It must have been the difficult year that just passed, it must have been that we stopped, that we all asked ourselves important questions, but it is as if people have felt, now more than ever, a greater connection with themselves and with the world that hosts us. . It therefore does not seem to be a coincidence that it was born today the first course of three-year studies dedicated al buddhism zen, single in Europe, developed by Dharma Academy.
With highly specialized Italian and foreign teachers, the course has been designed for students, practitioners, monks, Zen masters and for all people who want to approach a millenary practice. Seminars, retreats in monasteries, online meetings with the greatest teachers in the world are planned.
It starts from an assumption: “Never take your point of view as definitive“. And to do this, we will start with an in-depth historical excursus on Buddhism, from China to Japan, with all the nuances which then spread.
IS Carlo Zendo Tetsugen Serra, teacher in the Enso-Ji Il Cerchio, the first Zen Monastery in Milan, to tell us about this formative path.
What are the fundamental teachings that Zen Buddhism can impart to us?
«Zen is a practice of the spirit / conscience, of the mind and of the body: its teachings, which come from the Buddha, are aimed at the completeness of the human being, not only at his spirit. Bringing together these three factors of man’s existence leads to self-knowledge and therefore to the ability to fully live ourselves and face everyday life with constructive awareness and without conditioning, to respond in the best way to every reality, positive or negative, which occurs in our life. Especially today taking care of the mind, body and spirit as one entity and not separate as our culture has often led us to think, has become even more crucial than usual. Multiple stressors born in times of crisis can reveal how important it is to prioritize not only physical but also spiritual and psychological well-being. Zen in meditation sees the center of these teachings ».
To whom could a course like this be “useful” from a professional point of view?
«It is a journey of knowledge on the teachings of the Buddha from its origins to today, which Zen always contextualizes in the time in which it lives. The mindfulness practice that develops in the 360 ​​° Zen teachings certainly begins with caring for ourselves at this time, but rapidly expands to include others, our relationships, our livelihood, our work, the environment and our society. This is why it can also be useful for non-Buddhists. In Zen you discover deep and healthy relationships between human beings supported by both Buddhism and Western psychology to cultivate these principles in relationships. It becomes important to discover the negativity bias that we all have with all its attachments and conditioning induced by an egoic type of society, and how a healthy knowledge of yourself can influence our relationships and open up to positive experiences in your life more fully. “.
How is the course structured? How many hours, how long?
«The course is three-year, but you can also participate in a single year or a single seminar of which there are 6 each year, depending on the interest. For this first year it has as its theme From Buddha to Zen, as the teachings of the Buddha of 2500 years ago have transformed into the living and non-doctrinal form of Zen today. The lecturers are internationally renowned scholars from the most prestigious universities in the United States, Japan and Italy. The course is online, in video, with rich content attached to download and a direct line with teachers and Zen masters ».
What can this course give? More knowledge? More curiosity? More peace of mind?
“All three. Knowing the teachings of Zen Buddhism gives you access to a rich knowledge of teachings concerning the nature of man, his spirit and his conscience, and how this knowledge is expressed in everyday life. The more knowledge we have, the more security we acquire and therefore tranquility. It is in uncertainty as in these periods that fear and anxiety arise which transforms into inability to act for what the present moment requires. Awareness helps us to fully engage in our relationships of pain and pleasure, increasing our resilience ».
Who would you recommend it especially to?
«The aim is to take stock of the values ​​that this great tradition can offer to us modern Westerners and how it has adapted to the needs of the modern world. It is a broad source of teaching to bring wisdom to the contemporary world. We believe that the promotion and dissemination of the culture of Buddhism in its various forms, and especially in the particular of Zen which today arouses much interest and curiosity, can through a good level of dissemination be a contribution to improving human life “.

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