We offer a deep bow of gratitude to Roshi Bernie Glassman, Zen pioneer and co-founder of the Zen Peacemakers, on this, the six-year anniversary of his passing.
Bernie has left an extraordinary legacy. His work on framing the Three Tenets of the Zen Peacemakers –Not Knowing, Bearing Witness and Compassionate Action — has had a profound impact on Socially Engaged Buddhism in the United States and around the world… and these tenets are deeply embedded in the work of Beyond Us & Them.
Along with the Three Tenets, the practice of council is a core element in the work of Zen Peacemakers. Beyond Us & Them founder and Executive Director Jared Seide was a student of Roshi Bernie and travelled with him to support Bearing Witness Retreats in Auschwitz, Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Pine Ridge, among other places of great human suffering. Jared organized and led council training workshops for facilitators and coordinated council circles that began every day of the retreats, often including a great diversity of participants with histories of conflict.
In this short video, Bernie offers some reflections on the practice of council:
In addition to the Bearing Witness Retreats, council has become a vital element of practice at zen centers and sanghas throughout the world. Beyond Us & Them is grateful for continued partnership with many of these communities.
… And be sure to check out Roshi Bernie’s appearance as a character in the semi-fictional illustrated novella Leaving Prison Behind: A Council Before I Go, created from the experiences of Beyond Us & Them program participants, their families and supporters. Read the post about this book by Eve Marko, Bernie’s widow, here.
Share this article & help raise awareness of our work
