Seattle Koyasan

In-person only

4:40 PM Pacific to 5:40 PM on 1st - 4th Wednesdays

At Seattle Koyasan Dojo

Register

Pilates emphasizes attentive, intentional movement, a focus that parallels the Buddhist concepts of 調身・調息・調心: aligning the body, settling the breath, and steadying the mind.

Rooted in Pilates principles and supported by functional mat work, this all‑levels class builds core strength through body awareness, control, and mindful movement.

All class fees are donated 100% to Seattle Koyasan, offering a meaningful way to begin 2026 — strengthening your body while supporting the temple at the same time!

This is an in-person class held at the temple's dojo. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mat; a limited number will be available to borrow.

Instructor: Ritsu Itoi

Ritsu is a Seattle‑based Pilates instructor integrating traditional movement training with contemplative practice. Her teaching highlights body awareness, functional strength, and the steadying presence of mindful attention.

6 PM on Mondays

1 PM and 6 PM on Wednesdays

9 AM on Saturdays

Beginning Feb. 1, the following changes have taken effect for our meditation practices:

1. All participants are asked to have attended 10 Sunday Services prior to their first meditation session.

 2. Participation fee for non-members is $10 per session.

Annual members will continue to have access to meditations for free, or on a donation basis. Our Sunday Services will remain open and accessible to the public at no cost.

For details about the changes and the reason behind them, please read the related article on the Jan-Feb newsletter or by clicking the link below.

Saturday March 7th - Online Only

Shingon （真言）literally means “True Words” that means mantra. The core practice of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism is to chant mantras. Kobo Daishi wrote, “Mantra is beyond your thoughts. If you appreciate and chant it,  the stubbornly stained ignorance can be removed” in Hannya Shingyo Hiken (the Secret Key to the Heart Sutra). 

We will launch the Mantra Transmission Webinar on the monthly basis. The purpose is:

To transmit each mantra to our practitioners in a respectful manner to our lineage continuing more than 1200 years

To illustrate the visualization while chanting mantra

To introduce the characteristic of a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or a Myoo of the month

To practice chanting the mantra of the month under the guidance of Head Priest 

Chanting mantra is a way to transform yourself to be someone like a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or a Myoo in your heart. Why do we have so many deities in the pantheon of Shingon Vajrayana? Because one of them can be the corridor for you to be reunited with Dainichi Nyorai. Why don’t you go out on a journey to encounter your “spiritual best friend” in mandala🙏

Lecturer: Dr. Casey Collins (Shingon monk's name: Ekai)

Saturday March 28th - Online Only

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Casey Collins moved to Vancouver in 2005 to study Asian languages and cultures at the University of British Columbia. He lived in Tokyo from 2009 through 2012 while working for a Buddhist lay organization that later became the subject of his graduate research on Japanese new religions, completing his doctorate in May 2023. Casey's ongoing research interests include sacred narratives, material culture, Japanese esoteric Buddhism, and new religions. Starting in July, Casey will begin working at the Vancouver School of Theology as Director of Inter-Religious Studies and Professor of Asian Religions.

Sunday March 22nd - In person and online

Ohigan, the Spring Equinox service, is conducted when Night (the realm of the deceased) and Day (the realm of the living) have equal length, so it is the best day to communicate with your ancestors and loved ones already invisible in the present world. Please join us and pray for people in your heart during the Ohigan on Sunday, March 22, from 12:00 PM, Pacific Time.

Please write down names of your ancestors and loved ones in your application and submit it before 10 am Sunday, March 22. Those names are called by Dharma Master during the service in the prayer.

For in-person attendees, we will also be serving Bota-mochi. If you would like to volunteer and make them please email us. 

If you have any issues or questions, please email: contact@seattlekoyasan.com or call (206) 325-8811.