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.

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

Buddda’s Birthday Celebration, April 6 10:00 amBob Kutter2025-03-22T20:19:20-07:00

Buddda’s Birthday Celebration, April 6 10:00 am

Please join us in a celebration of Shakyamuni Buddha’s Birthday on April 6 at 10am. Friends and family members are warmly welcome to attend. This ceremony will be followed by the Spring Sangha meeting.

Ceremony begins at 10am
Sangha Meeting at approximately 11:15am

The Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony and the Sangha meeting will be held in-person at the Zen Center, and will be streamed online on Zoom. To join the practice online, use the normal Zoom practice meeting link.

At the Sangha meeting, we will correct and approve the minutes of the December 8, 2024 meeting, which can be viewed here.

Ongoing Kyol Che ActivitiesBob Kutter2025-03-22T20:16:07-07:00

Ongoing Kyol Che Activities

Kyol Che is a 90-day period of “tight dharma” or “coming together.” This year’s Kyol Che is focusing on six of our Chinese ancestors and their teachings: Hui-neng, Ma-tsu, Nan-ch’uan, Chao-chou, Lin-chi, and Te-shan.

For more information on the Kyol Che 2025 schedule, please see our introduction page. For recordings of earlier talks, please see our Dharma Talks and Materials page.