Someone asked the Buddha : "I have heard that the Dharma is a doctrine of enlightenment. What is your method? What do you practice every day?" The Buddha replied, "We walk. We eat. We wash ourselves. We sit down." Said the questioner, "What is so special about that? Everyone walks. Everyone eats. Everyone washes themselves. Everyone sits down." The Buddha replied, "Sir, when we walk, we are aware that we are walking. When we eat, we are aware that we are eating. When we wash ourselves, we are aware that we are washing. When we sit down, we are aware that we are sitting down. When others walk, eat, wash, or sit down, they are generally not aware of that they are walking, eating, washing, or sitting down."

Recommended Books, Meditation
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, by Shunryu Suzuki
Mindfulness in Plain English, by Henepola Gunaratana
Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Guidebook, by Ram Dass
Online Articles, by Shinzen Young
Break Through Pain: A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Meditation Program, by Shinzen Young
The Science of Enlightenment (Audio), by Shinzen Young
Online Audio, by Gil Fronsdal
Breath Sweeps Mind: A First Guide to Meditation Practice, by Jean Smith (Editor)
The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle
The Path Is the Goal: A Basic Handbook of Buddhist Meditation, by Chogyam Trungpa
Nothing Happens Next: Responses To Questions About Meditation, by Cheri Huber


Recommended Books, General Spirituality
Radiant Mind: Essential Buddhist Teachings and Texts, by Jean Smith (Editor)
What the Buddha Taught, by Walpola Rahula
I Am That, by Nisargadatta Maharaj
All Books, by David Deida
Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective, by Mark Epstein
The Zen of Recovery, by Mel Ash
Myths To Live By, by Joseph Campbell
Essential Rumi, by Coleman Barks
The Enlightened Mind, by Stephen Mitchell (Ed.)
The Enlightened Heart, by Stephen Mitchell (Ed.)


Zafu (Meditation Cushion) Purchase - Walk In
San Francisco Zen Center City Center
East West Bookstore
Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco
Rainbow Grocery


Zafu (Meditation Cushion) Purchase - Mail Order
Sun and Moon Originals
Four Gates
Zafu.net
Samadhi Cushions
Yogamats.com
Pema Design
Yoga Super Store
Neko-Chan
Gaiam Crafts
Dharmacrafts
Dharmacrafts
Various


Friends and Communities
David Lurey - Skilled and Compassionate Recommended Yoga Teacher
Growthpop - Personal Growth Course/Book/Experience Rating Site
The Divine Rhythm Society
Spiral Muse Women's Arts Community
Vision Dance Events


Free Buddhist Audio Downloads
Insight Meditation Center of the MidPeninsula
Shinzen Young (click on "Dharma Talks", "Past Dharma Talks")
DharmaStream
Cheri Huber's Open Air Show
Ken Wilber interviews
Dhammatalks
Dharma-Media
LamRim
Ajahn Amaro at Abhayagiri
Houston Zen Center
Dharma Media


General Buddhist Information
Buddhanet
Dharmanet
Dharmahost Buddhist Links
Buddhism at about.com
Manjushri.com
Kalachakranet.org
Beyond The Net
Buddhist Studies Virtual Library
Zen Buddhist Virtual Library
Readings in Theravada Buddhism
The Cybersangha Buddhist Library
Buddhist Related Sites
Aboutbuddhism.org
Quiet Mountain Tibetan Buddhist Resource Guide
Community For Mindful Living Sites
Buddhist Information Of North America Study Center
Buddhist Digital Library And Museum
Global Resources for Buddhist Studies


Popular Buddhist Magazines
Tricycle Magazine
Buddhadharma Magazine
Shambhala Sun Magazine


Buddhist Practice, Retreat, and Teaching Centers in San Francisco
San Francisco Zen Center City Center (Zen, San Francisco)
Tse Chen Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies (Tibetan, San Francisco)
San Francisco Buddhist Center (Ecumenical, San Francisco)
San Francisco Shambala Center (Tibetan, San Francisco)
San Francisco Diamond Way Buddhist Center (Tibetan, San Francisco)
Hartford Street Zen Center (Zen, San Francisco)
Dharma Fellowship of His Holiness The Gyalwa Karmapa (Tibetan, San Francisco)
Kagyu Droden Kunchab (Tibetan, San Francisco)
California Institute Of Integral Studies (Occasional Buddhist Workshops, San Francisco)
Insight Meditation Community Of San Francisco (Theravadan, San Francisco)
Classes in Kadampa Buddhism at the Saraha Center (Tibetan, San Francisco)
Sokoji Temple (Zen, San Francisco)
Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche (Tibetan, occasional visits to San Francisco)
Dharmapunx (Ecumenical, occasional visits to San Francisco)
Zen Hospice Project (Zen, San Francisco)
deepStreams (Zen, San Francisco)


Buddhist Practice, Retreat, and Teaching Centers in the East Bay
The Berkeley Buddhist Priory (Zen, Albany)
Berkeley Zen Center (Zen, Berkeley)
Community of Mindful Living (Zen-Theravadan, Berkeley)
Tibetan Nyingma Institute (Tibetan, Berkeley)
Berkeley Shambala Meditation Center (Tibetan, Berkeley)
Berkeley Buddhist Monastery (Ecumenical, Berkeley)
Classes in Kadampa Buddhism at the Dzalandhara Center (Tibetan, Berkeley)
Sixth Patriarch Zen Center (Zen-Taoist, Berkeley)
Empty Gate Zen Center (Zen, Berkeley)
Berkeley Buddhist Temple (Shin, Berkeley)
Berkeley Buddhist Research Center (Ecumenical, Berkeley)
Bay Zen Center (Zen, Oakland)


Buddhist Practice, Retreat, and Teaching Centers on the Peninsula and in the South Bay
Insight Meditation Center of the MidPeninsula (Theravadan-Zen, Redwood City)
Sati Center For Buddhist Studies (Ecumenical, Redwood City)
Stanford Center For Buddhist Studies (Ecumenical, Palo Alto)
Kannon Do Zen Meditation Center (Zen, Mountain View)
Mountain View Zen Center (Zen, Mountain View)
Silcon Valley Shambala Group (Tibetan, Mountain View)
Gyalwa Gyatso Buddhist Center (Tibetan, San Jose)
Vipassana San Jose (Theravadan, San Jose)
Classes in Kadampa Buddhism at the Duldzin Dragpa Center (Tibetan, San Jose)
Jikoji Zen Retreat Center (Zen, Los Gatos)
Open Gate Sangha (Zen-Hindu, Los Gatos)


Buddhist Practice, Retreat, and Teaching Centers in California North of the Bay Area
Green Gulch Farm/Green Dragon Temple (Zen, Mill Valley)
Sprit Rock (Theravadan, Woodacre)
Dharma Eye Zen Center (Zen, San Rafael)
San Rafael Diamond Way Buddhist Group (Tibetan, San Rafael)
Classes in Kadampa Buddhism at the Dewikoti Center (Tibetan, San Rafael)
Mountain Source Sangha (Zen, San Rafael/Bolinas)
Clear Water Zendo (Zen, Vallejo)
Dharma Gate Sangha(Zen, Benicia)
Classes in Kadampa Buddhism at the Mahakaruna Center (Tibetan, Petaluma)
Pacific Zen Institute (Zen, Santa Rosa)
Sonoma Mountain Zen Center (Zen, Santa Rosa)
Santa Rosa Diamond Way Buddhist Group (Tibetan, Santa Rosa)
Sebastopol Diamond Way Buddhist Group (Tibetan, Sebastopol)
Sonoma Shambala Center (Tibetan, Sonoma)
Davis Shambala Meditation Group (Tibetan, Davis)
Abhayagiri Forest Monastery (Theravadan, Redwood Valley)
City Of 10,000 Buddhas (Mahayana, Talmage)
The Zen Monastery Practice Center (Zen, Murphys)
Fort Bragg Sangha (Zen, Fort Bragg)
Arcata Zen Group (Zen, Arcata)
Shasta Abbey Monastary, Seminary, and Retreat Center (Zen, Mt. Shasta)


Buddhist Practice, Retreat, and Teaching Centers South of the Bay Area
Vajrapani Institute (Tibetan, Boulder Creek)
Santa Cruz Zen Center (Zen, Santa Cruz)
The Karuna Group (Tibetan, Capitola)
Land Of Medicine Buddha (Tibetan, Soquel)
Monterey Bay Zen Center (Zen, Carmel)
Monterey Peninsula Mindfulness Practice Group (Zen-Theravadan, Carmel)
The Rakko-An Sitting Group of Monterey California (Zen, Carmel)
Esalen (Occasional Buddhist Workshops, Big Sur)
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (Zen, Monterey County)


Buddhist Practice, Retreat, and Teaching Centers in California East of the Bay Area
California Vipassana Center (Theravadan, North Fork)
Empty Nest Zen Center (Zen, North Fork)
Grass Valley Meditation Group (Tibetan, Grass Valley)
Ring Of Bone Zendo (Zen, North San Juan)