Zurich Zen Center
Zürich Zen Center have as mission to open doors to a daily life spirituality, based on the traditional Zen way and the ZPO Three Tenets. In this sense, we will promote, participate and support activities and initiatives harmonized with tne principles of socially engaged buddhism.
Tell us a bit about how your group was concieved
We are long time practitioners in the traditional way of Buddhism, but also always with a deep sense of social responsibility. Due our personal and professional activities, we feel the need of manifest in our Community the benefits of practicing a daily-life Dharma. When we transfer our residence to Switzerland, we have had the opportunity to lead a Sangha, and besides traditional practices we have started to engage us also in ZP practice, through our Teachers Barbara and Roland Wegmüller. Then, we decided to give an institutional aspect to our Sangha, and from that concept comes a Zen Center, linking the traditional Dharma-Way with socially and ecologically engaged actions.
We are long time practitioners in the traditional way of Buddhism, but also always with a deep sense of social responsibility. Due our personal and professional activities, we feel the need of manifest in our Community the benefits of practicing a daily-life Dharma. When we transfer our residence to Switzerland, we have had the opportunity to lead a Sangha, and besides traditional practices we have started to engage us also in ZP practice, through our Teachers Barbara and Roland Wegmüller. Then, we decided to give an institutional aspect to our Sangha, and from that concept comes a Zen Center, linking the traditional Dharma-Way with socially and ecologically engaged actions.
How many members do you serve? 100
Tell us about one exciting project, program, or other offering you are currently working on.
Besides our regular practices, we are working on organizing a collective network for talent sharing in our Sangha (called System of Meritory Interactions), that promotes one-day retreats with a workshop, in a system of co-leadership: a Sangha-member brings his talents and we - as monastics - will add some links with the teachings from traditional Dharma sources. Until now we did one about Pathwork-sewing style and other about Vegan cooking. We are also working on planning a Street Retreat in south of Brasil at 2nd.semester, and at the first steps to organize a Native People BW Retreat in Brasil (at this point, our focus will be the Xavante Community, in state of Goiás, covering 16 traditional native villages).
Besides our regular practices, we are working on organizing a collective network for talent sharing in our Sangha (called System of Meritory Interactions), that promotes one-day retreats with a workshop, in a system of co-leadership: a Sangha-member brings his talents and we - as monastics - will add some links with the teachings from traditional Dharma sources. Until now we did one about Pathwork-sewing style and other about Vegan cooking. We are also working on planning a Street Retreat in south of Brasil at 2nd.semester, and at the first steps to organize a Native People BW Retreat in Brasil (at this point, our focus will be the Xavante Community, in state of Goiás, covering 16 traditional native villages).
How do the Three Tenets inform your social engagement?
Building a bridge between traditional Dharma and an alive and inspiring socially engaged approach. In another words, the Three Tenets are like an universal translator to the concepts of Dharma, bringing them from the head to the hearts of all beings.
Building a bridge between traditional Dharma and an alive and inspiring socially engaged approach. In another words, the Three Tenets are like an universal translator to the concepts of Dharma, bringing them from the head to the hearts of all beings.
What is the most meaningful challenge your organization Faces?
As we are active as professionals - beside our role as monastics and Sangha leaders-, we must put in action special skills to do a leadership with quality and to balance our roles. Also meaningful is the challenge of integrate two so different cultures as swiss and brazilian.
As we are active as professionals - beside our role as monastics and Sangha leaders-, we must put in action special skills to do a leadership with quality and to balance our roles. Also meaningful is the challenge of integrate two so different cultures as swiss and brazilian.
For more information: zurichzencenter.org@gmail.com
Our Website: http://www.zurichzencenter.org
Zurich Zen Center -
Zurich, Switzerland
