Sesshin in the former concentration camp of Buchenwald
The sesshin in Buchenwald ended last Sunday. With 20 participants, it was the biggest sesshin we organized in Buchenwald.
The path of the checkpoints from which the SS kept watch over the prisoners surround the former concentration camp. The miradors were located at intervals of 200 to 300 meters all along this path. They don’t exist anymore today, but their locations is still marked by stones.
On Saturdays, we meditated on this path. We divided ourselves, one person per mirador location. Thanks to the large number of this year participants, we were able for the first time to occupy almost all the miradors locations. We all began to meditate at the same moment. After 15 minutes, each person got up and went to the following mirador, to meditate again for 15 minutes. This way, we made the complete tour of the camp in eight hours and a half, which was for each participant an impressive experience.
We went for the first time in Buchenwald in 2001. After the numerous retreats and sesshin we did in the camp, we felt the necessity to gather material about this practice. This is why we made a movie which will be available to all as soon as it will be ready.
The base for all the “Sangha of Buddha’s Way” events is the practice of zazen as described by the Japanese Zen Master Dogen (1200-1253) in his "Universal Rules for zazen". I commented on these rules during zazen. My comments are published on epubli, under the title “Do not try to become Buddha "
Heinz-Jürgen Metzger – Buddhaweg Sangha (Sangha de la Voie de Bouddha)
Tags: NL23