Community life in the spirit of Zen

SHARING

What a lovely word! Generosity is the first of the Buddhist virtues, the DANA Paramita.

Developing fraternity and altruism, benevolence and self-forgetfulness: these are the qualities we need to develop today for the good of all beings.   Selfishness and every man for himself make no sense, and above all have no future!

With eight billion human beings on the planet, we'll all be living together or... not at all!

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MUTUALISATION AND SOBRIETY

It's about pooling spiritual energies and material goods. Together we are stronger, more determined and, above all, more courageous. The more we reduce our spending, the less we need to come in. What's the point of spending your days working just to pay for your basic needs: rent, food, heating, etc.?

Pooling means reducing and saving on all fronts: money, time, energy and, above all, it means giving meaning and direction back to our lives.

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LIVING IN A COMMUNITY

Many people dream of it, but many dreams are shattered by the details of everyday life! Daily life in a Zen temple is the heart of the community, its structure, its foundation and its direction. Why live together? To achieve spiritual fulfilment and bring out the best in us as human beings. How many communities have broken up over dirty toilets and forgotten dishes? Community life requires precise rules and constant attention, because harmony is only a question of minute details and moments of awareness.

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WHY A ZEN COMMUNITY?

A Zen temple is a place for learning and practising the teachings of the Buddha: awakened awareness and presence at all times, from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to bed, in all our actions and in all situations. Whether during zazen - Zen meditation - , ceremonies, meals, samou - tasks for the community - or even times of study or rest, we are in this altruistic and benevolent awareness that gives meaning to our own presence. All the teachings and education of Zen point in this direction: developing wisdom and knowledge of what we are so that we can offer it for the good of all beings.
 

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The intellectual and rational dimension is important, but it's not enough. We understand many things but we don't put them into practice: that's certainly the crazy paradox of our time! Practising Zen means considering that what we understand is what we do, that action and ideal are one and the same: ‘the most insignificant gesture is the ultimate moment in our lives’ says a Zen proverb.

HOW TO DO IT?

Ryumonji temple offers various ways of integrating community life in the spirit of Zen:

1. Retreat of a few days to two weeks: you can have your first experience of community life in a Zen monastery and see if it corresponds to your expectations and aspirations.

2. 2, 3 or 4 week retreat: a discovery of the daily practice of the temple, adapted to those who wish to discover or deepen Zen community life over a short period. This retreat allows you to adapt to the daily rhythm and fully experience the life of a monastery.

3. Commitment of 3, 6 months, a year or more: a more in-depth experience for those who wish to become fully involved in the temple community. A long retreat allows you to integrate the Zen spirit more deeply into all aspects of your daily life. 
A preliminary interview is necessary for longer stays to ensure that the experience corresponds to each person's expectations and needs.
 

Each retreat includes participation in meditation (zazen), ceremonies, samou (community tasks) and the collective life of the temple.

For more information or to organise a retreat, contact us at info@meditation-zen.org