Spring Practice Period: Nothing Lacking, Continuous Practice

This five-week practice period takes its title and focus from one of Zen's most famous teaching stories: the poetic exchange between Masters Shenxiu and Huineng, often framed as a debate over whether awakening is something cultivated through sustained effort or already complete in each moment. The retreat structure — daily sitting with weekly classes and dharma talks — provides a container for that inquiry across the month of May.

The format is fully online, making it accessible to people outside the Bay Area. The calendar lists two sesshins embedded in the practice period: a one-day and a three-day online event. The center has not yet published details about what daily sitting looks like, the schedule for classes and talks, or how the online sesshins will be structured. Contact SFZC directly for those specifics.

At $154 for the five weeks, this is a low-cost entry point to a practice period format. San Francisco Zen Center is a large, established Soto Zen community; their practice periods have traditionally been structured around specific teaching themes and invite both visitors and regular members to explore a focal point together.