History

Stone Blossom Sangha was founded in 2002 as a meditation group for the members of the Cascade Unitarian Universalist Church (CUUF).  CUUF is a welcoming and caring community which supports spiritual paths of all denominations.  In 2002, three people approached the board of trustees at CUUF with a request to start a Zen meditation group.  Stone Blossom Sangha grew out of this UUBF practice group.  In November of 2002, Todd and Sharon Petit arrived looking for a local practice group to supplement their practice at Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji (Choboji) temple in Seattle.  They brought with them a modest Buddha statue and the discipline and form learned from their two teachers, Genjo Marinello Osho and Genko Kathy Blackman Ni-Osho.

As the church grew, the Sangha grew.  As time went by it became apparent that there was a need for a Tibetan practice group to be added.  In 2005, Karen, a long time student of Chugdud Tulku Rinpoche arrived to encourage the small core of practitioners who were struggling to form a Tibetan practice group at CUUF.  With the help of Lama Padma Gyatso the dream of formal Tibetan practice was realized.  Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche was introduced to the group in 2006 and has become the main Tibetan teacher for Stone Blossom Sangha. 

In 2016, the sangha outgrew its modest space at CUUF and moved to its current location on Miller street adjacent to the First United Methodist Church. At a formal ceremony in March 2018, Genjo Marinello Roshi bestowed Sharon “Meho” Petit the rank of Sensei, formally recognizing her as a lay Teacher in the Rinzai Zen lineage. In the summer of 2018, Stone Blossom Sangha formally incorporated as a religious non-profit in the State of Washington.

Our sangha’s practice history (since 2017), including photos, can be found on our Events page.

Affiliations

Zen Tradition: Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji ("Choboji")
Tibetan Tradition: Katog Choling via Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche
Unitarian Universalism: UU Buddhist Fellowship Sangha

Sangha Leadership