Location: Muir Beach, CA
What it is: Green Gulch is the San Francisco Zen Center’s retreat center in Marin County, CA. They have a Sunday sit that’s only $5 donation requested for 45 minutes of really good meditation in a really beautiful setting in a Zendo on their ranch (really), followed by a talk by one of the monks. If you want to go to a longer 1 day, 2 day, weekend, week-long, or even 3 month retreat there, that’s possible, too.
Growth Potential: Zen Buddhism, especially meditation, is all about letting go of desire – the root of all pain and suffering. Sometimes, sitting for long periods of time is easy, as a respite from the world. Other times, you can’t shut your mind up. The SF Zen Center is good at providing a setting for you to work through the noisy-mind phase and work towards calm … especially at Green Gulch, where the peaceful setting is very conducive to tranquility.
Pop Potential: The SF Zen Center’s approach has always been to make meditation and a Zen Buddhist lifestyle easily accessible to Westerners. In the Bay Area, its not a stretch…but their approach is easy and no pressure, so even a Midwesterner would have no problem. I even like the monks’ talks, as they don’t try to get too tremendously caught up in quoting the Zen koans and Japanese philosophers from the last millenium. Talks are always geared toward modern topics with relevance. Mainly, its a good weekend getaway for the over-stressed and over-worked Type A SF city boy or girl.
“Get Real” Potential: At times, like any of the Bay Area’s alternative “seeker”-type activities, you may look around the room and notice a preponderance of spiritual, middle-class, middle-aged caucasian folk. Buddhism is so fashion forward. But don’t go for who’s there or why they’re there. Just decide what you want to get out of it and go get that. Which leads me to…
What I Got out of it: I don’t go nearly enough, but its one of my favorite Sunday activities. I feel so centered and calm afterwards and usually just want to sit in the herb garden and stare at the grass or the flowers. Much better than staring at a computer. Oh, and the tea and muffins are good, too. After its all over, you can try their organic lunch, walk down to the beach, or jet on over 5 minutes to Stinson Beach for a good old-fashioned beach hang-out.
Learn more about Green Gulch Zen Meditation