Meditating With Justin At Green Gulch

Of course, every time with Justin Stone was special. One time, for me, was just magical. In April 1993, before I was accredited as a T’ai Chi Chih teacher, I heard that Justin was about to lead a five-day meditation retreat at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, part of the San Francisco Zen Center, just north of the city on the Pacific Ocean. I had been meditating, though not intensely and, with some trepidation, signed up for the retreat. Friends picked me up at the airport and, as we drove along the winding road typical of California coastal highways, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. I needn’t have worried. It was wonderful.

Green Gulch includes gardens and several small buildings, located in a verdant gulch, just a 20-minute walk from the ocean. A number of buildings are built in traditional Japanese style, including the zendo (meditation hall) and a two-story, octagonal guesthouse where retreatants stay. The guesthouse was fascinating: the Zen Center brought carpenters from Japan who built it in a traditional style without any nails. It was like a fine piece of furniture.

Our routine consisted of meditation sessions, with Justin instructing us in meditation techniques, followed by silent sitting meditations of about 45 minutes, TCC practices, lectures by Justin on a variety of subjects, vegetarian meals shared with other residents of the farm in the communal dining room, and lots of free time to explore the farm and the area. Some of our meditation sessions were held in the zendo, which had a magnificent feel to it that enhanced our meditations, while other sessions were held in a large yurt. Paths originating at the edge of the farm led to many fascinating sights. One path led into the hills where, at the top, we had magnificent views of the entire farm and the ocean. Another path led through the farm’s dazzling beds of flowers and bountiful vegetable crops before winding through the woods where Calla lilies grew wild on the way to the beach and on the cliffs above the ocean. Although I was fortunate to experience many other retreats, conferences, classes and practices with Justin after that, nothing could compare to what we shared at Green Gulch Farm.