

Shundo David Haye, Zen Priest
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Service
It’s free with no obligation to hire
Overview
Hired 10 times
Background checked
6 years in business
Payment methods
Cash, Paypal, Square cash app, Venmo
Photos and Videos
17 photos
Reviews
15 reviews
Read reviews that mention:
- Mariliis H.
Wedding Officiant
I cannot find words how grateful we are to Shundo for conducting our online wedding ceremony over Zoom! Everyone loved (+250 people around the globe) the simple and beautiful buddhist ceremony, many saying that it was one of the most memorable weddings they have ever attended. It was truly amazing to work with Shundo, everything went very smoothly and ended up filling our special day with so much love and joy. Highly recommend!
May 26, 2020Verified - Mike F.
Can't say enough good things about Shundo! His meditation instruction has been instrumental in creating and maintaining my own daily mindfulness practice. This, in turn, has made me happier and more productive in busy SF life. Shundo brings wisdom born of deep experience with his subject -- something you might expect in a Zen monk and priest. But better still, he's fun and approachable! Altogether, Shundo's experience, groundedness, and genuine warmth separate him from the pack.
Dec 21, 2015 - Keyao S.
Wedding Officiant
Shundo officiated our small and romantic wedding in May, 2019. We spoke via FaceTime a month prior to the wedding. We discussed the time and location, and shared our stories with him. He then helped us finalize the wedding process including vows and other details such as what he would wear. After the wedding, he kindly took care of everything of the marriage certificate. We appreciate his patience and thoughtfulness very much, and would definitely recommend him as a wedding officiant!
May 27, 2019Verified - Kate G.
Wedding Officiant
Shundo officiated our wedding at City Hall in San Francisco. We spoke with him by phone (we were traveling), and then met with him prior to the day. He helped us think about how to structure our non-traditional wedding, provided helpful resources about vows, and crafted some lovely statements that opened and closed our ceremony. Our guests also commented on what a wonderful presence Shundo provided. His thoughtfulness and calm, kind and encouraging presence helped make our day everything we hoped it could be.
Jan 9, 2017Verified - Maggie C.
Shundo emanates warmth, tranquility, and serenity; having him in our office to lead weekly meditations is like finding the eye of the storm. Often challenging to *make* the time to attend meditation, I had the awareness to realize those times where I absolutely couldn't attend were the times I needed it most. The days where I do make the time to attend, I leave feeling centered and ready to gracefully handle whatever may come my way. Thank you, Shundo!
Nov 14, 2016
Credentials
David Haye
FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?I would love to be able to offer all my services on a strictly donation basis, as is traditional for Buddhist teachers, but I also have to pay rent in San Francisco!
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?For weddings, meeting the couple ahead of time to get a sense of who they are and how they relate to each other is a valuable step. I am happy to advise on setting up a ceremony and helping to write the vows if that is needed. For meditation, I will ascertain what style the person or group is most interested in, and will shape my instruction accordingly. I can accommodate for whatever setting is available, whether it be chairs around a conference table, traditional cushions, or taking a group outdoors to sit in the open air.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?I have fifteen years of residential zen training at San Francisco Zen Center, including five years of intense monastic training at Tassajara, and many silent retreats. Important steps on the path have been ordaining as a priest in 2009, and training as head monk in 2012. ----- I have been leading groups and teaching for almost ten years. I co-led Zen Center's Coming of Age program for seventh grade boys; co-founded and led the thriving Young Urban Zen group at Zen Center. I have given talks to groups ranging from four people to more than a hundred, have taught workshops at Zen Center, Green Gulch, Tassajara, Santa Cruz, and in England on regular visits; I have met with many students individually as well as in ongoing groups. ----- More recently I have been leading regular groups and offering one-off sessions at tech companies, start-up spaces, colleges, high schools and middle schools, yoga studios, retreat centers and the county jail, where I volunteered to teach meditation a couple of times a month.