Home2025-01-26T15:52:49-08:00

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Blue Heron Zen Community welcomes you just as you are.

We are an easy-going, friendly community of lay Zen students, physically located in Seattle, Washington, although our online Sangha is far broader. Please join us! Our meditation practice is rooted in the Korean Zen tradition, in the lineage of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Our teachings, forms and meditation practices are open to all people regardless of religious or cultural background. We strive to be an open community by practicing inclusivity with a home-grown community flavor of gentleness, sincerity, good humor and flexibility. Come and visit — our mind/heart doors are open.

We offer group meditation, retreats, talks, and other activities with the simple goal of inspiring and supporting your own efforts to perceive your true nature. The programs at Blue Heron Zen Community can help you begin and sustain a rewarding Zen meditation practice.

View our schedule of in-person and online Group Meditation

Getting Started

With simplicity and wonder, Zen means discovering the true nature of reality. But to truly understand Zen, you must try it for yourself.

If you’re the type of person that likes to jump in with both feet, you are welcome to come to any of our practice times and just join in. Welcome to our sangha and our practice home. There is never a charge for regularly scheduled practice, although donations are gratefully accepted.

If you would like an introduction to our practice, please join us at 9:30 am on Sundays for an orientation with a Dharma Teacher at Blue Heron Zen Community. This in-person session introduces Zen practice and answers your questions. This is followed by our regular Sunday practice at 10:00 am. (If you cannot join an introduction on Sundays, contact us for other options, or come 10 minutes early to any practice.)

What’s Going On

Start of Kyol Che on Sunday, January 252026-01-07T08:08:47-08:00

Kyol Che, our three-month intensive period, will begin with an orientation session on Sunday, January 25 at 10am and end on Sunday, April 27. Our first Kyol Che retreat will take place Friday, January 30 through Sunday February 1.

This year we will focus on some of our Indian Buddhist Ancestors and their teachings. Workshops will be held every other Sunday morning. During each workshop we will focus on one or more of these ancestors. We aim to make these sessions as interactive and immersive as possible. On Sundays when workshops are not presented, our teachers will offer Dharma Dialogues.

This year’s Kyol Che will be led by Paul Gulick, JDPSN. Everyone is encouraged to participate in Kyol Che 2026!

For more information on the four Kyol Che commitments and signing up for Kyol Che, please see our introduction page.

Three Day Retreat, Starting January 302026-01-11T20:08:42-08:00

Daily 7 am – 4:30 pm Pacific Time.

Beginning Friday, January 30, we will gather our online and in-person communities for group practice, a Dharma talk, and personal Dharma dialogues.

We welcome you to join us for all or part of this retreat.

More Information and Registration

Residential Training Opportunity2025-07-20T21:13:04-07:00

Blue Heron Zen Community has an opening for a resident Zen trainee at the Blue Heron Zen Center. Resident training offers an opportunity to deepen one’s Zen practice in a beautiful, comfortable group setting near North Seattle Community College. Prospective residents are expected to have a strong commitment to Zen.  For more information, please see our Resident Guidelines.  If you’d like to discuss becoming a resident at Blue Heron, please contact Abbott Paul Gulick or Zen Master Jeong Bong.

Online Dharma Dialogue Opportunities2025-12-08T07:46:16-08:00

Dharma Dialogues are an opportunity to meet one-on-one with our teachers to discuss your Zen practice and optionally engage in Kong-an exchanges.

©2007- Blue Heron Zen Community
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