2026 Fall Practice Period at City Center, Online/Commuter

One note on placement first: this entry sits under Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in the directory, but the retreat title puts the practice period at City Center, and registration runs through the San Francisco Zen Center site (sfzc.org). The listed dates — September 30 through December 5, 2026 — also run longer than the eight-week span the description gives, and no breakdown of how the dates divide up has been published.

The organizing theme is the Six Paramitas, named in the description as the bodhisattva practices — generally understood as generosity, ethical conduct, patience, diligent effort, meditation, and wisdom. A practice period is an extended training container rather than a single retreat. Per the listing, it includes:

• Daily zazen
• Weekly classes with Abbot Tenzen David Zimmerman
• Dharma talks
• Small group meetings
• Three sesshin (intensive periods of concentrated group meditation) embedded within the period

Dates for the three sesshin are not given, and the listing does not describe what the weekly classes or the small group meetings involve.

Formats and cost

Two participation formats are offered — online and commuter — and the listing does not explain how either works. For the online option, there is no word on whether sessions are livestreamed, recorded, or follow a modified schedule. For the commuter option, it is not specified whether that means attending the full daily schedule in person without lodging or something closer to a reduced schedule. No residential option is mentioned in this listing. Ask the center for specifics before registering.

One price is listed — $706 — with no breakdown of what it covers or whether online and commuter participation are priced differently. On eligibility, the description states the period is open to beginners and experienced practitioners.