April 11 All-Day Sitting

This is a straightforward one-day sitting co-hosted by Everyday Zen Foundation at Green Gulch Farm, the residence practice center of the San Francisco Zen Center. The format is accessible to both experienced practitioners and newcomers — you can show up in person at the farm or sit at home on Zoom, and either way you're part of the same schedule.

What to expect

The day runs 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (PT). After a brief orientation at 9:00, you'll move through alternating periods of zazen (sitting meditation) and kinhin (walking meditation). There's a service before lunch — the center will provide a meal — and the day closes at 4:30 pm with the Pali refuges (the traditional Theravada-derived opening and closing chant used across many Zen centers). The structure is traditional without being extreme: periods of sitting are broken by movement and a communal meal.

In person at Green Gulch Farm

If you're sitting in the zendo, arrive by 8:45 am and be on your cushion by 8:55. You'll need to register in advance through the San Francisco Zen Center website; registration opens at 10:00 am on March 14 and closes at noon the Friday before. Space is limited and often fills quickly. The farm provides zafus (meditation cushions), benches, support cushions, and zabutons; you can bring your own cushion and bench if you prefer, and chairs are available if you request one. The zendo protocols are specific: no shoes inside, no water or food, minimal personal items — the instructions make clear this is a focused sitting space. Lunch and tea/coffee are included. The registration fee is $70–$100; the range reflects tiered pricing from SFZC to make programs accessible.

Online via Zoom

If you're sitting from home, log into Zoom by 8:55 am. You'll receive a schedule, the Everyday Zen chant book, and forms to request dokusan (a private meeting with the teacher) or practice discussion in the Zoom chat that morning. The suggested donation is $30, though the center states clearly that no one is turned away for lack of funds. Registration is no longer required to join online.

Note on tradition and lineage

The retreat content doesn't specify whether Norman teaches in a particular Zen lineage (Soto, Rinzai, Sanbo, etc.), so if that matters to you, it's worth checking the Everyday Zen website or contacting the center directly.