The Zen Ten: 10 Zen Places in Greater Grand Forks

Zen: “The term Zen is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the Middle Chinese word 禪 (Chan) which traces its roots to the Indian practice of dhyāna (“meditation”).  It can be translated as “contemplation” or “absorption” or “meditative state”.

I am continually surprised when people ask, “Is there anything going on this week?”  Hello?!  There is so much going on any given week in the greater Grand Forks area that sometimes I find myself in need of a pause. Breathe. Clear my mind and just – be. Here are a few of my favorite places to just “chill” in the Forks.  (No pun intended.)

Let’s begin with “The Lotus Meditation Center” – which is no longer a center, so it’s going to be hard to find on Google Maps. Good thing you’re reading this! The Lotus Center was a space on the UND campus, but after losing their building, the group stayed together and continues to offer Wednesday noon meditation at Christus Rex on University Avenue on the UND campus.  They also hold annual and bi-annual meditation retreats, lectures, and book groups, off and on-campus.

Go to College

If you attended the Wednesday meditation group, you’re already on the beautiful UND campus, so let me show you a few of my favorite places to pause. (No student I.D. required.)

The UND campus underwent major renovations the last two years. There are more pedestrian walkways, broader paths, and many garden beds have been doubled in size. Find a time when classes are not in session, and you can park in the Columbia Road parking ramp for a small fee. Then, get prepped to get your zen on in the new Memorial Union where you can grab tea, coffee, or the fixings for a picnic lunch. Next, head outdoors and walk west toward the “commons” and the Soaring Eagle Garden.

The welded-rebar sculpture designed by Bennet Brien swoops down over a natural, prairie garden, complete with swaying tall grasses. The garden, designed by Kathleen Brokke, a UND alumna and the late UND Professor Glinda Crawford,  gives a glimpse of what this land looked like before the University of North Dakota opened its doors in 1883.  There are benches for a pause to sit and contemplate the past.

After a brief – or a long rest, take the path from the Soaring Eagle south in front of the long, regal Merrifield Hall. Its classic architecture may remind you of Harry Potter At the south end of the building is the iron “Eternal Flame,” sculpture created by the late Stan Johnson, an art professor who welded the iron and steel sphere in his own backyard on N. 25th Street. The flame is a symbol of light and knowledge, and the area is circled by stone benches and tables. Relax and gaze on the flame as it flickers – for eternity.

Head west, crossing the two-way street behind Merrifield Hall, and you will notice a footbridge off to your left. A bridge is a means to get us from one place to another, typically over a body of water. But often bridges are used to symbolize a transformation, perhaps from one phase in our life to another. As you cross this short bridge, pause in the middle and look out toward the beautiful Adelphi Fountain, a gift from the 1905 student Adelphi Literary Society. When it’s warm, take a seat around the fountain, bring your journal, bring a book, or just bring your thoughts. In the spring, you can watch mama ducks lead their ducklings through the rushes.

Celebrated

When you’re ready to resume your walk, turn around. Head to “CELEBRATED”.  This large, white, stone block was added to commemorate those who died while attending UND.  Go run your finger along the letters: C – E – L – …  The monument serves as both a memorial and a directive: Life. Make sure you’re celebrating.

If you look to your left, you will see the Hopper Danley Spiritual Center.  Feel free to enter its glass walls. It offers an escape from the wind, and when classes are in session it’s an oasis from the hustle and bustle of life. The Center is nondenominational and welcomes all.

While we are still on the north end of town, let’s head off campus to the north end of the ten-mile Greenway. A bike/walking trail that loops through East Grand Forks, MN and Grand Forks. You can access this section of the trail near the blue ND Mill. The river was dammed at the confluence of the Red and Red Lake Rivers, creating a mini waterfall/rapids.  Listen to the sound of the water babbling and be reminded that, like the river water, “This too shall pass.”  A lovely spot not a lot of people know about. But now you do!

Wintertime:  You can rent snowshoes, as well as cross country skis from the Ski and Bike shop in GF, or at the UND Wellness Center if you’re affiliated with UND, so the Greenway is accessible all year long.  Ice Circles – ice pancakes? – form at the dam. It’s a pretty “cool” natural formation. Zen at twenty below? You bethcha!

Okay, so they are not deep enough to get lost in, but that’s a good thing, right? Off to the right of the dam is a path that will have you wandering beneath tall, sturdy cottonwoods sharing space with a smattering of maple and oak. Pick up a fallen cottonwood branch and look at its center? What do you see? It’s a star – a reminder to let yours shine. (Awww. Big hug.)

Got a lot on you mind? Get back on the Greenway and take a mindful walk. Listen. What do you hear? Birds? Wind in the cottonwoods? The sound of the Red River flowing north?    What do you see? A bridge.  A gently rolling hill to the river’s edge? The path gracefully curving ahead?  Cottonwood fluff falls and you feel like you’re in a snow globe. Maybe a deer or a fox will cross your path.  What do you smell?  In winter, its crisp, fresh air, like when you walk into an ice cream shop. In spring and summer, the smell of trees and grass will tickle your nose. In fall, it’s the scent of leaves as they curl and flutter to the ground.

You have ten miles of potential zen dens to discover. For some, it might be the labyrinth near the flood obelisk. For others it could be taking a seat by the dog park and watching the pups as they meet and greet each other. (Their joy is contagious.)  For others, it might be a bench that looks out at a clearing of tall, prairie grass.

Grand Forks has a lake? Kinda. Ryan’s Lake on the south end of town is a humanmade lake and people don’t jump or swim in it. However, ND Game and Fish stocks it with Rainbow Trout each May. It’s a great place to bring a fishing pole and cast your worries aside for an afternoon.

In 2003, Awano, Japan gifted Grand Forks its (then) sister city  with three, majestic, Japanese stone lanterns and cairns to create a tranquil Japanese garden in Sertoma Park. The park is beautifully landscaped with a small pond and a wooden, walking bridge which leads to quiet little nooks in nature. Bring a picnic lunch and settle down near the Zen pond, walk across the sweet footbridge, contemplate the interconnectedness of all people. (Or just eat your tuna sandwich.)

Frankly, a long drive on Highway  2 or north on Highway 81 is a zen driving treat.  Set off on a clear day and you will see 360-degrees of blue sky.  Depending on the season, crops may sway in the fields, sunflowers may smile upon you.  All that space is comparable to looking out at the ocean from the shore.  You can’t get more zen than a drive in the “vast lane.”