12 Weeks

Upcoming speakers

• Jason (Step 8 ) is the leader of the Santa Cruz Dharma Punx group, brings that D-Punx edge to the group as well as a beautiful set of recovery-based meditations.
• Suzanne (Step 9) recently returned from a 2-month retreat in Thailand, and is planning to speak about relationships in recovery.
• Stephanie (Step 10) is the leader of the San Jose Dharma Punx group and leads a ringing and incisive metta meditation.
• Ren (Step 11) is a female Zen priest. Enough said.
• Tim (Step 12) is a longtime Zen practitioner, has a riveting story, and the most charming English accent you’ve ever heard.

Past speakers

• Paul (Step 1) does a killer talk about self and recovery, has been sober for more than twenty years, and goes by “Buddha rep” on his business card.
• Judith (Step 2) lived the life of a monk for six years, the first two at Green Gulch Farm, then two at Tassajara, and the last two at City Center (all part of the San Francisco Zen Center), and has been sober for almost twenty-seven years.
• Jeffrey (Step 3) is a leader at the Monday night Zen Center group and wrote the Zen Center’s packed and beautiful “9 Essays on Buddhism and the 12 Step Model of Recovery” booklet.
• Jake (Step 4) is in training with Noah Levine of Dharma Punx fame, and brings a solid history of recovery, dharma, and teaching experience to the table.
• Heather (Step 5) is co-leader of the annual Buddhism and the Twelve Steps retreat at the Vajrapani Institute, and has a full teaching and retreat schedule.
• Paul (Step 6) was lay-ordained through the San Francisco Zen Center in April 2006, and lectures at the Monday night Buddhism in Recovery meeting at the SFZC. He has also guest-lectured for the Gay Buddhist Fellowship of San Francisco.
• Kevin (Step 7) is the author of the seminal “One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps,” a gentle and amazing book.