Our Practice

Our Meditation PracticeZen practice is to walk in the footsteps of the Buddha as the Buddha. It is personal training in shedding concepts, allowing us to experience simply that which is. You are welcome to sit in meditation with us, for relaxation, exploration, or to recognize for yourself the experience that underlies the sage stories of many religions. The sitting itself, just this breath, is already complete.

Zen practice at Dharma Gate (our Seattle center), is open to everyone, and does not require beliefs. Practicing with the support and encouragement of those around us, we each find our way along this ancient path. TTS training includes sitting meditation (zazen), and walking meditation (kinhin) during weekly events and one- and two-day weekend non-residential retreats (zazenkai). We also have intensive seven-day residential retreats (sesshin). The longer retreats are a precious chance to deepen practice with the encouragement of the form and our shared intentions.

Three Treasures Sangha events include periods of silence, chanting, and options to meet individually with one of our teachers to discuss practice issues and approaches. Our teachers give talks on practice at zazenkai and sesshin as well. If you have an approach to meditation you use, you are welcome to apply it within our form, and work with our teachers. For new and interested students, we will introduce you to breath, mindfulness, and koan practice, as it suits you.

Non-members are welcome to join us for meditation events; donations are optional.

Walking Meditation in Washington StateAt Three Treasures, our focus is on the experience of Zen meditation (zazen). You can join us, whether drawn to relaxation of mind and body, development of focus, or to foster for one’s self the experience of the Buddha. To participate, our members need not be Buddhist or believe in Buddhism–or in any other religion for that matter. In the wordless silence of meditation, all such categories can fall away.

Weekly Zazen

  • Weekday mornings 6:00-7:00am
  • Wednesday evenings 7:00-8:30pm
  • Friday — mornings 6:30—7:30am, followed by breakfast and a discussion of practice-related topics.

Monthly Zazenkais

2017 Zenkai groupSingle or multi-day retreats including meditation, teisho (talks) and dokusan (interviews) with teachers Lee Shields or Madelon Bolling.

Private interviews are available during zazenkai or sesshin to discuss any practice-related topic.

Sesshin at Dharma Gate

Week-long intensive retreats called sesshin include meditation, teisho (talks), and dokusan (interviews) with Lee Shields. Currently we are holding non-residential sesshin at our Seattle practice center

Visit our Sesshin page to learn more and to see our schedule.