For Newcomers

Would you like to live more creatively, with more freedom, kindness and wisdom, and less fear, irritation and confusion?  The Buddha practiced and then taught meditation for this very purpose, and the practices are readily available to everyone.  

Mindfulness of the Breathing Body, (or just Mindfulness of Breathing), is a beautifully simple and deeply transformative practice, where we use the sensations of breathing to ground our awareness in the body, so that we can open to the events of everyday life with more spaciousness, clarity and sensitivity. 

Practicing in class and at home, we begin to recognize our less helpful habits without always following them, allowing space for new possibilities to emerge. Gradually our relationship with ourselves and others and the world around us becomes easier, more appreciative and attentive.

This is a friendly, practical, easy to follow four-week course. Ideally you will be able to attend at least 3 of the 4 classes. There will be led meditations each evening with time for questions and sharing our discoveries in a safe and welcoming space. 

Suitable for complete beginners to meditation as well as anyone wishing to refresh their practice.

Since this class is in person we have safety requirements - please check them here. However, as things stand, we plan to make masks optional, at least at least while meditating. 

To register: enter the amount you wish to donate in the Event Donation box and click add to cart. The suggested donation is $150 to $110.  Donations are very much appreciated and paying the higher amount helps us to offer our events to those who are not in a position to pay. However if you are experiencing financial difficulties yourself please feel free to pay less. If you are unable to pay anything at this time you can enter 0 and click 'pay later' on the payment page. (If you don't click "pay later" the registration may not go through.)

Thank you!  

More Courses in this series:

In Person: Meditating with Kindness March 7. Introduction to Buddhism May 2, Mindfulness in Everyday Life May 30

Online: Meditating with Kindness Feb 23

Even as a mother at the risk of her life, watches over and protects her only child, so with a boundless heart let one cherish all living beings. (From the Metta Sutta)

The metta bhavana, or cultivation of loving kindness, is a powerful meditation practice that teaches us how to bring a friendly, kind, curious attention to ourselves and to other people, and to whatever arises in our experience, softening harsh self-criticism and judgment and bringing a sense of ease and openness to our participation in the world. 

In this 4-week workshop we'll explore different ways to do the practice so that everyone has what they need to continue effectively at home.  The course is friendly, practical and easy to follow. There are guided meditations each evening with plenty of time for questions and sharing our discoveries in a safe and welcoming space.

Suitable for complete beginners to meditation as well as anyone wishing to refresh their practice. 

Since this class is in person we have safety requirements - please check them here. However, as things stand, we plan to make masks optional, at least at least while meditating. 

Please register by Monday 5pm March 6

To register: enter the amount you wish to donate in the Event Donation box and click add to cart. The suggested donation is $150 to $110.  Donations are very much appreciated and paying the higher amount helps us to offer our events to those who are not in a position to pay. However if you are experiencing financial difficulties yourself please feel free to pay less. If you are unable to pay anything at this time you can enter 0 and click 'pay later' on the payment page. (If you don't click "pay later" the registration may not go through.)

Thank you!  

Reel Injun: on the trail of the Hollywood Indian

Movie and discussion ~ a Fundraiser for Friendship House

Sunday October 8, 5pm at the SFBC

To mark Indigenous Peoples Day October 9, we are holding our second fundraiser in support of Friendship House, an Indigenous led Organization in the Mission (15th & Julian off of Mission St), that has been providing services to Native Americans for almost 60 years.

We'll provide tea and snacks, and some discussion ideas for after the movie.

Reel Injun: on the trail of the Hollywood Indian, 2010, by Neil Diamond, one of Canada's foremost Aboriginal filmmakers and photographers, from the Cree community of Waskaganish, traces the evolution of cinema’s depiction of Native people from the silent film era to today, with clips from hundreds of classic and recent Hollywood movies, and candid interviews with celebrated Native and non-Native film celebrities, activists, film critics, and historians.

All proceeds will go to Friendship House to support their programs.  The SFBC will also donate everything we receive on Sangha Nights throughout October.

Last year we raised $780 - let's see if we can top that this year.

Registration and Donations

Enter the amount you wish to donate in the Event Donation box and click add to cart. Our suggestion is $25 to $50 but donations of any amount are very much appreciated. If you wish to pay by check or cash or Venmo or credit card instead of PayPal, be sure to click 'pay later' on the payment page (otherwise the registration won't work). Drop us an email if you have any difficulty.

Please add info@sfbuddhistcenter.org to your address book so we can keep you up-to-date with any changes. 

Continuing our 2023 theme: Pathways to Awakening, this month we will share stories of some of the archetypal, mythological, beautiful and scary beings we are likely to encounter on the path, and see what they have to teach us about staying present and waking up.

Sep 6:   Embracing our demons (and allies): the Buddha's journey, with Padmatara

Sep 13:  Milarepa's story, with Viradhamma

Sep 20:  Meeting the Dakinis, with Karunadakini

Sep: 27: Padmasambhava Day Celebration, with Mokshasi

For in person attendance please make sure you can agree to our safety requirements listed here. (No need to register.)

Sangha Night Donations

We suggest $10 to $5 for Sangha Nights. If you'd prefer to pay monthly, ask about our dana program.  

All our teachers are volunteers and any donations we receive go towards keeping our center running so that we can continue to provide a space for practice. 

Registe here to receive zoom link (you only need to do this once - we will update you of any changes). Enter the amount you wish to donate in the box below, and if you prefer to pay another way, you can enter 0, but if you do this please make sure to click 'pay later' on the payment page, otherwise the registration won't work. Drop us an email if you have any difficulty. It may take up to a day or two to receive the zoom link - thank you for your patience.

Please add info@sfbuddhistcenter.org to your address book so we can keep you up-to-date with any changes.*  

Buddhism is a vision of human existence. It is also a practical guide that we can apply to every aspect of our lives.  Meditation and buddhist principles, practiced together, bring us closer to our direct experience, dissolving our misperceptions to reveal the boundless potential and precious opportunity of life. 

Central to Buddhist practice is a deep desire to understand suffering and the means to end suffering; to discover the "magic of the ordinary";  and to live in harmony with ourselves and those around us.

This introductory course aims to bring us closer to the principles of buddhist practice and experience its liberating potential. 

What you will learn:

• Introduction: what buddhist traditions have in common
• The relevance of the historical Buddha for us today
• The Buddha's teachings
  • The Four Noble Truths: suffering, cause of suffering, cease of suffering, Noble Eightfold Path
  • Three marks of human existence.
  • Buddhist meditation - why meditation is important in Buddhism, and how Buddhist principles help us go deeper with meditation.
  • Working with the transformation of difficult emotions and perceptions.

There will also be time to discuss topics that arise during the course.

The course is informal, interactive, and friendly, and is open to anyone interested in Buddhism for its own sake, or as a means to support and deepen meditation practice. 

Since this class is in person we have safety requirements - please check them here. Right now masks are optional. 

Please register by Monday 5pm Nov 27

To register: enter the amount you wish to donate in the Event Donation box and click add to cart. The range is $150 to $110, and paying the higher amount helps us to offer our events to those who are not in a position to pay. No-one is turned away for lack of funds, so please let us know if you require a lower rate. If you prefer to pay when you come in person you can enter 0 and click 'pay later' on the payment page. (If you don't click "pay later" the registration may not go through.)

All our teachers are volunteers and our class fees and donations all go towards keeping our center running so that we can continue to provide a space to practice. 

Thank you!  

This course is a series of 4 courses you can take in any order.

Mindfulness of Breathing, Sep 5 to 26 (and Feb)

Meditating with Kindness, Oct 3 to 24

Mindfulness in Everyday Life Oct 31 to Nov 21

Buddhism Introductory Course (this course)

or Online Buddhism Introductory Course Sep 14 to Oct 5.

Even as a mother at the risk of her life, watches over and protects her only child, so with a boundless heart let one cherish all living beings. (From the Metta Sutta)

The metta bhavana, or cultivation of loving kindness, is a powerful meditation practice that teaches us how to bring a friendly, kind, curious attention to ourselves and to other people, and to whatever arises in our experience, softening harsh self-criticism and judgment and bringing a sense of ease and openness to our participation in the world. 

In this 4-week workshop we'll explore different ways to do the practice so that everyone has what they need to continue effectively at home.  The course is friendly, practical and easy to follow. There are guided meditations each evening with plenty of time for questions and sharing our discoveries in a safe and welcoming space.

Suitable for complete beginners to meditation as well as anyone wishing to refresh their practice. 

Since this class is in person we have safety requirements - please check them here. However, as things stand, we plan to make masks optional, at least at least while meditating. 

Please register by Monday 5pm Oct 2

To register: enter the amount you wish to donate in the Event Donation box and click add to cart. The range is $150 to $110, and paying the higher amount helps us to offer our events to those who are not in a position to pay. No-one is turned away for lack of funds, so please let us know if you require a lower rate. If you prefer to pay when you come in person you can enter 0 and click 'pay later' on the payment page. (If you don't click "pay later" the registration may not go through.)

All our teachers are volunteers and our class fees and donations all go towards keeping our center running so that we can continue to provide a space to practice. 

Thank you!  

This course is a series of 4 courses you can take in any order:

Mindfulness of Breathing, Sep 5 to 26 (next course Feb 2024)

Meditating with Kindness (this course) next course March 2024

Mindfulness in Everyday Life Oct 31 to Nov 21

Buddhism Introductory Course Nov 28 to Dec 19

or Online Buddhism Introductory Course Sep 14 to Oct 5.

Would you like to live more creatively, with more freedom, kindness and wisdom, and less fear, irritation and confusion?  The Buddha practiced and then taught meditation for this very purpose, and the practices are readily available to everyone.  

Mindfulness of Breathing, or Anapanasati, is a beautifully simple and deeply transformative practice, where we use the sensations of breathing to ground our awareness in the body, so that we can open to the inner and outer events of everyday life with more spaciousness, clarity and compassion. 

Practicing in class and at home, we begin to recognize our less helpful habits without always following them, allowing space for new possibilities to emerge. Gradually our relationship with ourselves and others and the world around us becomes easier, more appreciative and attentive.

This is a friendly, practical, easy to follow four-week course. Ideally you will be able to attend at least 3 of the 4 classes. There will be led meditations each evening - sitting, mindful movement, and lying down - with time for questions and sharing our discoveries in a safe and welcoming space. 

Suitable for complete beginners to meditation as well as anyone wishing to refresh their practice.

Masks are optional, but please check our other safety requirements here. 

To register: enter the amount you wish to donate in the Event Donation box and click add to cart. The range is $150 to $110, and paying the higher amount helps us to offer our events to those who are not in a position to pay. No-one is turned away for lack of funds, so please let us know if you require a lower rate. If you prefer to pay when you come in person you can enter 0 and click 'pay later' on the payment page. (If you don't click "pay later" the registration may not go through.) 

All our teachers are volunteers and our class fees and donations all go towards keeping our center running so that we can continue to provide a space to practice. 

Register by Sep 4.

Thank you!  

This course is a series of 4 courses you can take in any order: 

Mindfulness of Breathing (this course) next course Feb 2024

Meditating with Kindness Oct 3 to 24

Mindfulness in Everyday Life Oct 31 to Nov 21

Buddhism Introductory Course Nov 28 to Dec 19

or Online Buddhism Introductory Course Sep 14 to Oct 5.