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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

Community Potluck and Sandwiches for Homeless Outreach, Friday December 12 6 PM – 8 PM2025-12-08T07:47:41-08:00

Please come to the Blue Heron Zen Center to break bread and create community with other sangha members and their families. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share. (It would be greatly appreciated if folks would label their dishes for food sensitivities.) The Zen Center will provide dishes and silverware.

We will set up a station for sangha members to prepare 50 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, which will be distributed to homeless encampments by Homeless Outreach on Saturday. There will be a dana box (optional) to help offset costs for the next sandwich making event, which will occur in January.

If you have any questions, please contact Meg at meg@blueheronzen.org.

In-person extended practice, Saturday December 132025-12-08T07:42:21-08:00

Blue Heron has extended Saturday practice sessions on the second Saturday of each month. The next session is December 13. 9:00 am to noon, with time to socialize afterward. Chanting, seated and walking meditation, and a Dharma reading and discussion. A great opportunity to deepen your practice in a supportive group setting. Come (and leave) as works in your schedule. (Offered in-person only)

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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