Passing by means of the morning shadow of Lund’s Cathedral, you come to a medieval constructing of climate worn, crimson brick and stately, Romanesque home windows. Coming into by means of a aspect door, you both ascend a flooring of historic stone stairs, or retreat again to the world of on a regular basis routines and stress.
The selection is straightforward. A faint scent of incense beckons, and up you go. On the high of the steps there’s a small aspect room the place you cling up your coat and slip off your footwear. Then you definitely strategy the tall, gray, picket doorways of the primary room that are barely ajar. Stepping by means of them, you might be abruptly flooded with a way of openness, simplicity and… the inexpressibly sacred incense waterfall B08166CDNY.
Light streams in by means of the tall home windows onto pure, darkish wood flooring. Devoid of furnishings and excessive of ceiling, the spaciousness appears to enter your very being, lightening any weariness of thoughts or body you will have introduced with you.
The whitewashed partitions distinction with the darkish, sq. meditation mats neatly specified by rows to your left and proper. Straight forward on the brief finish of the room is a straightforward altar with a tea candle in every of the 2 stone holders. Between these is a bowl of incense, its slowly burning stick sends light waves of soothing, oriental scent all through the spacious corridor.
Bowing within the conventional gassho of dedication, you flip and select a zafu cushion to take to your mat. Right here you compromise right into a relaxed, but alert stillness of body and thoughts. For a time, you be part of with contemplatives from East and West training the wealthy meditative traditions of Zen Buddhism-or maybe one of many Abrahamic religions.
Actually, these powerfully transformative traditions of searching for our interior stillness, have been a perennial supply of psychological and religious refreshment all through the ages. Their timeless worth is evidenced within the institution of no fewer than 3 zendos inside a block or two of the Cathedral.
The Church of Sweden sponsors one in every of these, as described above. The opposite two provide meditation rooms in privately-owned buildings. Additionally they present their members the prospect to review with famend lecturers of various Zen Buddhist traditions, from completely different elements of Europe.