Welcome
Mill Valley Zen is open to anyone wanting to learn to meditate, to have a regular meditation practice, to sit with others, to study Zen, and to investigate the question of what it means to be a human being in these challenging and amazing times. I meet lots of people who want to have a regular meditation practice and find it difficult to maintain a regular practice in the midst of their busy lives. This group was formed to meet that need, as well as for those who want to refresh or deepen their practices.
My definition of Zen these days is that it is the practice of developing a responsive and flexible mind while keeping your heart open. Zen practice is also a way of not being caught by our stories but instead to embrace and understand our stories and the paradoxical nature of being alive. As a Zen priest, CEO, husband, father, friend, writer I’m pleased and honored to be able to be part of a regular sitting group in Mill Valley.
Please join us.
Marc Lesser
Weekly Meeting Schedule
When: Wednesday evenings
Where: Online via Zoom (sign up below)
Schedule
Room opens: 5:45 pm
Meditation: 6:00 – 6:30 pm
Talk, discussion, or presentation: 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Everyone is welcome. No prior experience with meditation required.
Cost
None; Donations appreciated. Make your donation here.
When you become you, zen becomes zen. When you are you, you see things as they are, and you become one with your surroundings.
-Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind
ABOUT MARC LESSER
Marc Lesser is a speaker, facilitator, workshop leader, and executive coach. He is known for his engaging, experiential presentations that integrate mindfulness and emotional intelligence practices and training. He is the author of 4 books, including Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen, and CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive development and leadership consulting company. His podcast Zen Bones: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times features cutting-edge interviews, supportive tools for creating more meaningful work, and potent mindfulness practices to develop yourself, influence your organization, and change the world.
Marc helped develop the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program within Google – a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence training for leaders which teaches the art of integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and business savvy for creating great corporate cultures and a better world. He founded and was CEO of 3 companies, and has an MBA degree from New York University. Marc was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for 10 years, and director of Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center, the first Zen monastery in the western world. He leads Mill Valley Zen, a weekly meditation group.