by Mary Runser
Crazy wisdom, a concept in Tibetan Buddhism which means unfettered wisdom, wisdom which is not linear, not limited, not contained by conventional ideas or thoughts. For those who have either stumbled upon or been told about Crazy Wisdom Bookstore & Tearoom, that (crazy wisdom) is exactly what can be found there.

What once began as a small bookstore in 1982, focused mainly on Buddhism, Women’s Spirituality and Astrology, today has become the Mecca for information about alternative spiritualities and healthy living lifestyles for the inquisitive consumer of Ann Arbor and beyond. In 1989, Bill Zirinsky and his wife, Ruth Schekter, both from the suburbs of New York and from highly successful entrepreneurial families, purchased Crazy Wisdom. They have nurtured it much in the same way they have nurtured their own lives. Both came to Ann Arbor in the 1970s to attend the University of Michigan with a desire to raise consciousness and build community. “That era,” Bill says, “was an exciting era. I thought we were going to change the world, or at least try to change ourselves.” Bill and Ruth continue to try to change the world, or their part of it, through the variety of items offered at Crazy Wisdom Bookstore & Tearoom. It’s not just a bookstore, it’s also a restaurant that serves delicious teas and coffees (all Organic, Fair Trade and locally roasted), as well as appetizers, entrees and desserts.

The offerings of the bookstore include, books, crafts, jewelry, statue, art, instruments, aromatherapy, incense, music and so on. “It is highly complex for a small business,” Bill says. “Dealing with that complexity is very labor intensive, with highly fluctuating profit margins that do not allow us to hire a staff of people who are getting what are considered normal or good wages in today’s society. We have been fortunate to have some staff members who have been with us for seven years or more. And to them, what the store is about seems to be more important than how much money they make. That’s been challenging because you have to maintain such a sense of purpose that excites the staff.” he explains.

To add more layers to the business, there is also live music performed by local talent every Friday and Saturday evenings in the tearoom, as well as numerous events of varying interests held in the bookstore’s meeting room nearly every day of the year. The final component is the Crazy Wisdom Community Journal which is published three times a year. The journal is a holistic magazine dedicated to providing information about the numerous opportunities that exist in Ann Arbor for individuals seeking “psychological and spiritual growth as well as physical well being.”

Another tough challenge Bill and Ruth have faced, on a personal level, was the loss of their two children, Sam and Juliana, both of whom were severely disabled. “Parenting them has been the most important experience and the greatest gift in my life,” Bill relays, “but also the hardest because they suffered so much and had so many medical challenges. We were really fortunate our perspective could be so enhanced by the fact that we owned this spiritual bookstore in town, with such interesting people, spiritual perspectives, experiences and wisdom. All of that really helped form our attitude about parenting Sam and JJ.” Today, Bill and Ruth enjoy raising two healthy children, Leela and Grace, both adopted from Guatemala. “We wanted both experiences.” Bill said, “They are very different experiences, but both are good trips, nonetheless.”

In these tough economic times, Crazy Wisdom Bookstore & Tearoom has managed to weather the storm by providing Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas with things that help enhance the spiritual lives and increase the awareness of healthier ways to live. If you’re heading into Ann Arbor for your yearly spring visit, or you’re a local unfamiliar with this gem of a bookstore, stop in and see if a little bit of crazy wisdom isn’t exactly what you need.

Crazy Wisdom Bookstore & Tearoom
Bill Zirnsky and Ruth Schekter
114 S. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: 734-665-2757
Website: www.crazywisdom.net