Peacemakers Finland – Zen Peacemakers

Zen Peacemaker Affiliate

Peacemakers Finland

Helsinki Zen is a non-registered dharma group practicing zen meditation, socially engaged work, and serving the local community in the spirit of the Three Tenets of the Zen Peacemakers.

Tell us a bit about how your group was concieved
After the Helsinki Street Retreat in September 2017, a core group of five members in Helsinki felt it was necessary to form a Zen Peacemakers-inspired group to organize meditations, volunteer work, retreats, and other activities in Helsinki.

How many members do you serve? 20

Tell us about one exciting project, program, or other offering you are currently working on.
We have an ongoing study group in which we meet regularly to discuss our practice, various related texts, liturgy, and different actions, such as climate activism. People are welcome to join (or leave) the group every six months. I also serve as a priest performing funerals and memorial services.

How do the Three Tenets inform your social engagement?
Our programs are specifically focused on the Three Tenets. Our first Bearing Witness Retreat to Finnish Civil War Prison Camps took place in June 2018 and was particularly eye-opening. The Finnish participants still carried attachments to either side of the conflict, even though it occurred over 100 years ago. Bearing witness to this was one of the most profound aspects of the retreat. We learned how difficult it can be to let go of preconceived ideas about the past. The retreat highlighted the importance of stepping into Not-Knowing and Bearing Witness to all sides of history, not just one particular view.

What is the most meaningful challenge your organization Faces?
We aim to encourage more people to participate in our engaging and transformative projects. We are also continually exploring new ways to involve people and seeking opportunities for collaboration with other religious traditions.

For more information: helsinkizen@gmail.com

Our Website: https://helsinkizen.fi

Peacemakers Finland -

Helsinki, Finland

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