My Story
Fern Gekko LaRocca…..
I started my spiritual path right out of college. Having lost my Mom to cancer, I felt lost and unable to focus on what I wanted to do with my life.
I started meditating in an ashram in Boulder Colorado after being inspired by a college roommate who was writing a paper on meditation (and no, it wasn’t Sharon Salzberg, but I wish it were 🙂
After I left Boulder for the Bay Area, I stopped meditating until I ran into an friend from the Ashram who was visiting his family. We had a lovely day hiking and talking. As we said our good byes, he gently said to me, “You should meditate.” I thought I didn’t need to anymore, I did a lot of time of the cushion and now it was time for me to focus on my career. I was wrong.
I reflected on that day and how the conversation was all about me and my life and new business. I lost my connection to Big Mind- the mind that includes everybody and every thing. I started practicing meditation at Kannon Do and studying with Roshi Les Kaye. I moved to Los Gatos and studied with Arvis Justi, senior student of Maezumi Roshi. I was fortunate to do a session (retreat) with Maezumi Roshi in Los Angeles. When I moved to San Francisco, Arvis advised me to look into Sonoma Mountain Zen Center. I did and I loved it there, and eventually got married there.
I took Refuge (Jukai) vows with the Abbott of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, Soto Zen Master, Jakusho Kwong Roshi and was active on the Board of Advisors.
With foster children, it became harder to make the drive to Santa Rosa, and Roshi advised me to sit with the Shambhala community in San Francisco. Roshi was close to Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and his son, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche whom I met when he visited Sonoma Mountain Zen Center.
Jakusho Kwong Roshi -Founding Abbot of Sonoma Mountain Zen Center
I begin the Shambhala Training in 1996 and did the Teacher trainings. I received Bodhisattva Vows with Pema Chodron, an ordain Buddhist nun and senior student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
I was in a serious car accident in 2003. It left me deformed and with a below knee amputation. It also blessed me with time to deepen my meditation practice and study and write. My personal blog is FromFern. It took many years to recover, and I settled into the Silicon Valley Shambhala Center.
I became the Director of the Silicon Valley Shambhala Center to help that community make a painful transition out of its space due to an increase in the rent. I retired from that position in June 2017.
Students started to practice meditation in my home. Our neighborhood group is called Fearless Open Heart. Since the pandemic started, we practice regularly together and on zoom. Beginners and advanced students are encouraged to join us practice. Check out our calendar for events.
We welcome all people no matter what your age, race, or sexual orientation.
Find out about Fearless Open Heart
You are welcome to join us! For more information on our weekly gatherings…..
email fern@wholeheartedway.com
Fern took on the leadership of our meditation group at a difficult time of transition, when rising rental costs in Silicon Valley forced us out of our beautiful and much-loved center. During much practical and emotional confusion, she was steady, calm and professional in leading us through the financial, practical and emotional demands of the transition.
Fern’s steadiness and patience helped guide the Silicon Valley Shambhala meditation community through a difficult time. She brought care and attention to detail regarding finances, and compassionately held the concerns and needs of each member. Her commitment to meditation practice created a reference point of care and steadiness for the community. Her qualities as a leader include thoughtfulness, warmth, and compassion.
I worked for Fern when she was the executive director of Silicon Valley Shambhala Center. She hired me on contract to complete the year end bookkeeping and accounting. Fern was very helpful in getting me all the bookkeeping details necessary to complete the job. This was no small task given all of her responsibilities. It took a lot of patience and attention to detail on Fern’s part. She was always prompt in getting back to me and communicated well during our time together. Fern showed true diligence by making sure the bookkeeping was up to date and accurate as she transitioned out of the directorship.