Ordinary Mind
Zendo Europe

Charlotte Joko Beck and her Dharma Successors have established the Ordinary Mind Zen School, whose purpose is set forth in the following statement

The Ordinary Mind Zen School intends to manifest and support practice of the Awakened Way, as expressed in the teaching of Charlotte Joko Beck. The School is composed of Charlotte Joko Beck, her Dharma Successors, and teachers and successors they, as individuals, have formally authorized. There is no affiliation with other Zen groups or religious denominations; however, membership in this school does not preclude individual affiliation with other groups. Within the school there is no hierarchy of Dharma Successors.

The Awakened Way is universal; the medium and methods of realization vary according to circumstances. Each Dharma Successor in the School may apply diverse practice approaches and determine the structure of any organization that s/he may develop to facilitate practice.

The Successors acknowledge that they are ongoing students, and that the quality of their teaching derives from the quality of their practice. As ongoing students, teachers are committed to the openness and fluidity of practice, wherein the wisdom of the absolute may be manifested in /as our life. An important function of this School is the ongoing examination and development of effective teaching approaches to insure comprehensive practice in all aspects of living.

May the practice of this School manifest wisdom and compassion, benefitting all beings.

December 25, 1995

Guiding teacher

Karen Terzano, (born 1950), is an American Zen Buddhist teacher in the Ordinary Mind School tradition, founded by Charlotte Joko Beck (1917-2011). Karen has worked as a research psychologist and university professor while maintaining an active psychotherapy practice. She holds a PhD in Physiological Comparative Psychology as well as one in Clinical Psychology, and specialized in Ethology for her Masters degree in Biology. She lives in Ellsworth Maine.

Karen began Zen practice in the late 1980’s, studying for several years during the 1990’s with Hwalson Sunim, a teacher within the Chogye Order of Korea, a Lin-chi (Rinzai) form of Zen. In1998 she moved to Costa Rica and there became a formal student of Sunyana Graef, a Dharma Heir of Phillip Kapleau. In 2005 Karen returned to the United States where she spent 2 years in residence at the Vermont Zen Center before leaving on what she calls her, “Walkabout” period, a series of solitary wilderness pilgrimages. In 2009 Karen retook her formal vows with her current teacher, Barry Magid of the Ordinary Mind School, and received Denkai from him in 2011. She is a current member of the Lay Zen Teachers Association. Karen received full teacher rights in a denbō ceremony at New York, on 2014.

In leading traditional retreats where invited, and by conducting pilgrimages of various types, Karen has worked for several years with an electronic sangha, comprised of students from all over the world. Then, in 2012, with permission of her teacher, Karen established the first Tavallinen Mieli Zendo in Tampere, Finland.

Karen would be happy to answer practice related questions and may be contacted directly at karenterzano(at)gmail.com

Denbo

Denbo is the term used in Ordinary Mind to refer to Dharma transmission. It is the recognition of profound insight into the fundamental teachings of Zen, in harmony with one’s own teacher. Denbo is a public acknowledgment by the teacher that the student is capable of taking on responsibility not only for themselves, but also for others. Those who have received Denbo are independent teachers who can work either independently or in collaboration with other teachers, and they have the authority to pass on Denbo to their own successors.

Denkai

Denkai is a recognition of the recipients efforts over many years of both strong individual and group practice. Denkai recipients have a good grasp of Buddhist principles and have demonstrated commitment by taking on sustained responsibility to support others in their practice. It can be considered a trial period for those few individuals who are called to try out formal teaching. During this trial period, the recipients have permission to try teaching without having to get approval for form or topic. Those who have received Denkai can teach, but this is done under the responsibility and supervision of the guiding teacher. Denkai recipients may not transmit their own successors.

Denkai recipients

Jani Henttonen is an Ordinary Mind teacher based in Helsinki, Finland.
Jani became Karen’s student in 2012, took jukai with her in 2014, became her jisha (attendant) in 2018, and received denkai (permission to teach) from her in 2023.

Jani enjoys hiking and has spent a lot of time trekking in the Nepal Himalayas. He has also thru-hiked The Appalachian Trail, Kungsleden and The Scottish National Trail. Currently Jani shares his time between Helsinki, where he lives, and in Tampere, where he works in his second-hand bookshop.

Magnus Norén is a father of three, licenced psychologist living in Falun, Dalarna Sweden. Magnus has practiced Zen Buddhism since the late nineties mainly in a Soto Zen sangha until he visited Barry Magid and found his way to Karen Terzano and her emerging sangha in northern Europe from 2013 and onward. He recieved denkai in October 2019 from Karen and has been given permission to teach. Magnus conducts zazenkai and sesshin where invited and is open to contact with practice related concerns at larsmagnusnoren@gmail.com