Barbara's Precepts Weekend in Eco House


Barbara Salaam Wegmueller from Switzerland came this weekend to lead a workshop for us on the Zen Peacemaker Precepts. The venue was Eco House, an environmental show-home set in snow-covered Western Park in Leicester.

On Saturday we studied the "Three Refuges of the Zen Peacemakers" - Oneness, Diversity and Harmony, reflecting deeply in a circle about what each of these principles mean for us in our own life experience. After a shared lunch we had some silence, and chanting from Pure Land buddhism led by a member of the Amida Order. Then Barbara talked about the Zen Peacemakers, the Auschwitz retreats, her social projects with Muslim women in Switzerland, and Bernie Glassman's new Zen House project for service in socially deprived areas.

On Sunday we had a frank and deep discussion of two Zen Precepts: Not Being Angry and Not Elevating Oneself by Blaming Others. Barbara explained the three ways of approaching the ethical principles- taking them literally; interpreting them in each situation with compassion; and seeing them as pointers to a very deep truth about reality. We had more silence, Pure land chanting, and also some powerful Islamic chanting led by a Sufi in the group.

The weekend was a very engaging series of discussions, and the group was made up of people from several different Buddhist, Christian and Islamic traditions, bringing a wide range of voices and experiences to the circle. It was a very worthwhile first public weekend for us here in Leicester.

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