Sati  is Pali and means mindfulness.

Zen stands for the non-dualistic approach of wisdom and love.

Sangha is the community of all practitioners. The practice of the „Zen Community for Mindfulness“ (Sangha) joins traditional mindfulness meditation with the non-dualistic perspective of Zen and its emphasis on practice in everyday life.
 

Faithful to life and to everyday concerns, the „Zen Community of Mindfulness“ represents a further development of traditional Asian monastic practice, adapted to the times and realities of Western culture. It forms a new branch on the tree of the teaching lineage of Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhât Hanh, and thus of the Buddhist Rinzai Zen tradition.

The „Zen Community of Mindfulness“ arose from the insight and commitment of a practice seeking to give form and expression – practical, everyday and institutional expression – to the natural law (Dharma) of „non-duality“. Throughout the ages, the formation of a concrete school within Buddhism has always been an attempt to preserve continuity in the transmission of the teachings across the generations amid the ever-shifting realities of life.

The eightfold path encompasses the way we lead our lives (sila), the meditative practice of mindfulness (samadhi) and the development of wisdom and love (prajna). Sangha is the community of all practitioners. The integration of the 2,600-year-old teaching of Buddha with the social and humanitarian achievements of the West in our time brings us both challenges and possibilities. These concern not so much the central truths articulated in the teaching – the law of life (dharma) retains its validity after all – but rather various aspects affecting the form of practice, how people relate with one another and the institutions that emerge.

The Sati-Zen-Practice stands on the nine pillars of the Sati-Zen-Sangha. Consider these mindfulness practices as the pole star which shows us direction, and avoid perfectionism and intolerance. They are not to be considered in isolation. They are interwoven with the five ethical principals, the four noble truths and the eightfold path

Haus Tao is a refuge for all who seek freedom of mind and heart. We offer meditation retreats rooted in the Buddhist teachings of ethics, concentration and wisdom.

We offer the dharma in the West by passing on the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the liberation from suffering.

We value simplicity of life as a way of living the Teachings. In this we make every effort to use resources wisely, respect the environment, and practice the principle of moderation.

We value harmony and seek to resolve conflicts non-violently and honestly, recognizing that harmony can exist amidst diversity and disagreement.