FEATURE STORY: Decorah Zen Center provides a gathering center for area Buddhists

Lee Zook and Laura Demuth

Two blocks away from Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist and Congregational churches in Decorah is a building housing a gathering place for area Buddhists.  The Decorah Zen Center has been in operation at 309 West Broadway Street since January.

It's actually the second time that Decorah area Buddhists have had a gathering place.  A previous Decorah Zen Center operated on Baker Street from the late 1990s through 2007.

In 2000 the Ryumonjo monastery opened nearby in Allamakee County, but Buddhists missed the Decorah Zen Center after it closed in 2007.  When Brenda Harris bought the building at 309 W. Broadway and moved her acupuncture center to the building, area Buddhists approached her about renting space from her.

Ordained Buddhist priest Laura Demuth says the new facility gives people "a place to come and put everything else aside."  That's because the training of the Buddhist religion concentrates on teaching practitioners to pay attention to what's going on in their mind--and ignore the outside distractions.

"It's a discipline," says Buddhist practitioner Lee Zook.  He explains the religion teaches people to "be present" and to "center yourself and stay in the moment."  Otherwise, says Zook, the basic teachings of Buddhism are not that different from Christianity's Ten Commandments.

Area Buddhists can attend 6:30 a.m. sittings Mondays through Fridays at the Decorah Zen Center, with a 7:00 p.m. Wednesday sitting as well.  For an orientation to zazen meditation, please arrive 15 minutes early.  Everyone is welcome and there is no charge for attending, although free-will offerings are appreciated.

The Decorah Zen Center will also be part of a "Practicing Mindfulness" event at the Acupuncture Center on Saturday, June 15th.  The event will also include two other people who rent space from Harris--Molly Lesmeister, who teaches yoga, and Karen Misseldine, who teaches art therapy.  For further information or to register, contact Lee Zook at zookleej@luther.edu

A bell is rung to begin meditation