This fall Ordinary Mind Umeå invites you to a silent traditional seven day sesshin. It will be held at a conference site of the Swedish State Church, on the island of Norrbyskär 40 km south of Umeå.

The site is originally the old schoolbuildings of the island, from the time when a big sawmill was still in operation. (1895-1952).

The building to the left will hold our zendo and the one to the right will be our dormitory

For more information about the history of the island go to the end of this webpage

The dining room and the kitchen is in the building in the center           

We get up early in the morning, meditate a lot and help out with the household chores. All is done under silence.  Each day we have sitting and walking meditation (Zazen, Kinhin), work period (Samu), and private talk (Dokusan) with our teacher Karen.

Ordinary Mind is a branch of Zen founded by Joko Beck (1917-2011). Within Ordinary Mind we are encouraged to work, and be with the thoughts and feelings of everyday life, instead of avoiding and running away from them in our different ways, and to practice in being present with life as it is this very moment.

Karen Terzano has been active in Zen since the end of the 80´s and has in later times spent more time in Finland where she together with her group bought an old school building and founded Ordinary Mind Zendo Finland. Karen has worked as a university teacher/professor, psychologist, therapist and with research. Before coming to Ordinary Mind she has also studied within the tradition of Philip Kapleau and other traditions. Her teacher since 2009 is Barry Magid. She was ordained by him as a Zen teacher in 2011.

”Our Zen training is designed to enable us to live comfortable lives. But the only people who live comfortable, are those who learn not to dream their lives away, but to be with what´s right-here-now, no matter what it is: good, bad, nice, not nice, headache, being ill, being happy. It doesn’t make any difference.”  

-Joko Beck, founder of the Ordinary Mind School, from “Everyday Zen”

“Practice may, I hope, over time make me a somewhat wiser, less self-centered, more joyous person, but it will not turn me into Shakyamuni Buddha, or Gandalf. We should not complain about our lack of perfection, but rather use practice to explore why we feel inadequate if we are anything less than perfect, according to some abstract or idealized standard”

-Barry Magid leader of Ordinary Mind, New York,  from “Nothing is Hidden”

“If we become drawn away by thoughts, by longings, by hopes and fears, again and again we can return to this present moment. When one thought has ended and another has not begun, we can rest in that space. We train in returning to the unchanging heart of this very moment. All compassion and all inspiration come from that.”

-Pema Chödrön. American tibetan buddhist, and leader of Gampo Abbey, Nova Scotia. From “When things fall apart”

To get to Norrbyskär 40 km south of Umeå, you have to go to Hörnefors by train or bus  ( 56 skr is the ticket price) There you will be picked up and taken to Norrbyn, where the ferry for the island leaves.

The ferry leaves  from Norrbyn at 9.30, 11.30 and 15.00. The ticket is part of the participation fee.

We leave Norrbyskär Saturday the 21/9 at 17.00.

If you have questions about transportation pleace contact Lotta Nilsson.

lottanilsson69@yahoo.se +4673-0326769

Norrbyskär is a small group of islands outside of Umeå Sweden. From 1895 to 1952 it was the location of a steam-powered sawmill, which at one time was one of the largest of its kind in Europe, owned by the Mo och Domsjö corporation. Initiator of the mill was the head of the company Frans Kempe

When Kempe bought the 72 islands and islets in year 1890 they were empty.