Valley Streams Zen Sangha
Regular Weekly Meetings:
Mondays, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Please visit the VSZS Calendar for current information on our events.
Phone: 916-456-7752
Email: info@
About VSZS
Valley Streams Zen Sangha is dedicated to the study of Buddha’s teaching and the practice of meditation. We invite newcomers and experienced Zen students to join us. Our sangha is maintained by a community of people who have traveled many different paths. We come together to support each other in practicing Buddha’s way.
About Valley Streams Zen Sangha
People come to Zen for many reasons. Some simply want to start meditation practice. Some come seeking healing from suffering – perhaps a loss or disappointment, depression, anxiety, addictive behaviors, or life just not going well. Some seek relief from oppressive social or racial structures in society.
Everyone is welcome. We practice with respect for people of every race, nationality, class, economic status, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability. We practice both in relation to the current diversity of the sangha and with the aspiration to create a more diverse community. We invite feedback to realize this vision.
The heart of Soto Zen is the practice of Shikantaza – “just sitting.” It is the intention to be fully present, without trying to control experience or achieve a certain state of mind.
We aspire to take this non-grasping effort off the cushion and into relationships with everything and everyone we meet. The practice cultivates a way of life beyond the initial thought of it.
Valley Streams Zen Sangha follows the forms of Soto Zen practice established by Shunryu Suzuki after arriving in San Francisco from Japan. San Francisco Zen Center, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and Green Gulch Farm were created through his inspiration. The lectures recorded in his book, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, provide an excellent introduction to the spirit of this practice.
Valley Streams’ main teachers are Guiding Teacher: Rev. Myo Denis Lahey; Tanto or Head of Practice: Rev. So’on Jim Hare; and, Ino or Head of Meditation Hall: Rev. Parāvṛtti Doralee Grindler Katonah.
Contact Information:
P: 916.456.7752
E: info@valleystreamszen.org