Zen in the Bay:

A Holistic Exploration of Buddhist Meditation & Practice

SPRING 2026

This hybrid course offers a multi-dimensional exploration of Buddhist meditation and practice, with an emphasis on Zen Buddhism in particular. Combining online learning with immersive in-person experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area, students will delve into various aspects of Buddhism, including meditation techniques, neuroscience, history, ethics, arts, and activism.

Course Structure


Weekly online sessions covering:

  1. Introduction to Buddhist philosophy, lineages, and practice
  2. Establishing a personal meditation practice
  3. Neuroscience of meditation
  4. History of Zen in the Bay Area
  5. Ethical dimensions of Buddhist practice
  6. Zen arts and activism

Weekly assignments, including:

  1. Personal practice explorations
  2. Journal reflections
  3. Readings and videos
  4. Digital discussion assignments
  5. Creative responses to the material
  6. Group explorations

Five in-person experiences (students must attend at least three) – final experiences to be determined, but may include:

  1. Guided tour of Buddhist art at the Asian Art Museum
  2. Meditation and organic farming at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center
  3. The Way of Tea: Experiencing a traditional tea ceremony at a local tea house
  4. Exploring Japanese-American history at Sokoji, Soto Buddhist Mission in San Francisco’s Japantown
  5. A visit to UC Berkeley’s “Greater Good Science Center” and/or “The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education” at Stanford University
  6. Delving into Buddhist precepts and urban life at San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center temple
  7. Silent meditation retreat at a local Buddhist center
  8. And more!

This course is designed for both beginners and experienced practitioners, offering a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of Buddhist principles while developing their personal meditation practice. The in-person experiences provide unique opportunities to engage with local Buddhist communities and apply learned concepts in real-world settings.

Synchronous meeting requirements: 

  • Weekly virtual classes: to be scheduled (likely on a weekday evening). 
  • In-person/F2Fs: there will be 3-5 sessions scheduled mostly on Saturdays/Sundays/weekends from late morning to early afternoon at locations such as …

  Pending UC Approval: Interdisciplinary   

About the Instructor

Erin Merk – Lick-Wilmerding High School

Since 2006 Erin Merk has been a faculty member at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco, teaching yoga, health, human sexuality, and rock climbing classes to students through the Body-Mind Education department. Erin began Zen practice at San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center and has also lived at Green Gulch Farm and Tassajara. She was priest-ordained in 2005 by Eijun Linda Cutts and was Shuso (head student) at Tassajara in 2012. In 2024 she received dharma transmission from Eijun-san, and continues to practice and teach at all three centers as her schedule allows. She is delighted to be offering this BlendEd course to students from around the Bay!