Novelty at Grube Louise!
Many of you know the term "Grube Louise" as the place where sesshins and the German spring camp are held.
"Grube Louise" is a former iron mine situated near Neuwied, between Bonn and Koblenz. In the 80s, the site was transformed in a very creative way into a center for seminaries. Most of the buildings of the old mine were demolished a long time ago. But what has been protected is a beautiful building with roman style windows and a magnificent parquet floor: it was the former prayer and teaching room and we use it as our dojo. Other buildings serve as dormitories, as kitchens or lounges; besides, double or individual rooms can be booked in other houses.
For thirty years, Grube Louise has been the place where we meet to practice zazen together. The dojos of the region organize there on a regular base a spring camp of nine days, a sesshin in the autumn and one in the winter, all supervised by the Zen Master Roland Yuno Rech. During the first 5 days of the spring camp, a workshop for the teachers with Roland, as well as other workshops for the non-teachers supervised by experienced disciples are offered to the practitioners. An average of approximately seventy participants take part to a sesshin.
The regional dojos alternate for the preparation of the sesshins. Consequently, the persons in charge of dojo and the teachers meet regularly to divide up the main tasks, such as the organization, the direction of the cooking team (tenzo), the info desk, the samu, the coffee/bar etc. for the events which are going to follow. Over time, the cooperation constantly improved, and this shows to what extent the practice together is important for us..
And now, the novelty: together with Roland, the dojo leaders wanted on one hand to lighten the calendar of Roland's sesshins and, on the other hand, to learn to continue to organize sesshins without Roland, while remaining faithful to the teaching given by Master Deshimaru and Roland himself. We agreed on a period of "accompanied transition": Roland will keep directing the spring camp and the autumn sesshin, but from 2019 on, the winter sesshin will be led by one of his experienced disciples, disciple who will be elected every year by the dojo leaders. And it is Eveline Pascual who has been elected for the sesshin which will take place in Grube from 25 till 27 January 2019.
Eveline Pascual is in charge of the Zen dojo of Aachen (Germany). Long-time follower of Roland, she has the experience of the Zen teaching. During the sessions, she is often responsible for the preparation to the ordination, and she also teaches the sewing of the kesa, directs Dharma workshops and zazen days.
As French-speaking practitioners often participate to the sesshins in Grube Louise, we shall continue to provide a French translation. We would like to offer to the largest possible number of people the opportunity to deepen their practice of Zen and to become intimate with their original spirit.
For information on the sesshins organized in Grube Louise (German/French):
See www.zen-sesshin.de.
Tags: NL24