PODCAST

Young Urban Zen SF

Young Urban Zen is a group under the auspices of the San Francisco Zen Center, with a particular focus on those between 20 and 40. It meets on Tuesday evenings for meditation and discussion about Zen practice. People of all experience levels are welcome.

religion & spirituality buddhism

All Episodes

The Four Brahmavihārās - pt 1 (of 2) - Loving...

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/03/18

Michael McCord leads tonight’s talk about The Four Brahmavihārās. This is part 1 of a 2 part series which focuses on the Brahmavihārās “Loving Kindness” & “Compassion.” In a world that can beaggressive, combative, competitive, how do these traits work not only with those we love and trust but towards the world in general? And how do they manifest in us, through a decision? Cultivation? Simple awareness?

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Relationship with Work

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/03/11

In Zen and traditional Buddhism there are a numberof tools that can be cultivated to help us in these relationships and some of you may have wisdom to share in the practice of relationships and work.

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Relationships Series Talk 3: "People We Don't Like"

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/03/04

Eli opens a conversation on how to be in relationship with “people we don’t like”. He discusses how sitting zazen might help us practice with unpleasant feelings that come up in conflict—anger, frustration, judgement, resentment, and so on. What if we looked at relationships with “people we don’t like” not as imperfections in practice but as the practice itself?

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Relationships Series Talk 2: Intimacy with Self

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/02/25

Kōgetsu talks about Intimacy with the Self. We live in a world that constantly tells us we need to improve—to become better, more optimized versions of ourselves. Checklists, standards, performance reviews: we might even find ourselves trying to optimize our meditation practice. What would it mean to be truly intimate with ourselves—especially with our fear, shame, envy, anger, and the parts we’d rather not highlight—without letting the parts define us or control how we act? Buddhist teaching offers

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Relationships series - Pt 1 - Family

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/02/18

Hiro Ikushima gives a talk about Relationships. This is part 1 of a series. This talk focused on family. Ram Dass once said, “If you think you are enlightened, go spend a week with your family.” Many of us recognize the truth in that. Family can be both our deepest source of love and our greatest challenge.Hiro guides us on how explore remaining steady and compassionate in the midst of family dynamics, and how we might begin to see our family members as part of our spiritual path.

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Six Paramitas Talk 6: Wisdom (Prajñā)

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/02/11

In our final paramita talk, Kristen Digs leads a talk regarding the Paramita of Wisdom. What is complete and perfect wisdom? How can we look to find it?

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Six Paramitas Talk 5: Concentration (Samadhi)

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/02/03

Tim Wicks leads a talk regarding the Paramitas (aka crossing over) focusing on Concentration. Why do we meditate,andwhat is it that we are trying to do facing the wall? Working with the mind and our thoughts is central to Zen practice and, for many of us, the most difficult part. “We are trying to cross over away from the distractions and delusions that prevent us from full awareness.”

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Six Paramitas Talk 4: Vīrya

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/01/28

How do we keep showing up in our work, relationships, and the world without exhausting ourselves or betraying what matters most to us?Eli discusses joyful effort (virya): an approach to effort that isn’t about grinding harder, chasing outcomes, or measuring worth through productivity. Drawing on Zen practice and lived experience, we unpack questions many of us carry quietly: Am I doing enough? What does sustainable commitment look like? How do I stay engaged when trust is low and fatigue is

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Six paramitas talk 3: Generosity (dana)

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/01/21

In this talk, Kōgetsu discusses generosity also known as Dana. Buddhist practice invites us to look more deeply at how we can meet the roots of suffering. We will explore how generosity includes how we relate to ourselves and others, how we listen, how we repair, how we set limits, and how wisdom guides what actually helps rather than what simply feels good in the moment. Zazen trains us to meet generosity with clarity rather than compulsion.

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six paramitas talk 2: Sila (ethical conduct)

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/01/14

In this talk Mei discusses the paramita of ethical conduct. Sila (ethical conduct) is one of the six paramitas (perfections) that develops a practitioner on the path of freedom, while simultaneously manifesting awakened activity. Though most Westerners don't initiallydelight in the topic of ethical behavior, Mei explains that virtue is one of the most beautiful expressions of the awakened mind.

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six paramitas talk 1: Patience

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2026/01/07

This talk is the beginning of a series on the paramitas which are the fruits of living the precepts of Buddhism. Michael will be discussing the paramita of patience in this talk.Paramitas are viewed as perfections to be addressed directly as a way of working with one's practice. Please come and turn over not only this paramita but how it relates to our everyday life, no matter where we spend our day (in the monastery, out in the world, in the home...).

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Renunciation

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/12/31

Tim Wicks closes out the year (2025) with a talk about Renunciation, letting go.He speaks about the grasping at the root of our suffering, our conditioning as "graspers," and how we help each other in learning to let go.

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The Gift of Nothing

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/12/23

As the year comes to a close, Young Urban Zen invites you into The Gift of Nothing: a talk and experiential practice on generosity without striving. Eli Brown-Stevenson leads us together through an exploration on what it means to give, receive, and belong when we release the need to add, fix, or improve anything.

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When I want something out of my practice

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/12/19

When practice starts to feel frustrating, like why am I not feeling a certainway by now, orwhen wewonder if we’re “doing it right”—it can quietly turn into a kind of transaction. We’ll explore this train of thought with some lightness and curiosity, and look at how practice can become less about getting somewhere and more about meeting ourselves where we are with compassion.

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What Zen principles apply to staying grounded in the...

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/12/10

Many of you may be traveling this year or at least experiencing a different schedule (some may take time off; some may work more due to the rest of the team taking time off... etc.) than how things usually unfold for you.How will you stay grounded in the midst of large meals, or extra time or family interactions, or increased solitude?In this talk, Michael discusses what Zen principles apply to staying grounded in the midst of change.

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Hindrances

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/11/26

Tim Wicks leads a talk looking at the many obstacles that we face on our path to awakening. By focusing on the hindrances and how we work with them, we see that there is a way forward to address the feelings of separation and isolation by cultivating wisdom through intimate practice that leads us to the truth of interconnection.

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Working with Subtle Frustrations

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/11/19

Hiro Ikushima explores “Working with Subtle Frustrations”, the quiet sense that something is missing, and the low-level dissatisfaction that follows us through the day. In Zen, these small irritations become important teachers when we meet them directly rather than trying to fix or avoid them.

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not believing all your thoughts

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/11/13

In this talk we ponder the idea of “not believing all your thoughts”. How can our zazen practice help us to quiet unrest, dis-ease, stress, and pain. How can I cultivate discernment in practice?

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Not Harboring Ill Will

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/11/05

Michael McCord prompts us with a few questions before diving into the concept of harboring ill will. Whatis forgiveness in the Buddhist practice?How do we work with long standing grievances and short term frustrations?

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Being Complete in Each Moment

Young Urban Zen SF ·

2025/10/28

Kristin Diggs discusses how in the Soto Zen tradition we emphasize careful attention to the details immediately at hand, and doing one thing at a time, doing one thing completely. What does it mean, and how is it relevant in our fast-paced digital age? It couldn't be more relevant.

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Young Urban Zen SF

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