www.OberpfalzZen.de

[Gerlinde]

We are a small Zen (Korean: Seon) Buddhist community founded by Gerlinde Grunt who came from the Kwan Um School of Zen. The initial concept was to form a lay meditation group of Zen practitioners following the Korean Zen (Seon) Buddhist teachings. Our practice is influenced by the teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn, Zen Master Kusan as well as other Great Zen Masters from Korea. We use Zen forms, yet are fluid in our ability to adapt to changes within the form.

In the past, our Zen Center was under the guidiance of the Kwan Um School of Zen Germany, but we have been excluded from the organisation since New Year's Eve 2008 because we were not prepared to solely invite Kwan Um Zen teachers to teach in our center (e.g. Zen teacher Martine Batchelor came to teach in our center last week - 6.-8. February 2009). We look forward to be open to other teachings of Buddhism as in the Four Great Vows: "The teachings are infinite, we vow to learn them all."

Living in a sleepy town called Altenstadt, an Administrative District Oberpfalz, in Bavaria Germany, we use a less stringent approach to our practice, placing more emphasis on the development of loving kindness and compassion along with attentiveness to the spiritual growth of each community member. Our Sangha is from various professions and religious backgrounds. We dedicate our lives to religious practice, practice of the Dharma and beneficence to all beings.