One of two Soto Zen centres in Santa Cruz, this one is headed by Teacher Carolyn Atkinson who is…read morethe dharma heir of Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi. Everyday Dharma Zen Center aims to combine complementary elements of Vipassana (Theravadan) with Soto Zen, primarily a mindfulness practice and a stillness abiding practice. This is a great Buddhist centre to come to if you want to begin the path of bringing meditation into your everyday life. The anchor sitting for the week is on Wednesday night from 7pm to 7:40pm. Dharma talk usually follows afterwards. There are also sittings at noon 7 days a week. No dharma talk given at noon. Carolyn is a wonderful, generous, and compassionate teacher.

I've come to rely on this center for their silent meditation sessions offered @ noon everyday…read more Great place to go "get your sit on."

Jordan is a wonderful human being. His meditation talks are self-reflective as well as…read moreall-inclusive. Bring yourself as you are, where you are, and I promise you leave with a sense of discovery.

I did a thorough search for a good taichi school when moving to Santa Cruz, 2 years ago. I am so…read morehappy to have found Linda Gerson. She is a serious practitioner, continuously studying taichi. She is a kind, dedicated and supportive teacher, whether one is a beginner or advanced.

As a yong man I praticed martial arts. Now in my seventies I have found Tai Chi extremely…read morebeneficial as I age with its gentle flow and rhythm. Linda's inclusion of warm up stretching and Qigong sets round out a solid practice. Linda's ability to be funny and instructive during practice helps insure students learn the key basics as well as advanced movements. Her classes have made my life better and highly recommend you check them out on your road to health and longitivity.

Javiera and Sebastian are the real deal! In the year that I've worked with them, as a Psychedelic…read moreSitters School trainee, ganja yoga student, and microdosing hike client, I have been humbled and amazed by their wisdom, maturity, and graciousness. They have my wholehearted endorsement. Please support them in their work as best you can. They deserve it.

What a fun concept! This is the first cannabis-yoga experience I've done or heard of and it was…read morequite enjoyable. I normally struggle focusing on breath and movement and the cannabis really helped me zone in. I found it to be very therapeutic. It's BYOC and for the first maybe 15 or so minutes people consume their cannabis and we went in a circle sharing a little bit about our relationship with cannabis and yoga. The instructor was great, welcoming, and provided a soothing routine. She even served tea and vegan chocolate at the end and some people stayed behind to relax or mingle. There was maybe 10 people so it's pretty intimate which felt nice since a lot of other yoga studios get packed mat to mat. The first class was free which is always awesome, especially for a new experience. They have a class pack as well for a more economical option. I had a little trouble finding the place. It's through the squid row alley by the goodwill and looks like a residence. I was hesitant to knock or open the door because it looked dark but then once you're inside it's clearly a yoga studio. Btw - this review is of the Thursday night in person class. I'm looking forward to going back!

There's spiritual wisdom, uplifting music and good community at every Center for Spiritual Living…read more There are three in Oakland. East Bay Church-A Center for Spiritual Living (ebcrs.org) was voted Best Place to Worship several times via the EastBay Express weekly newspaper's best in Bay Area annual survey.

This is an absolutely wonderful place to gather among like-minded people, learn and love . It is a…read moreprime example of practice what you preach. This place is filled with peaceful social activists and incredibly inclusive loving people who are truly trying to make the world a better place. I've honestly never been to a better church in my life. It is devoid of hypocrisy. It is the real deal. They offer classes as well. It's an amazing community . We also have lunch after service. It has truly given me the sense of community and the connection to source that I needed. Thank you!

I had no idea what to expect when I signed up for Nicole's classes. After this first month I have…read morehad such a relief of the anxiety and physical pain that I have been feeling. She is changing my outlook and healing my spirits. It has been an incredible transformation. I am so thankful forl the comfort she gives me with every session.

Nicoletta is tuned into the most core methods of healing and restoration which encompass body, mind…read moreand spirit. Her breathwork and fascia release sessions have been instrumental for me to breakthrough some serious hip and leg pain I have suffered from for years. Today I am pain free and am continuing to do the "homework" she has assigned to me for my self-care. In addition, I am continuing sessions with her and am learning so much due to her comprehensive approach to self-awareness, healing and well-being. I highly recommend her for next level healing because she is deeply intuitive and has many certifications that qualify her to treat people using important and diverse modalities. Check her out on her website chameleonbreathwork.com Cheers!

Kaysi Contreras was very reassuring, as I was apprehensive and skeptical of this upcoming…read moreexperience. She explained things prior to receiving this energy session. Offered to cancel with money back if I did not want to move forward since I was not clear about this situation. I enjoyed the relaxation and feedback but mostly I enjoyed the horses that had participated and were allowed to come close, I felt safe, the horses were beautiful.

From the owner: What makes our business unique is our deep commitment to both the well-being of horses and the…read morecommunities we serve. We are an equine education and sanctuary organization focused on promoting a deeper understanding and advocacy for horses through interactive, consent-based practices. Our programs, such as Journaling with Horses, grief support groups, and equine-guided meditation, are designed to foster reflection, healing, and a respectful connection between people and horses. What sets us apart is our holistic approach—encouraging emotional growth and personal development while emphasizing the ethical treatment and care of horses. Since starting operations in January 2024, we’ve directly impacted over 80 participants, giving each of them the opportunity to engage with horses in a meaningful, hands-on way that promotes both healing and education.