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10 Years Anniversary Fundraising 2026
Celebrating 10 Years of Dharma in San Diego & A Heartfelt Request
Dear Dharma Friends,
Ten years ago, a seed of practice was planted in Southern California. Today, we look back with deep gratitude as we celebrate a major milestone: 10 years of Sensei Shinzan bringing the Dharma to San Diego County!
What began as a shared vision has grown into Open Gate Zen Collective (OG), a true sanctuary of practice, refuge, and awakening. What a beautify journey this decade has been! We have shared countless hours of zazen, supported one another through life’s challenges, and built a community rooted in compassion.
This milestone is a celebration of our collective practice, but it is also a critical moment for our future. This is a heartfelt request for your support, so that OG can continue to grow into a self-sustaining sangha for the next ten years and far beyond.
We know many of you receive many requests for support, so we are grateful for your attention. Yet, the need for spaces like OG is very real: a place where people can meet suffering directly and find a path of transformation.
Our home is one such place. We invite your support in sustaining this sangha to honor this 10-year anniversary through a one-time gift, a recurring donation, or by becoming a benefactor.
Below, we have included three testimonials from founding and long-standing members, Mushin, Anzan, and Dojin, offered from the earliest days of the sangha. These reflections show the real impact of this practice and this community, and point directly to what has been made possible through OG over the last decade!
We invite you to join us as a benefactor and companion on this path. Every contribution, large or small, helps strengthen the foundation of this sangha and supports its continued presence in Southern California. What this community becomes is shaped by all of us together.
Please consider making a donation to Open Gate Zen Collective, a California-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
With deep gratitude and a full bow,
Sensei José Shinzan Palma
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Open Gate Zen Collective
466 E St. Chula Vista, CA 91910
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Account Number: 9158136309
Routing Number: 322281507
Our Journey…
“I saw, on the temple site, a photo and introduction of a newly arrived Zen priest in residence. Shinzan looked like a southwestern Buddha, enrobed and embodying a strong yet friendly stillness.”
“What do you do here?” he asked.
“Well, I sort of teach Intro to Buddhism and Zen,” I replied.
Then I added, “But here you are—a Sensei—so I’m not sure what I do now.”
Shinzan replied, “Well… why don’t we figure this out together?”
“The first time I met him, I was nervous for reasons I could not explain. I had gone to one of his talks and immediately connected with what he was saying. I felt a powerful draw to him. I had considered not returning because he scared me so much, but then I reminded myself that I was looking for answers, turning away would only take me further from what I was seeking.”