The Fall 2025 Practice Period at Green Gulch Farm is an opportunity for beginning and experienced students to participate in an intense period of residential practice that centers around daily zazen, work practice, study, and regular one-on-one meetings with the teacher. Weekly events include lectures, formal ceremonies, classes, oryoki meals (formal meals in the meditation hall), and gatherings with the practice period teacher. Participants commit to stay in the Green Gulch valley during the entire nine weeks.
This practice period will include one day of tangaryo sitting, one one-day sitting, a five-day November sesshin led by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, and a seven-day Rohatsu sesshin led by Abbot Jiryu.
To Apply:
Please review the Practice Period Guidelines/Shingi before submitting your application.
Students who are accepted into practice period generally will have already participated in at least one all-day sit, sesshin, and/or a guest student stay at Green Gulch. If you do not have prior experience with Zen practice, we strongly suggest completing a one-day sit or sesshin at Green Gulch before applying for the practice period. If you have questions about the practice period and aren't sure if applying is right for you based on your practice experience, please contact the Abbot's assistant at ggfabbotassist@sfzc.org before applying.
Complete and submit a practice period application by the application deadline of September 3, 2025.
The Practice Period Applications Committee will notify applicants as to whether they have been accepted to the practice period by September 8, 2025. If you need to be notified about your acceptance earlier than September 8 (for your planning purposes), please email ggfabbotassist@sfzc.org and let us know. For questions or more information, please contact the Abbot’s assistant at ggfabbotassist@sfzc.org.
- Non-refundable application fee: $30 (this fee is paid while filling out the application).
- Practice period fee: $2300. This fee is paid after application acceptance. The notice of acceptance to the practice period will be accompanied by information on paying the fee. $500 of this fee is non-refundable when canceling less than 2 weeks prior to the start of the practice period.
San Francisco Zen Center is committed to making Zen practice and the Dharma accessible to all who seek it by offering both a General support fund and a dedicated BIPOC support fund. After your application has been accepted, please email supportfunds@sfzc.org to request financial support.
Application deadline is Wednesday, September 3.