I’m getting excited about a daytrip I’m taking my four bridesmaids this Sunday — they all don’t know each other very well so I thought heading to Green Gulch Zen Center just 20 minutes north of San Francisco would be a nice introduction.
I read about the Center in a recent issue of Sunset Magazine. Here’s a snippet of the suggested itinerary. [Fortunately, you don't have to do all the activities -- as they told me, you can come and go as you please. How Zen is that? 
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A DAY AT GREEN GULCH
8:15 am: Just be still
Make your way down a path to the zendo, a Japanese-style meditation hall converted from a barn. Clasp your hands and remove your shoes for an hour of instruction.When it’s time for meditation, cross your legs. Sit up straight. Gaze softly ahead. Breathe normally. Don’t sleep. Thoughts will arise: Let them. After 45 minutes of silence, a bell rings.
11:15 am: Nourish the soul
After a dharma talk on Buddhism or meditation, and before a Q&A with the teacher, it’s break time outside the zendo. Have tea and a fresh muffin or a warm loaf of sesame bread, made from the classic Tassajara Bread Book, from Green Gulch’s parent San Francisco Zen Center.
2:30 pm: Take a hike
The sheltered sands of Muir Beach are just a half-mile walk down valley from the gardens, past the center’s organic farm. For a longer hike, head up the ridge on the Green Gulch Trail to link to the Coastal Trail for a loop back to the center with splendid ocean views (about 3 miles).
Take it home: At the 11:15 tea break, look for baskets of produce grown right here on the farm. In spring, that might be spinach, kale, and chard. You can also pick up a jar of the center’s homemade organic plum or quince jam ($5.50) at the tea break or from the bookstore.
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