo: Margo Moritz
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g u e s t accommodations Guest Accommodations at Tassajara are simple and comfortably rustic. They range from private cabins overlooking the creek, to quiet hideaways tucked alongside the mountain, to cabins shared with a few (and new) friends. An overnight stay at Tassajara offers: • Freedom from Internet and emails, cell phones, and TV • Recreation in the wilderness—hiking to beautiful vistas up and down the creek • Soaking in the hot springs in a Japanese-style bathhouse with sunning deck and steam room
• Enjoying free time at the pool, at the bocce ball court, or playing board games • Three delicious vegetarian meals daily, served family-style in our beautiful dining room
• Fresh Tassajara bread, bottomless coffee, and an array of teas • Daily Zen meditation, services, & instruction; weekly Dharma talks & discussions • Fresh linens, bedding, and towels with eco-conscious service Tassajara’s Stone Office reception hours are 9:00am to 7:00pm. Please stop by the office and confirm your room assignment and readiness before going to your room. Check-in time is 3:00pm with late check-in offered until 7:00pm. Check-out is 11:00am. We offer space on our luggage deck for guests who will be lingering longer. Please check out in person before departing. Guest meals are served at 9:00am, 1:00pm and 7:00pm in the Dining Room. An optional bag lunch is available at 9:30am. Additional snacks and tea are available in the courtyard at 3:45pm and at the self-service coffee/tea bar throughout the day. Tassajara observes special quiet time to support the practice of year-round residents. Quiet time begins at 8:00pm and ends at 8:30am after temple cleaning following morning zazen and service.
For more information about guest accommodations, go to sfzc.org/tassajara/rooms-rates
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c r e e k s i d e cabins Stone Suite Reserved for parties of four to six at a special rate, this is an ideal room for families and groups. There are two rooms joined by a bathroom, two entrances, a large creekside deck, and convenient access to the creek. There are no stairs. It is farthest from central areas and closest to the bathhouse. Stone Rooms Sleep three to four people in rooms perfect for the temperature sensitive. The thick stone walls keep the room cool on hot days, and antique wood stoves warm it on cold nights. Each includes a private bathroom, standard beds, and deck overlooking the creek. Recommended for families or couples who appreciate more space. While somewhat further from central areas, these rooms are close to the Retreat Hall and bathhouse. Pine Rooms Cozy pine floors, wood stove, deck along the creek, and a front porch overlooking the bocce ball court make the Pine Rooms an annual favorite for families. Unique bed configurations, writing areas, and proximity to the phone and other amenities give these rooms a welcome glow. They can accommodate two to four people. Cabin 15 A rare gem with a more modern aesthetic, this centrally located cabin enjoys a view of the lower gardens, and a deck overlooking the creek. It has stairs, geothermal heating, a private bathroom, and a variable bed configuration. No children, but it is perfect for couples or friends traveling together. Cabin 14B Another offering in the center of campus across from the lower garden, this creekside duplex unit has geothermal heat, a front porch and private patio. There are no stairs. The beds can be arranged as one king bed or as two single beds. Not recommended for children. Cabin 3B This cabin is perfect for friends attending a retreat together. It holds a maximum of four people, has a variable bed configuration, and a private bathroom. Located close to the creek with a large private patio, this cabin stays cool, but it can also be cozy indoors next to the wood stove.
For more information about guest accommodations, go to sfzc.org/tassajara/creekside
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m o u n t a i n p a t h cabins Yurt 1 Located between the lower gardens and the pool, this cabin’s front deck is just steps away from the gorgeous pool area. It is furthest away from the central area, but a lively place to play with your kids. This cabin feels roomy! Enjoy a low bed (which can be arranged as two single beds or one queen), an octagonal shape, and lots of outside space with a few stairs. Yurts 2 & 3 These octagonal shaped cabins are a two-story duplex, with Yurt 3 on top. With unique features like an upstairs terrace with detached patio, a wood stove, a view of the mountainside, and wrap-around porch, they are great for groups traveling together, but not for families with small children. The beds can be arranged as two singles or one queen bed. Cabin 14A The other side of Cabin 14B, this cabin enjoys easy access across from the lower gardens. This is our most handicapped-accessible cabin and has a private bathroom, a small private deck, and geothermal heat. The beds can be arranged as two singles or one king bed. This cabin is not recommended for children. Cabin 3A This cabin is most centrally located, closest to the dining room and zendo—right in the middle of the action! With two single beds (that can be arranged as a king bed) and a private bathroom, it is great for retreat guests but not for children.
For more information, about guest accommodations go to sfzc.org/tassajara/mountain-path-cabins
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r e d w o o d cabins These rustic cabins are in the style of Tassajara’s original lodgings and can accommodate up to two guests. It is not practical to have an additional guest in these rooms. All Redwood Cabins have private bathrooms but do not have decks or creek access—but each has its own special feature(s): Cabin 18 Large round window, one low platform double bed, alongside the creek Cabin 17 Separate single beds, alongside the creek Cabin 16 Double bed, cozy, close to the pool, alongside the creek Cabin 13 Separate single beds, writing area, quiet, near mountainside Cabin 12 Double bed, cozy, secluded, quiet, near mountainside
For more information, about guest accommodations go to sfzc.org/tassajara/redwood-tatami-cabins
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r e d w o o d t a t m a i cabins Several of the Redwood Cabins feature tatami mats, a traditional Japanese flooring made of thickly woven rush grass. These cabins have folding foam beds (shikibutons), which go directly on the tatami floor. The Redwood Tatami Cabins can accommodate up to two guests. They have private bathrooms and their own special feature(s): Cabin 20 Historic, Suzuki Roshi’s cabin Cabin 19 Close to pool, kids allowed, creek view but no direct access Cabin 9 Near lower garden and Kaisando (Founder’s Hall), quiet, sitting area outside Cabin 5 Center campus, can fit three people, beautiful shoji screens, and large front porch
For more information, about guest accommodations go to sfzc.org/tassajara/redwood-tatami-cabins
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s y c a m o r e cabins & c o u r t y a r d rooms Sycamore Cabins Cabins 10 and 11 This duplex cabin in the center of campus has two rooms with three single beds each, and a shared bathroom between the rooms. Minimum of two people who are not light sleepers and no kids. While it is a popular, low-cost accommodation, it is commonly reserved for retreat guests. Look for last-minute availability in these cabins.
Courtyard Rooms This cozy collection of rooms forms a horseshoe around a sweet courtyard overlooking the creek. It boasts a wrap-around deck that links to the two-stall shared bathroom facilities. There is a sink in each room, but the rooms are not good for light sleepers, children, or guests with medical concerns. Two-person maximum. Courtyard 1 Closest to two-stall lavatory; low double bed; good for couples; can fit an additional futon snugly. Courtyard 4 & 5 Directly across from lower garden; two single beds; great for friends attending a retreat together and budget travelers. Courtyard 6 Closest to the creek with a view; farthest from lavatory; low platform double bed; favorite of long-time guests; requires early booking.
Sycamore Dorms Our “dorms” are large rooms with three beds in a shared bathroom configuration. They are intended to give single travelers the opportunity to experience Tassajara and make new friends. Each bed is sold separately, and the cabin cannot be reserved for groups traveling together. Dorm spaces are always made available during retreats. Women’s Dorm: Cabins 7 & 8 are two large rooms joined by a bathroom. There are three single beds in each room. Men’s Dorm: Courtyard 3, with three single beds, serves as the men’s dorm. There is a detached two-stall lavatory for this accommodation.
For more information, about guest accommodations go to sfzc.org/tassajara/sycamore-dorms
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Photo: Valerie Boquet
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rates Weekdays (Sun - Thurs)
Weekends (Fri - Sat)
4 ppl $662 6 ppl $905
4 ppl $772 6 ppl $1,078
Sgl $313 Dbl $391
Sgl $368 Dbl $446
Mountain Path Cabins Yurts, Cabins 3A & 14A
Sgl $273 Dbl $351
Sgl $328 Dbl $406
Redwood & Tatami Cabins Redwood Cabins 12, 13, 16, 17 & 18 Redwood Tatami Cabins 5, 9, 19 & 20
Sgl $233 Dbl $311
Sgl $288 Dbl $366
Sycamore Cabins & Courtyards Cabins 10 & 11, Courtyard 1, 5 & 6
Sgl $173 Dbl $251
Sgl $228 Dbl $306
Sycamore Dorms Cabin 8 (Women), Courtyard 3 (Men)
$125.50
$153
Guest Practice (min 3-night stay) Cabin 7 (Women), Cabin 4, Courtyard 4
$73.50
$83.50
$125.50
$153
Stone Suite 4 person min 6 person max Creekside Cabins Pine & Stone Rooms, Cabins 3B, 14B & 15
Additional Guest Children
$59
Additional Lunch
Adult $17/ Child $13
Day Use
Adult $34/ Child $14
Stage
Roundtrip $63/One way $31.50
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c a n c e l l a t i o n and c h a n g e p o l i c i e s Room Cancellations Any room cancellation made 15 days or more prior to the scheduled arrival date will incur a $50 cancellation fee per reservation. With 14 days or less notice of cancellation, the entire deposit (50% of total room fees) is forfeited. If you will be unable to arrive by 7:00pm on the day of your arrival, please notify the Reservations Office. If you have not checked in by noon of the day after your scheduled arrival date, we will consider the reservation canceled. We will not hold your room beyond that time unless we have heard from you. Retreat Cancellations Any cancellation of a retreat made 15 days or more prior to the starting date of the retreat will incur a $35 fee. With 14 days or less notice of cancellation, the entire retreat deposit (50% of total retreat fees) is forfeited. Stage Cancellations Any cancellation of a Stage reservation 15 days or more prior to arrival will incur a $20 fee. With 14 days or less notice of cancellation, the entire Stage deposit (50% of total Stage fees) is forfeited. Changes Any change made to a reservation will incur a $35 fee per reservation. (Note: there is no charge if you are upgrading your room or adding extra nights, a retreat, or the Stage.) With 14 days or less notice, the deposit for any canceled or changed night is forfeited. Last-minute Reservations Reservations made less than 48 hours before arrival will be charged the entire balance due at the time of booking, and no refund is offered. Medical Exceptions If a personal or family emergency requires you to cancel your reservation at the last minute, a doctor’s explanation will be reviewed to allow the standard 15-day cancellation rate, instead of forfeiting your entire deposit.
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important information about y o u r v i s i t A Monastery in the Wilderness Out of respect for the silence of Zen practice and an appreciation of nature, please do not play musical devices or instruments in Tassajara. Please converse in low tones in community areas. In the silence, we can hear the gentle voices of the wind, the creek, and the trees. Telephone/Photos/Cameras Tassajara has only one public phone, and there is no fax, internet, or cell phone reception. Cell phones become clocks and cameras in this environment. Please respect our students and guests by only taking pictures of them with their express permission. Electronics/Medically-required Electricity Because we are off the grid, we discourage the use of computers and other electrical equipment. We charge $10/hour to recharge electronics. Laptops should be used inside with headphones. Reading devices with glowing screens should be used discreetly during dark hours, and not at all in the bathhouse at night. Guests who require electricity for medical equipment must request proper accommodations at the time of reservation. Apparel Please help support the monastic setting by not wearing revealing clothing. For the meditation hall, we suggest modest, neutral-colored, comfortable clothing. Please bring a bathing suit for the swimming pool and wear clothing over your suit in the public areas. In the bathhouse, clothing is optional. We suggest layers and sensible shoes, as well as shoes that are easy to remove when indoors. We urge you to check the weather conditions before you come. Children We strongly suggest that you experience Tassajara for yourself before deciding whether to bring your children. Due to our remoteness, we advise against bringing sick children or those with special medical/dietary needs. There is no childcare or designated children’s play area, and we ask that children be supervised at all times. Because we strive to maintain a quiet and tranquil atmosphere at Tassajara, we may request that you address your child’s volume level, especially in the bathhouse and during quiet hours. Service Animals Pets are not allowed in the Ventana Wilderness, and this includes all of Tassajara, nearby trails, and the adjacent parking lot. Service animals are welcome, but we reserve the right to request that you remove them if there is any danger to them, guests, or wildlife.
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t r a v e l information a n d day v i s i t s Getting Here Getting to Tassajara is a significant part of the experience. Even from nearby Bay Area cities, taking into consideration traffic, the total distance and road conditions, you can expect a travel time of over four hours. Please see our map at www.sfzc.org/zmc-travel for typical travel times. Any roadworthy vehicle can get you to Jamesburg, but we strongly recommend 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicles with over 6 inches wheel clearance, a strong low gear, and brakes in good condition to traverse the last 14 miles of Tassajara Road. The remote mountainous location, steep elevation changes, and sharp turns on possibly unstable (loose rocks, mud, gravel) roads challenge most cars used to city conditions. Tassajara Road is not a good place to require vehicle service of any kind, and the closest gas station is 22 miles west in Carmel Valley.
Photo: Valerie Boquet
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t r a v e l information a n d day v i s i t s Stage Guidelines If coordinating a ride with others is not possible, consider taking the Stage (available to overnight guests only), a seven-passenger 4-wheel drive vehicle. The Stage leaves from Jamesburg, a convenient and safe parking location, where the paved part of Tassajara Road ends. The Tassajara-bound Stage departs Jamesburg at 10:30 am daily and requires advance reservations, confirmation of your seat, and prompt arrival. The round trip fare is $63 per person and cancellation fees apply. During periods of high demand, we may also offer an afternoon Stage, boarding at 1:15 pm. The Stage out of Tassajara typically departs at 3:00pm, but day-of departure time is at Tassajara’s discretion and is confirmed on-site. You cannot reserve a specific time for your return trip when you book your reservation. Taste of Tassajara Tassajara is known for its delicious vegetarian cuisine, and meals are included as part of your overnight stay. Breakfast and dinner are served family style. For lunch, you may choose between eating in the dining room or making a picnic “bag lunch” from a buffet featuring homemade gourmet vegetarian spreads, delectable desserts, and freshly baked bread. If you want to enjoy food away from the dining room, please keep in mind that nature is very interested in anything unprotected. Do not leave food in your accommodations or parked car. Bring reusable containers and utensils for your picnics, and dispose of all food waste and trash in the proper receptacle. While the student community abstains, guests may enjoy alcohol. Restricted Diet Feeding so many guests limits our variety, as does our remote location, so it is difficult for Tassajara to accommodate specific dietary needs. For people who have food intolerances, allergies, or other sensitivities, we offer a supplement to the dinner meal, known as the Restricted Diet, which includes a grain (gluten-free), a vegetarian protein, and a vegetable—all plainly cooked. Arrangements must be made in advance through the Reservations Office. We do not provide this supplement for breakfast and lunch meals. Those with certain dietary restrictions can generally supplement their breakfast and lunch with options from bag lunch, as needed. You may also use the Guest Fridge to store special foods and medicines. Day Visits 831-659-2229 Day guests are welcome to use all Tassajara facilities between 9:00am and 9:00pm. Rates are $34 for adults and $14 for children. Lunch in the dining room is available by reservation only and costs $17 for adults and $13 for children. Please bring your own towel for the pool and baths, and food if you are not planning to purchase lunch. Reservations are required for all day guests. Same day reservations are not available after 9:30 am. You may call no more than two weeks in advance to reserve your space.
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Photo: Valerie Boquet
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Carme l Va
Carmel
Monterey
Roa d
1
lley
PACIFIC OCEAN
1
G 20
156
G 16
101
156
TO SAN FRANCISCO
101
TASSAJARA
G 16
29.5 miles to Greenfield
Tassajara Road
23.2 mile marker
Salinas
Prunedale
101
JAMESBURG STAGE
68
Hwy 156 Monterey Peninsula Exit
DRIVING TIMES Carmel Valley – 1¾ hours Monterey – 2¼ hours Greenfield – 2 hours San Francisco – 5 hours Los Angeles – 8 hours
Larueles Grade
Toll-free 1-888-743-zen2 (9362)
www.sfzc.org/tassajara
300 Page Street San Francisco, California 94102
PERMIT NO. 925
U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN FRANCISCO, CA
NONPROFIT ORG.