Saturday One-Day Sitting

Green Gulch Farm sits in Marin County, a working farmland and practice space operated by San Francisco Zen Center since 1972. A Saturday one-day sitting here is an entry point into Soto Zen practice — the tradition emphasizes shikantaza (sitting as the whole practice) rather than koan work, so the schedule is built around periods of zazen with short walking meditation (kinhin) in between.

The day runs 9am to 6pm. You'll sit in periods of roughly 30–40 minutes, separated by kinhin. A dharma talk — usually 20–30 minutes — typically comes mid-morning or early afternoon. Meals are taken in silence in the practice hall or garden. Garden walking is woven in, which grounds the day in the land itself. This is not intense sesshin practice; the pace is intentionally measured, suitable for newcomers and experienced sitters alike.

Green Gulch is a beautiful place to practice. The farm surrounds the zendo; you may hear birds, see the garden that feeds the community. The optional community dinner at 6pm is a chance to meet other practitioners in a more casual setting. Most people sit and leave the same day; overnight accommodation is available at Green Gulch if you arrange it separately.

Bring comfortable clothes you can move in, a cushion if you have one (the center provides zafu and zabuton), and water. Arrive 15–20 minutes early to settle in. If you've never sat before, arrive even earlier; a staff member will show you how to position yourself on the cushion.