Barbara Salaam Wegmueller in Leeds and Manchester


On 3rd and 4th Dec in Leeds, Barbara Salaam Wegmueller from Switzerland taught a Circle Steward Training for the Zen Peacemakers. Steve, Phillippa, Anna, Kim, Laura and Zang took part, and were trained in Council Circle, Sociocratic voting, the Three Peacemaker Tenets and community building. The first day was held in Steve's house in Rothwell, and the second day in Anna's atmospheric front room in Leeds!


On 5th and 6th in Manchester Barbara went on to lead a Zen Precepts training for Zang, Howard, Steve and Simon. We explored the 16 Zen Peacemaker Precepts, selecting ones of special interest and reflecting on our own experience of them through Council Circle. We also did zazen together and had a lot of fun!


On the evening of Friday 5th Barbara taught at the final Great Heart Circle of the year, watching a short film on an artist who is a survivor of the Auschwitz prison camps. She told the group about plans to extend the annual Zen Peacemakers' Auschwitz healing retreat to Rwanda in the next couple of years, and we held a Council Circle on our own pain and healing. As usual, we ended with a big feast with food brought by everyone...

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