Pia Gyger
Encyclopedia
Pia Gyger is a Swiss specialist for special education
, psychologist
and Zen master
of the White Plum Sangha
lineage. She is co-founder of the Lassalle-Institute within the Lassalle-House in Bad Schönbrunn/Zug
, Canton of Zug
. She is co-initiator of the Jerusalem-Project
.
.
/Japan with Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle
and Yamada Kôun Roshi
in Hawaii
. She received Dharma transmission
from Aitken Rōshi
and was also taken up in the Buddhist Peace Fellowship
to co-operate in international peace projects. In 1999 she was confirmed as Zen master
("inka shōmei") by Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
.
Saint Katharina-Werk, Basel
. On behalf of the Federal Department of Justice and Police she founded 1976 a therapy home near Horw
for particularly difficult young persons which she led until 1982. Subsequently she was nominated general leader of the Saint Katharina-Werk. In 1986 she founded a project for meetings of the world’s religions and 1989 she initiated in a slum on the outskirts of Manila
a school for the spiritual and political awareness of young people. 1995, back in Switzerland, she founded together with Niklaus Brantschen
the Lassalle-Institute of Zen – Ethics – Leadership which they led until 2002 and at which she is teaching. Brantschen and she founded in 2003 the Lassalle-Zen-line and the school of contemplation
„Via Integralis“. After that they developed the project Jerusalem – Open town for learning of the peace in the world
which is accredited
at the UN and leads them regularly to Jerusalem and to New York.
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
, psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
and Zen master
Zen master
Zen master is an umbrella title sometimes used to refer to an individual who has been recognized by an authorized Zen lineage holder and teacher as having met his or her own teacher's standards of realization or insight. These standards vary widely in different traditions, and may vary among...
of the White Plum Sangha
White Plum Asanga
White Plum Asanga, sometimes termed White Plum Sangha, is a Zen school in the Harada-Yasutani lineage, created by the late Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi. It consists of Maezumi's Dharma heirs and subsequent successors and students...
lineage. She is co-founder of the Lassalle-Institute within the Lassalle-House in Bad Schönbrunn/Zug
Zug
Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital...
, Canton of Zug
Canton of Zug
The Canton of Zug is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is located in central Switzerland and its capital is Zug. With 239 km² the canton is one of the smallest of the cantons in terms of area. It is not subdivided into districts.- History :The earlier history of the canton is...
. She is co-initiator of the Jerusalem-Project
Jerusalem-Project
The Jerusalem-Project is a Swiss-Israeli-Palestinian initiative for the creation of new, unexpected perspectives, which should create a Win-win situation for Israelis and Palestinians...
.
Education
Gyger studied 1972–1976 special education (i.e. education, training, raising and promotion of children and young persons with development impairments and handicaps) and psychology at the Zurich University of Applied SciencesZurich University of Applied Sciences
The Zurich University of Applied Sciences , located in the city of Winterthur, with facilities in Zurich and Wädenswil, is the second largest University in Switzerland after the University of Zurich.* University of Zurich: around 25000 Students...
.
Zen education
In the years 1976–1999 she was educated in Zen in Kamakura, KanagawaKamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
/Japan with Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle
Hugo Enomiya-Lassalle
Aiun-ken Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle was a German Jesuit priest and one of the foremost teachers to embrace both Roman Catholic Christianity and Zen Buddhism.Enomiya-Lassalle joined the Society of Jesus on the 25 april 1919...
and Yamada Kôun Roshi
Yamada Koun
, or Koun Yamada, was the former leader of the Sanbo Kyodan lineage of Zen Buddhism, the Dharma heir of his teacher Yasutani Haku'un Ryoko. Yamada was appointed the leader of the Sanbo Kyodan in 1967, 1970 or 1973 and continued to differentiate the lineage from other Japanese Zen traditions by...
in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. She received Dharma transmission
Dharma transmission
Dharma transmission refers to "the manner in which the teaching, or Dharma, is passed from a Zen master to their disciple and heir...
from Aitken Rōshi
Robert Baker Aitken
Robert Baker Dairyu Chotan Aitken Roshi was a Zen teacher in the Harada-Yasutani lineage. He co-founded the Honolulu Diamond Sangha in 1959...
and was also taken up in the Buddhist Peace Fellowship
Buddhist Peace Fellowship
The Buddhist Peace Fellowship is a nonsectarian international network of engaged Buddhists participating in various forms of nonviolent social activism and environmentalism with chapters all over the world...
to co-operate in international peace projects. In 1999 she was confirmed as Zen master
Zen master
Zen master is an umbrella title sometimes used to refer to an individual who has been recognized by an authorized Zen lineage holder and teacher as having met his or her own teacher's standards of realization or insight. These standards vary widely in different traditions, and may vary among...
("inka shōmei") by Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
Bernie Glassman , aka Tetsugen Bernard Glassman, is an American Zen Buddhist roshi and co-founder of the Zen Peacemakers , an organization established in 1996 with his late wife Sandra Jishu Holmes...
.
Activities
In 1969 Gyger joined the ecumenical community with inter-religious orientationSecular institute
In the Roman Catholic Church, a secular institute is an organization of individuals who are consecrated persons – professing the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience – while living in the world, unlike members of a religious order who live in community. It is one of the...
Saint Katharina-Werk, Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. On behalf of the Federal Department of Justice and Police she founded 1976 a therapy home near Horw
Horw
Horw is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.-History:Horw is first mentioned in 1231 as Horwe.-Geography:...
for particularly difficult young persons which she led until 1982. Subsequently she was nominated general leader of the Saint Katharina-Werk. In 1986 she founded a project for meetings of the world’s religions and 1989 she initiated in a slum on the outskirts of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
a school for the spiritual and political awareness of young people. 1995, back in Switzerland, she founded together with Niklaus Brantschen
Niklaus Brantschen
Niklaus Brantschen is a Swiss Jesuit, Zen master of the White Plum Sangha line and founder of the Lassalle-Institute within the Lassalle-House in Bad Schönbrunn/Zug, Canton of Zug...
the Lassalle-Institute of Zen – Ethics – Leadership which they led until 2002 and at which she is teaching. Brantschen and she founded in 2003 the Lassalle-Zen-line and the school of contemplation
Contemplation
The word contemplation comes from the Latin word contemplatio. Its root is also that of the Latin word templum, a piece of ground consecrated for the taking of auspices, or a building for worship, derived either from Proto-Indo-European base *tem- "to cut", and so a "place reserved or cut out" or...
„Via Integralis“. After that they developed the project Jerusalem – Open town for learning of the peace in the world
Jerusalem-Project
The Jerusalem-Project is a Swiss-Israeli-Palestinian initiative for the creation of new, unexpected perspectives, which should create a Win-win situation for Israelis and Palestinians...
which is accredited
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...
at the UN and leads them regularly to Jerusalem and to New York.