Students in the online program participate via our March Intensive website. Students who live locally or are visiting the San Francisco area are invited to join us for open temple events such as zazen, ceremonies, dharma talks, and the Thursday evening class. However, this Online Intensive is designed to reach those who cannot participate on-site on a regular basis and need to study on their own schedule.
All paid events at City Center are available to the participants at the member rate.
Zen and Work: How a Zen Orientation to Work can support Clarity, Purpose, and Happiness in our Daily Activities
Led by Marc Lesser & Zesho Susan O'Connell
March 3 – March 28
Register now:
Registration for online participation is due Thursday, March 5.
Participants can engage in the practice period in one of three ways:
- Commuter
- Residential
- Online (details below)
About the 2020 March Intensive
Zen and Work: How a Zen Orientation to Work can support Clarity, Purpose, and Happiness in our Daily Activities
with Marc Lesser & Zesho Susan O'Connell
Over 750 years ago Zen Master Eihei Dogen wrote about the importance of being awake and aware in our work. This three-week intensive will focus on his teachings, and how a life that integrates Zen practice and work practice helps to create clarity and joy in our daily activities.
As one of the developers of Search Inside Yourself, a mindfulness program he helped create inside of Google, and the former CEO of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, Marc has been a leader in teaching “mindful work”. He is a Senior Zen Teacher and the author of four books including Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons From Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen. Work practice as Zen practice has been one of Marc's passions for the past 25 years.
Susan O’Connell was an actor and a film producer and entrepreneur for 25 years before moving to SFZC. Since that time she has held many leadership positions at Zen Center, and deeply believes that Zen practice is meant to be continuous, and that “work practice” is perhaps one of the strongest teachers.
As part of the March Intensive, Marc & Susan will also teach a class, Zen and Work, on three Thursdays: March 5, 12 & 19 during the Practice Period, 7:30 - 9:00 PM.
The Thursday evening class will include film clips that illustrate some of the principles that can inform our actions and support our intentions. We will work with the text TENZOKYOKUN: Instructions to the Head Cook.
The March Intensive concludes with a three-day sesshin and concurrent one-day sitting (Saturday), beginning the evening of Wednesday, March 25 and ending on Saturday, March 28. (One-day sittings and the sesshin must be registered for and paid for separately.)
The following offerings will be available to online participants:
- Live-streamed Dharma talks on Saturdays which will be available to watch at any time.
- Audio recordings of sesshin talks and Wednesday Dharma talks.
- Access to the video of the March Intensive class, Zen and Work. The recorded video will be available for those who cannot attend live.
- Downloads of handouts, readings, and exercises.
- An online zendo to sit with others each morning Monday through Friday.
- Interactive meetings with practice leaders and peers via video conference calls.
- Discussion forum via the March Intensive website.
Online Registration & Questionnaire
- Register Online or call our toll-free number 888.743.9362 or our local number 415.475.9362 to register and pay for the practice period.
- And complete this Online Questionnaire.
Online Participation Fee: $99 general; $89 current members; $69 limited income.
Access to the practice period website will be provided a week prior to the practice period.
The deadline for registration is March 5. Some partial scholarships are available; please review this page for more information
