Welcome

The Kwan Um School of Zen in Europe, with its 50 centers and groups throughout Europe and the Middle East, and hundreds of members, welcomes all who wish to practice with us and attain their true nature through Zen meditation following the teaching of Zen Master Seung Sahn.

On our website you will find everything you need to know about how to contact your nearest local Zen Center or group, our teachers, practice and tradition, future Zen retreats, and other resources for members. Below are the latest announcements of activities and news.

18th April

Namu Amita Bul - Wu Bong Soen Sa Nim

Dear Sangha,

With the deepest sorrow we inform you that our Great Teacher Wu Bong Soen Sa Nim passed away in Paris after a cardiac arrest on April 17th at 1 pm.

Please dedicate Namu Amita Bul chanting for him.

Information about the Scheduled Ceremonies

15th March

Inka Ceremony 2013

We are delighted to welcome two new Ji Do Peop Sa Nims in our school, Koen Vermeulen JDPSN and Igor Piniński JDPSN. Here are pictures of the joint ceremony on 9 March and some information about the new teachers. We are all looking forward to continuing practice with them in the future and benefiting from their teaching.

Following our joyful and successful Sangha meeting at Do Am Sa, Warsaw ZC on 9th and 10th March, the minutes of this meeting are available here. They cover the foundation of the European Kwan Um School of Zen as a legal body, the formation of a finance committee, and updates on the European Retreat Centre and the 2014 Whole World is a Single Flower conference.

28th February

Sangha Weekend, Warsaw

The European Sangha Meeting 2013 will be held after Winter Kyol Che in Warsaw in the presence of our European Head Zen Master, Wu Bong SSN, the 9th and 10th of March.

Please let us come together for a festive and joyful time. We will celebrate kido and an inka ceremony together. We will have discussions regarding our present projects like the European Bylaws and the European Retreat Center, and it is envisaged to legally establish the European Kwan Um School of Zen.

All members are warmly invited to attend and join in our practice and discussions together.

We are happy to announce that two beloved members of our Sangha, Koen Vermeulen from Belgium and Igor Pininski from Poland, are going to receive inka on 9th March at 11:00. Everyone is invited to come together for this wonderful and joyful event.

16th January

Winter Kyol Che at Warsaw ZC

The Winter Kyol Che this year will run for seven weeks from this Sunday 20th January till 9th March at the Warsaw Zen Center, Do Am Sah. Many people are already signing up to attend for one week or more, so don't miss out! There is plenty of space for everyone who wants to attend, with some newly refurbished rooms (above). There are walks in the forest every day and kong-an interviews twice a week. The weekend following the retreat (9-10 March) will be the main Sangha Weekend of the European Kwan Um School this year, with discussions and inka ceremonies. Everyone is invited.

Poster | More information and applications forms

28th April

Dharma Transmission

Zen Master Wu Bong gave Dharma Transmission on 27th April at the Berlin Zen Center to Mukyong JDPSN, who becomes Zen Master Ji Kwang. Our congratulations to the new Zen Master and to the teachers and students of the German Sangha on this happy event. We all look forward to meeting Zen Master Ji Kwang, who will surely be in great demand to lead retreats around Europe from now on.

Picture gallery

8th March

Invitation to Berlin

The Kwan Um School of Zen in Germany invites you to our one week Yong Maeng Jong Jin with Zen Master Wu Bong from Saturday 21st April until Friday 27th April 2012 at Zen Zentrum Berlin. More information and registration here.

After the one week retreat we will celebrate several ceremonies. You are sincerely invited to our celebrations, which are free of charge:
Precepts Ceremony with Zen Master Wu Bong on Friday 27th April at 11 a.m. Transmission ceremony at 4 p.m. and on Friday evening there will be a Sangha Party.
Celebration of 20 years of Kwan Um School of Zen in Germany on Saturday 28th April at 10 a.m.

16th February

Primary Point Magazine Online

A new issue of Primary Point is ready. Copies have already been sent to our Head Temples in Europe and will be distributed to the Zen centers and groups. But as we should like everybody to be able to have the opportunity to read it, we want to give an alternative: the digital online edition of Primary Point. You can easily access the latest issue and an archive of previous issues, from the Primary Point page on the Kwan Um School of Zen international website.