The Zoom link to participate in this event will be provided at least 24 hours before it begins. Please call 415-354-0360 if you have any questions.
Three Saturdays, September 21–October 5, 8:30–10 am PT
In Zen, we practice spiritual resilience every day in meditation, chanting, and daily activity. This three-session study group explores two chants that tonify our inmost resources of kindness and strength: the Sutra of Hearing the Cries of the World (Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo) and the Flame of Great Strength Teaching (Shosai Myo Kichijo Dharani). In our tradition, these chants often remain untranslated on purpose, due to the multiple meanings, references, and yogic practices packed into their few short, poetic lines.
The aims of this course are threefold:
- Explore how these chants come to us in the history of our tradition, in the US and around the world
- Hear origin stories that make these chants relatable and accessible
- Study "hidden" teachings that help us experience compassion and strength work in embodied ways
We will make time for verbal and visual teachings, somatic and sound-oriented chanting practice, stretch breaks, experiential reflection, and text-based discussion. Please come prepared to learn and recite these texts between class sessions, and to consider how our class activity can enrich your practice beyond the three weeks of this course.
In addition to the .pdf versions of the chants linked above, the SFZC chant book is available for purchase on the SFZC Online Store.
- General: $112.50
- SFZC Member: $100
- Sliding scale 1: $67.50
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. Please email supportfunds@sfzc.org for more information BEFORE signing up.
Or call 415-354-0360.