Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, January 20 through Sunday, January 22. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews with guiding teacher Zen Master Bon Soeng. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
There will be regular morning and evening practice on Saturday the 31st, followed by our New Year’s Eve practice at 11:15PM. There will be no practice on Sunday the 1st. Have a clear New Year!
Holiday practice schedule as follows.
Saturday, 24th morning: Yes
Saturday, 24th evening: No
Sunday, 25th morning and evening: No
Monday, 26th morning: Yes
Monday, 26th 11am sitting: No
Monday, 26th evening: Yes
Please help us bring in the new year with special New Year’s Eve practice. Join us for refreshments at 8:30pm, followed by kido chanting. Come for all or parts of the practice.
7:00 – 8:00pm Evening Practice
8:30pm – 11:00pm Refreshments & Movie (Bring some food to share, poem, music)
11:15pm – 12:30am Kido (Chanting)
As practice ends late, you are welcome to stay overnight in the dharma room. There will be no morning or evening practice Jan 1.
Are you interested in learning about the 5 precepts? Have you taken the precepts and want to learn more on how they relate to our tradition? Zen Master Bon Soeng and abbot Jason Quinn will talk about the precepts and answer questions. This workshop will take place on Saturday, January 7th from 9:30am to 11:00am.
For questions and registration – Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: abbot@emptygatezen.com
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, December 17. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
To see the schedule and fee click here
There will be no morning or evening practice on Thursday, November 24th, the morning of Friday the 25th. Practice will resume on Friday evening at 7:00pm.
Dear Friends of Empty Gate Zen Center,
We are coming to you asking for your financial support. We continue our self-sustaining program of monthly retreats and thirteen practice sessions each week. The support from last year has allowed us to maintain these programs and support our full-time abbot in building the activities of the Zen Center.
This year we have increased our efforts to bring Zen teaching to new students near and far. We continue web-streaming Sunday morning practice and monthly dharma talks given by Zen Master Bon Soeng. Our social media presence on Facebook and Twitter continues to help people locally and around the world. Our teaching videos posted on Youtube of talks by Zen Master Bon Soeng have received over 50,000 views. Jason Quinn, the abbot of Empty Gate Zen Center, has offered online practice consulting interviews through email and video chat. Here at the Center, we have seen increased participation in retreats and weekly Dharma Talks. Volunteer contributions have helped us make improvements to the building and grounds. This year we also offered the first in a series of Foundations of Zen workshops.
Over the coming year, we plan to increase our outreach to Bay Area schools and organizations, update our website to feature more teaching and instruction, and look into the possibility of expanding our physical Zen Center space to make room for our growing needs. This year we will be focusing on paying down the mortgage on our current space to increase our options for expanding in the near future.
Last year’s fundraising campaign was a huge success and we thank you for your support. Continuing this level of activity at our Zen Center will require regular annual financial support from all of you. Therefore, once again we ask that you give to the Empty Gate Annual Fund Campaign. We need to meet our fundraising goal of $18,000 for the coming year. An affordable and helpful way to contribute to Empty Gate Zen Center is to pledge a monthly contribution above your membership level. Some of our members are already donating between $20 and $60 per month. Another possibility, of course, is to give a one-time donation.
Please take a moment to consider what tax-deductible donation you can afford. You can send all donation checks to Empty Gate or donate online using a credit card or PayPal account.
Many thanks for your practice and your continued support of Empty Gate Zen Center.
Yours in the dharma,
Zen Master Bon Soeng Jason Quinn Leah Kenaga Steve Watkins
Guiding Teacher Abbot Vice Abbot Director
Donate online using credit card or Paypal account
Provided byFundraising Ideas Center
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 19. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews with guiding teacher Zen Master Bon Soeng. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, October 15. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and consulting interviews with abbot, Jason Quinn. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
To see the schedule and fee click here
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, September 16 through Sunday, September 18. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews with guest teacher Zen Master Dae Kwang. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
Please join us for our 2 day work retreat Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Please come anytime. You can come for 1 hour or more. There is no registration and free lunch. It is a wonderful way to help the Zen center, meet and talk to other practitioners. Work will consist of mostly painting and yard work so please bring work clothes. There will be no morning or evening practice on Saturday and Sunday. See you soon!!
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, July 22nd through Sunday, July 24th. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
The Foundations of Zen workshop is recommended for both beginners and experienced practitioners. The workshop will cover the history of Zen, meditation instruction, a talk about Koans by Zen Master Dae Kwang.
Fee: Suggested donation $20
Register: hdt@emptygatezen.com or 510-845-8565
9:30 History of Zen (Marshall White, Head Dharma Teacher)
10:00 Meditation Instuction (Jason Quinn, Abbot)
10:30 Break
10:40 Sitting Meditation
11:00 Walking Meditation
11:10 Sitting Meditation
11:30 Break
11:40 Kong-an (Jap. koan) Talk with Q&A (Zen Master Dae Kwang)
12:30 Finish
Check out our Summer Newsletter (Click Here). Many thanks to Leah, Julie and Caren for all their effort.
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, June 18th. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
To see the schedule and fee click here
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, May 20th through Sunday, May 22nd. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, April 16th. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
To see the schedule and fee click here
Please join us for our annual 8 day retreat coming up this month February 25-March 5th. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, for a minimum of one day or more. Please call 510-845-8565 or email hdt@emptygatezen.com for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, January 21 through Sunday, January 23. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
Schedule and fees: click here
Please help us bring in the new year with special New Year’s Eve practice. Join us for refreshments at 8:30pm, followed by two sitting periods, then kido chanting.
7-8pm Evening Practice
8:30pm Refreshments (Bring something to share)
10:00pm – 11:00pm Sitting
11:15pm – 12:30am Kido (Chanting)
As practice ends late, you are welcome to stay overnight in the dharma room. There will be no regular morning or evening practice Jan 1.
The center will be closed Friday, December 24th to Sunday, December 26th. Practice will resume Monday morning at 6:15am. Have a clear holiday!
(Click Here) for our winter newsletter.
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, December 18th. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
To see the schedule and fee click here
Dear Friends of Empty Gate Zen Center,
Thank you for your past support of Empty Gate Zen Center. Once again we are coming to you asking for your financial support. As you know, there has been a lot of activity at our Zen Center the last two years. Fourteen years ago we purchased the Center at 2200 Parker Street and set up a self-sustaining program of monthly retreats and six sessions of bowing, chanting, and sitting each week. Two years ago we welcomed a new resident, Jason Quinn, who in May of this year was formally installed as Abbot to administer the operations and activities of the Zen Center.
This year we have continued our growth. Empty Gate Zen Center is now web-streaming Sunday morning practice and monthly dharma talks given by Zen Master Bon Soeng to all corners of the world. Members who have taken five-precepts and dharma teacher precepts have become increasingly involved in sustaining our expanded practice schedule of thirteen sessions per week. We have a new vice abbot, director, and kitchen master, and have welcomed a new intern who is helping with Zen Center upkeep. Our social media presence on Facebook and Twitter continues to help people all around the globe. Over the coming year, we hope to increase our outreach to the Bay Area community, and the creation of a Zen Center residential community is a real possibility.
Last year’s fundraising campaign was a huge success and we thank you for your support. We realize that continuing this level of activity at our Zen Center will require regular annual financial support from all of you. Therefore, once again we ask that you give to the Empty Gate Annual Fund Campaign. We need to meet our fundraising goal of $12,000 for the coming year. An affordable and helpful way to contribute to Empty Gate Zen Center is to pledge a monthly contribution above your membership level. Some of our members are already donating between $20 and $60 per month. Another possibility, of course, is to give a one-time donation. Please take a moment to consider what tax-deductible donation you can afford. You can send all donation checks to Empty Gate or donate online using credit card or PayPal account.
Many thanks for your practice and your continued support of Empty Gate Zen Center.
Yours in the dharma,
Zen Master Bon Soeng Jason Quinn Leah Kenaga Steve Watkins
Guiding Teacher Abbot Vice Abbot Director
Donate online using credit card or Paypal account
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, November 19 through Sunday, November 21. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. There will be a precepts ceremony at the end of the retreat on Sunday. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com To see the schedule and fees click here.
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, October 16th. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
To see the schedule and fee click here
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, September 17 through Sunday, September 19. The retreat will be led by special guest Tim Lerch JDPSN who received inka from Zen Master Seung Sahn in 2001 and is the guiding teacher of the Ocean Light Zen Center in Seattle.
Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com. To see the schedule and fees click here.
Please join us for our 2 day work retreat Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Please come anytime, you can come for 1 hour or more. There is no registration and free lunch. It is a good way to help the Zen center, meet and talk to other practitioners. Work will consist of mostly painting and yard work so please bring work clothes. There will be no morning or evening practice on Saturday and Sunday. See you soon!!
Hello Everyone,
Many people have been asking lately about how they can give support to the center. There are many ways to to do this. You can support by coming to any of our daily practice which occurs 7 days a week, participate in our monthly retreats, volunteering time to cover practice or help out with general upkeep, and through membership or by donation.
We have now made it easier to support the center financially by either becoming a sustaining member online or making a one time donation through PayPal. To learn more, go to our “about us” section or go directly to the links below:
Membership: Click here
PayPal donation:
If you would like to volunteer helping around the center, you can contact me at 510-845-8565. Many thanks again for you support.
Yours in the Dharma,
Jason Quinn
Abbot
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, July 16th through Sunday, July 18th. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Phone: 510-845-8565
Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com
To see the schedule and fees click here.
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, June 19th. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews with Zen Master Bon Soeng. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email:hdt@emptygatezen.com To see the schedule and fee click here
On Sunday, May 23, the Empty Gate Zen Center installed a new abbot. Guiding teacher Zen Master Bon Soeng after many years serving as abbot has stepped down and resident Kwan Sahn Sunim stepped up. Here are the pics from the ceremony. (Photos by Bonnie Baskin and Steve Watkins)
View the photos on our website (click here)
View our Facebook page (click here)
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday May 21st – 23rd led by special guest Zen Master Dae Kwang. Zen Master Dae Kwang is the abbot of the Kwan Um School of Zen and guiding teacher of the Providence Zen Center. There will also be an Abbot installation ceremony at the end of the retreat Sunday the 23rd at 12:30pm. Guiding teacher Zen Master Bon Soeng will step down as abbot and resident Kwan Sahn Sunim will step up. If you can not make it to the retreat, please join us for the ceremony!
Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com. To see the schedule and fees click here.
The July retreat scheduled for the 23rd – 25th has been re-scheduled one week early. The retreat will now take place on Friday, July 16th – 18th.
The May retreat will be held the 21st – 23rd and led by special guest Zen Master Dae Kwang. Zen Master Dae Kwang is the abbot of the Kwan Um School of Zen and guiding teacher of the Providence Zen Center. There will also be an Abbot installation ceremony at the end of the retreat. Details soon to come.
Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com.
Hello Everyone,
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, April 17th. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com To see the schedule and fee click here
Join us Friday, April 9th at 7:30pm for for this rare opportunity. This workshop will be led by special guest Zen Master Dae Kwang (Abbot of the Kwan Um School Of Zen and Guiding teacher of the Providence Zen Center). The fee for this workshop is by donation. Reading the book is not required, however you can purchase a copy to read from Amazon.com
Zen Master Man Gong (1872–1946) is one of the truly towering figures in modern Korean Zen. He and his students played a central role in re-establishing the Buddhist tradition in Korea after centuries of suppression during the Chosan dynasty. Zen Master Man Gong was the grand teacher of Zen Master Seung Sahn. This workshop will explore the place of Zen Master Man Gong in our teaching lineage.
We will begin a late morning sitting and discussion on Mondays 11:00am to 12:00pm. If anyone is interested please come by. We will begin Monday, March 8th. See you there! For any questions, please contact us at, Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: info@emptygatezen.com
Please join us for our annual 8 day retreat coming up this month!! Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, for a minimum of one day or more. There will be a precepts ceremony on March 5 at 8 PM. Please call 510-845-8565 or email hdt@emptygatezen.com for registration, entry times or any other questions.
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, January 22 through Sunday, January 24. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com. To see the schedule and fees click here.
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, December 19th. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.com To see the schedule and fee click here
Please join us for a 3 day retreat Friday, November 20 through Sunday, November 22. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.org. To see the schedule and fees click here.
Please join us for a 1 day retreat Saturday, October 17. 1 day retreats include extended sitting and walking meditation, and private dharma interviews. An informal lunch is provided. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions. Please call or email for registration or if you have any questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.org. To see the schedule and fee click here.
Please join us for a 3 day retreat this weekend Friday, Septemeber 18 through Sunday, September 20. Retreats include extended sitting practice, chanting, bowing, and private dharma interviews. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of experience or traditions, in parts or all of the retreat. Please call or email for registration, entry times or any other questions. Phone: 510-845-8565 Email: hdt@emptygatezen.org. To see the schedule and fees click here.
The Empty Gate Zen Center welcomes our new full-time resident, Jason Quinn. Jason grew up in California, and started practicing with the Dharma Sound Zen Center in Seattle in 1998. In 1999, he moved to the Providence Zen Center, head temple of the Kwan Um School of Zen, to do monastic training. After nine years at Providence Zen Center, Jason has relocated to Empty Gate Zen Center, returned to lay life, and taken on the position of abbot. Since his arrival, we have expanded our practice to seven days a week. Everyone is welcome to join morning and evening practice. Please click here for the updated practice schedule.
It’s Kyol Che time again. Every year in Providence our school holds a 90-day meditation retreat at the beginning of the New Year. This year it is being led by Zen Master Soeng Hyang, our School’s guiding Zen Master.
At Empty Gate Zen Center this time of year marks the beginning of our calendar and an increased schedule of retreats. This January we will hold our usual 3 day retreat, followed in February by a one day retreat held in Garberville, Ca. One of our long time Dharma Teachers, Ken Berman, holds a monthly retreat there and has asked us to join him in February. In March we will hold our annual 8 day retreat from March 7-March 15. We will hold a precept ceremony that week.
Kyol Che time is also a time for all of us to look into our practice-life and make an effort to make it stronger. Some of us decide to add more sittings to our week, or keep a more regular sitting schedule. Others might choose to do more bowing or more mantra practice during the 90 days of Kyol Che.
This year my commitment during Kyol Che will be a bit different. My ongoing writing project is heating up. I will be spending more of my time for the next year writing than I have up until now. During retreats you may find me in my office writing rather than sitting in the Dharma Room.
My hope is that we all can take some time during this time of the New Year and look deeply at why we are practicing and match our efforts to support that Great Vow. May we all stay active in the life of Empty Gate and support and nourish each other’s practice. May our efforts help each other, and may the world around us be healed through those efforts.