SFBC Upcoming Events

Welcome to the San Francisco Buddhist Center calendar, which contains the following information:

Announcements :: This Month :: Introductory Classes :: Regular Ongoing Classes :: Special Events :: Affinity Groups :: Hatha Yoga/Buddhist Meditation :: Residential Retreats :: Events in Calendar format

This Year's Theme at the SFBC

Our Theme for 2010 is Creativity. As part of our regular program this year we will be exploring the theme of Creativity as a way of living in each moment of our life, through talks, workshops, practice days, cultural events, participatory art. Watch this space! Here is a transcript of the talk given by Suvarnaprabha (on her blog) introducing this year's theme, on February 3.

Announcements

This section lists non-program announcements. You can sign up for our email list to receive announcements and upcoming events by email once or twice a month.

  • FWBO becomes “Triratna Buddhist Community”!
    The San Francisco Buddhist Center is part of a Buddhist movement founded in the West in the late 60s and known for many years as the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO). As the movement grew, with centers from Australia to India to Mexico to Sweden, a new name was needed, one that could be used the world over, and that reminded us of our central ideals. TRIRATNA means ‘Three Jewels’ and refers to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha — the Ideal of Enlightenment, the Path leading to Enlightenment, and the Community of those following the Path. Visiting Order member Dhammarati, President of the SFBC, will share his thoughts on the new name at Sangha Night June 23 (see Ongoing classes).
  • Check out our Newsletter! Spring 2010 edition has news from the sangha, ordinations, rejoicings, retreat reflections, and poetry.
  • Simplify Your Life! Next time you take a load to a thrift store, please go to Community Thrift just a few blocks from the Center and specify the SFBC as the recipient, charity number 117 (623 Valencia Street at 17th).
  • Do you use Facebook? You can join the SFBC Facebook Community.
  • Some events offered at the SFBC are offered by groups renting the space. For a partial list of renters and their websites, check our renters page.
  • Public transport info - Driving and parking - Making a donation/deposit
  • Upcoming Retreats
  • The SFBC and its neighbors need your help! Medjool has been running a large, open air rooftop restaurant and bar (at 2522 Mission Street, behind the SFBC) for five years and could be allowed to continue with no requirement to address the noise impact on the community. Find out more on the Mission Coexistence blog and click the Follow button to get regular updates on this issue.
  • The cruelty and violence of the Hindu Caste System remains virtually unknown in the West. To find out more, read this article on sfgate.com "Finding my Religion", or Atrocity News, a blog written in India. If you may be interested in being supported to go to the UK to help fundraise for this aspiring Buddhist community, see Karuna Appeals.

This Month

This section lists special events, course start dates, registration deadlines and other announcements. For a summary of upcoming events, see the calendar. You can sign up for our email list to be notified of upcoming events once a month.

  • Wed, Jun 30 - Jul 21- Sangha Night Dharma Series: The Four Noble Truths. (see Ongoing classes)
  • Sat, Jul 10 - Day Retreat with Parami 10am to 4pm (see Special Events)
  • Fri, Aug 6 - Film Night - starts 8:30pm, doors close 8:15pm (no film night in July)
  • Sat, Aug 7 - Day Retreat: Creative versus reactive mind, with Padmadharini 10am to 4pm (see Special Events)
  • Sat, Aug 14 - Second Saturday Sangha Morning (see Ongoing classes)
  • Fri, Aug 27 - Writers Group (new!) (see Affinity Groups)
  • Wednesdays each week - Sangha night (see Ongoing classes)
  • Morning sits - each weekday morning 7:30am to 8:15am (see Ongoing classes)

Special Events

Sat, Jul 10, 10am-4pm
Day Retreat

This day retreat will be led by Parami, who has worked and taught in the Triratna Buddhist Community for over 30 years.  She is passionate about connecting Buddhist practice and altruism with social and environmental justice.  She has also studied with Joanna Macy.  Originally from Scotland, she is now based in England, but spends much of her life traveling and teaching, making connections with Buddhists and others all over the world, but particularly in Spain, Mexico and the US.   
Sliding scale: $65–35, vegetarian lunch provided.  Registration deadline Thursday, July 8.  To register or for more information, email info@sfbuddhistcenter.org or call 415-282-2018. ( How to Register)  

Sat, Aug 7, 10am-4pm
Day Retreat: the workings of the mind, creative versus reactive mind.

Padmadharini will guide us in an experiential exploration of what it takes to undermine reactive responses through engaging more deeply with what is actually happening, rather than getting caught up and believing in the clouded perceptions that overtake the mind when unpleasant feelings arise.  Padmadharini practiced and taught at the SFBC for over 10 years before leaving for Spain to support the women’s ordination retreat there. She has remained a very good friend and support to our Sangha both through her regular visits here and the warm welcome she provides to women on their way to retreat in Spain. 
Sliding scale: $65-35, vegetarian lunch provided.  Registration deadline Thursday, August 5.  To register or for more information, email info@sfbuddhistcenter.org or call 415-282-2018. (How to Register )

Fri, Aug 6, 8:30pm
Film Night: tba

Doors open 8:15pm. If you would like to be on our mailing list to receive notice of films to be shown, please email us at info@sfbuddhistcenter.org

Introductory Classes

See also Affinity Groups and Yoga/Meditation for other events that may be appropriate for beginners.


Thursdays, 7:00–8:00pm — Drop-in Intro to Buddhist Meditation Class

Introduction to Mindfulness of Breathing and Loving Kindness meditations (alternate weeks), plus instruction on posture and time for questions. Suggested donation: $10-5. Please note there will be no Thursday class during July - class resumes August 5. (course description)


Tuesday Six-Week Introduction to Meditation Courses

(course description)
2010 courses start: Feb 2, Mar 16, Apr 27, Sep 7 (5 weeks + Sep 25), Oct 12
Six Tuesdays, 7:00–9:00pm
Sliding scale: $135–$90*
How to Register for a Course


Tuesday Six-Week Introduction to Buddhism Courses

(course description)
2010 courses start: Feb 2, Apr 27, Oct 12
Six Tuesdays, 7:00–9:00pm
Sliding scale: $135–$90*
How to Register for a Course

Ongoing Classes — Open to All

Second Saturday Sangha Mornings

 

Sat, Aug 14 (no class in July) 9:30–11:30am

Begins with yoga at 9:30am, followed by meditation and dharma teaching at 10:35am, ending at about 11:30am. This monthly community drop-in offers a chance to enjoy meditation and a dharma teaching during the more relaxed weekend time. Open to all. Please join us! Suggested donation: $5*

Sangha Night

 

Wednesdays, 7:00–9:00pm (doors open at 6:45)

Sangha Night is a weekly class open to all that provides regular support for those interested in Buddhist practice. Sangha is the Buddhist word for spiritual community. Each week begins with a meditation and is followed in the second half of the evening by a talk or other program. Meditators of all experience levels are also welcome to drop-in for just the meditation at 7:00pm.
Suggested donation: $10–$5*

Jun 23 — Talk by Dhammarati: Ordained since 1976, chair of the Preceptors’ College (which oversees training for ordination), and President of the SFBC, Dhammarati will share his reflections on our ever-evolving Buddhist movement and the meaning of our new name. He is visiting us in June on his way to co-leading our month-long retreat. His talks are always a treat, so don’t miss it!

Jun 30 — Dharma Study: The Four Noble Truths (4 weeks)
“Anguish, the Buddha says, is to be understood, its origins to be let go of, its cessation to be realized, and the path to be cultivated.” – Stephen Batchelor, Buddhism Without Beliefs
The Buddha’s first teaching after his awakening is known as the Four Noble Truths. Over the four weeks, we will develop our understanding of the Buddha’s first noble truth, dukkha, which has been variously translated as anguish, suffering, pain, stress, anxiety, unsatisfactoriness, dis-ease, self-created suffering, and more. We will then look at its origins in ego-centric craving, the possibility that we can let go of craving, and how we can lessen our experience of dukkha by cultivating the Buddhist path. Led by Dhivajri.

Jul 28 — An evening with Bahiya of the Bark Cloth and Free Buddhist Audio Viriyalila will be visiting us from Portsmouth NH to talk about her work with freebuddhistaudio.com, our movement's free internet resource that offers a huge archive of recordings, transcriptions, and up-to-the-minute talks from Dharma practitioners around the world, weaving in reflections from around the world on mindfulness and the Pali Canon Sutta, Bahiya of the Bark Garment

Aug 4 & 11 — Two evenings led by Padmadharini, using experiential learning to explore the Buddhist teaching on Dana or generosity expressed in the Second Precept: “I undertake to abstain from taking the not-given; with open handed generosity I purify my body”.  Experiential learning does not provide answers, but instead offers questions, inviting us to engage directly with our experience until the teachings reveal themselves, and are consequently known and comprehended in a way that can never be lost. (See also Special Events: day retreat led by Padmadharini.)

Aug 18 & 25 — Two evenings of practice led by Viveka.

 

Weekday Morning Sits

Monday through Friday (except holidays), 7:30am.
Group sits open to anyone with a meditation practice. No instruction. Doors open at 7:25 for a 40-minute sit starting at 7:30. If you arrive late and the door is locked please do not interrupt the meditation — come back next time! Also see Introductory Classes.

Residential Retreats

For information about registering for retreats, venues, and ridesharing, please see general information about retreats including how to register.

Here are some upcoming retreats.

Register online for a retreat...or here is more info about how to register for a retreat.


Next retreats: Oct 1-4 weekend retreat; Nov 5-8 women's retreat; Dec 20-29 winter retreat.

See Retreat calendar.

Affinity Groups

See also Introductory Events and Yoga/Meditation for events open to mixed levels of experience.

Family Yoga & Meditation Class - Sun, Jun 27, Aug 28 (no class in July) 3:30-5pm

This class is literally for the whole family -- all ages, all levels, all welcome! Includes a 40-minute family yoga class followed by two 20-minute meditations, one for each adult, while the other adult and children have craft and story time. $15 per family.


Dharma Dykes — Thu, Aug 19 (no class in July) 7pm.

Meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday (except January). Inviting those who identify as Queer Women to join us for a monthly chance to meditate together and explore our unique experiences in applying the dharma to all aspects of our lives. Open to all levels of experience. $5 suggested donation*


Writers Group (New!) — Fri, Aug 27, 7-8:30pm.

Last Friday of each month. A gathering for writers who want to share their work, improve their writing, and have fun. Read your piece out loud, and receive a skillful critique. Bring 5-10 copies of a short piece of your writing. $5 suggested donation*

 

People of Color Sitting Group

Regular sits are as scheduled on Sundays every few months, 1:00–3:00pm. If you are a person of color with a meditation practice or with an interest in developing a practice, then these gatherings would be of benefit. Instruction is offered by Viveka and Kica Gazmuri. $5 suggested donation* (more info)

Next meeting: Aug 22.

Hatha Yoga/Buddhist Meditation

See also Introductory Events and Affinity Groups for events open to mixed levels of experience.

Friday Practice Night (Class free in January)

with Yoga, Meditation, and Discussion
Fridays, 6–8pm, $10* (exact change appreciated)
(doors open at 5:45pm)
(class description)

Second Saturday of each month, 9:30–10:30am.

(Before Second Saturday Sangha Mornings, above.)

Summary of Upcoming Events

*Note about prices

The activities of the Triratna Buddhist Community, formerly the Bay Area Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO), a nonprofit organization, are dependent on donations and the support of those attending its events and classes. Fees go toward the costs of operating this public center. All teaching is done on a volunteer basis. We would like to offer the Dharma to anyone with interest and are happy to reduce the rates listed on this site. Reduced rates must be arranged before the registration deadline.