Everyone is the welcome whether you are a newcomer or a long-time practitioner. If you have any questions that are not answered here, please feel free to contact us at programs@pszc.org. We are happy to help.
The Zendo is located at 18005 Vashon Highway SW, Vashon, WA 98070.
Currently, most of our events are online on Zoom here. Email pr@pszc.org to request the password.
Early Bird Sunday Service
8:30 – 9:30am on Zoom.
Tea, two 25-minute sitting periods, one walking meditation.
Sunday Morning Service
10:00am – 12:00pm on Zoom.
Tea, chanting, two 25-minute sitting periods, one walking meditation, and a dharma talk. First Sunday includes a Community Potluck. Second Sundays of the month optional half day sit starting at 7:00 and proceeding though the regular service.
Monday Evening
West Seattle, Fauntleroy Church (see footer) 7:00-8:30pm. In person only
Two sitting periods, one walking meditation period, tea, chanting, and a book discussion or dharma talk.
Vashon 7:00-8:30pm. In person and on zoom.
Three zazen (sitting meditation) periods.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Evenings
7:00 – 8:00pm on Zoom only
Zazen only
Monday through Friday Morning
6:30 – 7:30am on Zoom.
Chanting, two sitting periods, one walking meditation
Saturday Morning
8:00am – 9:00am on Zoom.
One sitting period followed by Qi Gong, a gentle movement exercise
There is tea, chanting, 20-25 minute periods of silent meditation, and walking meditation. Our Sunday morning services include a dharma talk.
Most Sunday mornings there are about 20-25 adults.
Monday through Friday mornings, early Sunday mornings, and Monday nights are a smaller crowd-up to half a dozen people.
Absolutely! We welcome people from all different mediation/spiritual traditions and those who have never meditated and are curious.
Come by to check us out.
We recommend wearing loose-fitting clothes. Feel free to bring any cushions or meditation equipment of your own–we also have plenty at the Zendo. We encourage you to wear whatever makes you comfortable and helps facilitate your practice.
Some at the Zen Center have been practicing Zen or other forms of meditation for decades and some are just starting out. Some attend services with other spiritual communities in addition to Zen. Wherever you are in your spiritual practice you are welcome here. Our community is open to all regardless of age, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, or sexual orientation.
Our Abbot Koshin Christopher Cain trained at Mt. Baldy Zen Center for 12 years under Joshu Sasaki Roshi. He is a member of the American Zen Teacher’s Association. Koshin is married to Soshin Lidunn Cain and they have two children.
For information on our Abbot and our current Board members, see here.
The Puget Sound Zen Center was founded in 2003. It started above an orthodontist’s office in the IGA parking lot, then was at the Mann Studio near KVI beach for several years. In 2015 the Zen Center moved to the Havurah Ee Shalom Building. In 2021, we purchased a building that had previously been the location of Island Funeral Services at 18005 Vashon Highway SW, Vashon, WA 98070.
Come 10 minutes before any service, and we’ll give you some brief instructions. Or just walk on in and follow along.
The first Saturday or each month we host free, informal “Intro to Zen” classes from 9 -10AM.
Here is a short video of the abbot talking to a member of the sangha about his experience when he first entered the zendo.
Also, here are a couple of talks from our Abbot on breathing and posture: talk 1 and talk 2
Absolutely. If you come visit us, you can choose to sit on a cushion on the floor (you can use multiple cushions in whatever comfortable configuration works for you), or you can choose a chair, a stool, or a kneeling bench.
