This Workshop What Does It Mean to Wake Up? Traditionally, December 8 is celebrated as the day Siddhartha Gautama woke up and became a Buddha. But he was a Nepali prince who lived a long time ago in a far away land with a culture that wasn’t anything like ours today. Or was it? Why are we trying to be like him, twenty-five hundred years later? Is there any point in just sitting? Is it really possible to end suffering? Let’s take a few hours and find out for ourselves. According to the Buddha, that’s the only way to really know. Registration The fee is on a sliding scale of $15 to $40, according to ability. A few days prior to the retreat the minimum fee increases to $25. Please consider that registration does include a donation for the teacher. Please register as generously as you can. Scholarships are available upon request. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please contact the registrar, at scheduling@sbmg.org to arrange for financial assistance. If you wish to pay at the door or via check to the registrar, those options are available to you on the payment information page after you click the green «Register» button, enter the desired money amount and click the green «Checkout» button. Biography Kyosho Valorie Beer has practiced Zen Buddhism since 1991. She was ordained as a priest in 2005 and received dharma transmission in 2013 from her teacher, Edward Espe Brown. She lived at Green Gulch Farm from 2003 to 2012, when she moved to City Center. After serving as the San Francisco Zen Center corporate secretary, she was the City Center ino, and is now a visiting teacher to SFZC’s Branching Streams sanghas. Before taking up monastic life, Valorie worked for two decades in corporate Human Resources at various high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. Details to Consider Please try to arrive between 1:15 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. to register and settle in. Bring a covered mug or water bottle and your personal cushion if you have one. Chairs and cushions will be available at the retreat, as well as tea and hot water. In the spirit of doing no harm, we ask that you refrain from using scented products that may affect others. The Dharma Center is wheelchair accessible. SBMG hosts teachers from all Buddhist traditions at weekly meetings and monthly daylong retreats. All have been welcome since 1991. SBMG is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Please contact registrar if you have any questions.