Pamela Weiss is a Buddhist teacher in two traditions—Zen and Theravada. After living as a monastic at Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery for five years, she completed comprehensive training through Spirit Rock Meditation Center to become an Insight meditation teacher. She teaches at Spirit Rock, San Francisco Zen Center and Tassajara, and is a guiding teacher at San Francisco Insight. Pamela is a pioneer in bringing Buddhist principles and practices into the workplace, and is the author of A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Eugene, and little dog, Grover.
Events with Pamela Weiss
May 30 - June 6, 2026
This retreat will focus on being intimate with the living body of awakening. We’ll explore the living aliveness of our human body, the living body of the earth, and the communality of all living bodies both vegetative and sentient. Through meditation and compassion we’ll awaken to the magic and mystery of being alive. This silent retreat is suitable for both new and experienced practitioners. Be aware that while all lodging options have a propane heater, the Tent Cabins and Yurts tend to be colder than the Casitas during the shoulder season. Please select your lodging accordingly. Cancellation…
June 23 - 30, 2026
“The shape of the mountains is no other than the unconditioned body.” —Dogen-zenji We are nature. The elemental nature of the world moves within us, as us. This silent meditation retreat will be rooted in teachings on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and the Four Great Elements—earth, air, fire, and water. In a time of ecological crisis and deep division, we will cultivate a wise, tender awareness that deepens our intimate connection to our own bodies and the body of the earth. Practicing together, we will reclaim our fundamental non-separation and wholeness and reawaken our belonging to each other and…
August 26 - September 2, 2026
“The world is not made of atoms, but of stories.” —Muriel Rukesayer This silent meditation retreat will weave instructions on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and teachings on the Four Great Elements—earth, air, fire, and water—with ceremony and story. Our time together will include periods of silent sitting and walking, guided meditation instruction, Dharma talks, ceremony, and ample time to explore and be held by the land at Vallecitos. The teachers will share stories from Buddhist and Indigenous Peoples that illuminate the power of our intimate connection to ourselves, each other and the planet. Cultivating the capacity to listen…