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During the T'ang Dynasty in China, there was a great Zen poet, Pai Yueh T'ien who also officiated as governor. In a particular district under his jurisdiction, there was a Zen master known as "Bird's Nest" because of his habit of practicing meditation up in the branches of a tree.
The governor-poet once visited the Zen Master and said," What a dangerous seat you have up in the tree!"
"Yours is worse than mine," replied the master.
"I am the governor of this district, and I don't see what danger is in it."
"Then you don't know yourself! When your passions burn and your mind is unsteady, what is more dangerous than that?"
The governor heard the truth in the Zen Master's words and then asked him another question, looking for another great teaching, "tell me what is the essential teaching of the Dharma?"
The master said:
Not to commit evils,
To practice only good,
And to keep the mind pure:
That is the teaching of all the Buddhas.
Pai, somewhat disappointed by the simplicity of the master's teaching protested, "Any child of three years knows that."
"Any child of three years may know it, but even an old man of 80 years finds it difficult to practice."
What this story highlights is that Zen practice is not complete if it is not realized through actions.
Zen is not a theoretical philosophy that one simply sits and ponders or discusses, it is to be practiced and realized moment-to-moment, in our daily lives.
Sitting and other forms of contemplative meditation is a necessary component to Zen but it is not the whole of the practice. Through meditation, we come to understand our own minds and develop wisdom, but wisdom is not complete if it is not put into action.
The most obvious way to begin doing this is to perform daily activities as a form of meditation. When we get dressed, meditate, when we brush our teeth, meditate, when we at are at work--meditate, driving the car--meditate, going grocery shopping--meditate, doing the dishes--meditate, working in the garden--meditate, etc.
Zen teaches that we always begin with ourselves, practicing small skillful acts: performing meditation while we go about our daily tasks. Acting skillfully means performing good actions when we are alone and not just when we are around others. If we are out walking alone we pick up that piece of glass on the sidewalk, so someone else doesn't hurt themselves.
If we begin with small, personal acts of skillful action, we begin to create a path of wildflowers blooming where ever we walk.
We must always work toward letting go of unwholesome desires and attachment to cravings and cultivate skillful thoughts and actions. When we do, we have succeeded in conquering ourselves, in, as Zen Master Bird's Nest suggested, to Know yourself.
The practice Zen is to practice Skillful Action. To benefit yourself and all others.
It is to practice Skillful action every day, whether alone, or with others, at home or at work or at school. Big or small. If we begin practicing now, a little at a time, with consistence effort, we will soon find we are surrounded by a wide assortment of beautiful wildflowers.
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Come join us for an open dialogue about the commonalities and differences in various faith traditions. Our aim is to understand one another and build a stronger more cohesive community in the Utica area!
Ven. Myohye Do'an will facilitate a discussion of Agape and Ahimsa: Twin Roots of Nonviolence by Ira Zepp & Charles Collyer.
Even if you haven't read the book, come listen to the conversation and learn!
When: Monday, September 16, 6:30-7:30
Where: New Hartford Public Library
(Sammon Room), 2 Library Ln, New Hartford, NY
Ven. Myohye Do'an will facilitate a discussion of Agape and Ahimsa: Twin Roots of Nonviolence by Ira Zepp & Charles Collyer.
Even if you haven't read the book, come listen to the conversation and learn!
When: Monday, September 16, 6:30-7:30
Where: New Hartford Public Library
(Sammon Room), 2 Library Ln, New Hartford, NY
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By Ven. Do'an Prajna
Now that the Summer Bodhichitta Gyeolje is underway, I wanted to share with you some simple tips to help strengthen your practice, even in the midst of a busy, spontaneous summer season, where we struggle to maintain our minimum level of practice:
Tip 1: Check Your Attitude.
Ask yourself: what do you bring to your practice?
Our minds are so conditioned to expect that what we experience is wrong in someway. It is important to have a daily practice, but we often tell ourselves we don’t practice right, enough, or the quality of our practice is not good, etc.
We need to break down this conditioning.
We can’t progress if we’re vague about where we are. We must be able to honestly look at our current practice and determine where we are within it. This keeps us doing our practice rather than thinking we are doing our practice.
There are hundreds of ways to practice. What makes the difference in terms of spiritual freedom is our attitude we bring to it. If we think we should be doing it, that we are not doing it well enough, that we are not cut out for it, if we are not honoring the potential in us, it undercuts the process.
Often what makes our practice hard to keep up with is because we are learning to give to ourselves. If we are feeling unworthy, we interpret this self-compassion as selfish. We must remember that lovingkindness is a natural state. Regular practice will lead us to this natural state of compassion and lovingkindness will arise spontaneously from within us. It is already within us, we just need to drop our filters. Regular practice will help us do this.
Ask yourself: What is my attitude?
Check in with yourself. Ask what the quality of your practice is in relation to your attitude? How do you approach your practice? Are you compassionate? Are you hard on yourself? If you are too hard, too rigid or serious, light up. If you are too laissez faire about your practice, perhaps it will help to remind yourself of the benefits of a more disciplined practice.
Tip 2: Remember your Intention.
Bring to mind what matters most to you. Let your heart and mind be free and just see what is true.
In sitting practice, we tend to try to polish our skills or "have an experience". Sense, instead, this sitting is the last few minutes of your life—to just experience the moment. We are so used to always being on our way to somewhere else or doing something for the sake of something else. We forget where are right in the moment. Enjoy the walking the path, rather than race to the finish.
Our intention should encompass a relaxed attentiveness, that is receptive and compassionate.
Tip 3: Be Simple.
Often the reason we fail to be consistent is because we over complicate our lives. Our mind tells us that simple steps don’t matter and complex ones do. The reality is that all of our successes come from consistently taking one simple step after another.
Being simple also addresses our "need" to someday be an expert. Our goal is not to become an expert. Our goal is simply to practice.
Tip 4: Be Active Now.
Do it. Whatever ‘it’ is, do it the first thing before all other things. Go in the bathroom and lock the door. Roll out of bed to your knees. Hide in your closet if you must, but go to any lengths to practice your practice.
You can’t ride on the laurels of practice. Practice is simply dedication to the present—it is not about getting somewhere, striving for anything will only result in not being present.
Now that the Summer Bodhichitta Gyeolje is underway, I wanted to share with you some simple tips to help strengthen your practice, even in the midst of a busy, spontaneous summer season, where we struggle to maintain our minimum level of practice:
Tip 1: Check Your Attitude.
Ask yourself: what do you bring to your practice?
Our minds are so conditioned to expect that what we experience is wrong in someway. It is important to have a daily practice, but we often tell ourselves we don’t practice right, enough, or the quality of our practice is not good, etc.
We need to break down this conditioning.
We can’t progress if we’re vague about where we are. We must be able to honestly look at our current practice and determine where we are within it. This keeps us doing our practice rather than thinking we are doing our practice.
There are hundreds of ways to practice. What makes the difference in terms of spiritual freedom is our attitude we bring to it. If we think we should be doing it, that we are not doing it well enough, that we are not cut out for it, if we are not honoring the potential in us, it undercuts the process.
Often what makes our practice hard to keep up with is because we are learning to give to ourselves. If we are feeling unworthy, we interpret this self-compassion as selfish. We must remember that lovingkindness is a natural state. Regular practice will lead us to this natural state of compassion and lovingkindness will arise spontaneously from within us. It is already within us, we just need to drop our filters. Regular practice will help us do this.
Ask yourself: What is my attitude?
Check in with yourself. Ask what the quality of your practice is in relation to your attitude? How do you approach your practice? Are you compassionate? Are you hard on yourself? If you are too hard, too rigid or serious, light up. If you are too laissez faire about your practice, perhaps it will help to remind yourself of the benefits of a more disciplined practice.
Tip 2: Remember your Intention.
Bring to mind what matters most to you. Let your heart and mind be free and just see what is true.
In sitting practice, we tend to try to polish our skills or "have an experience". Sense, instead, this sitting is the last few minutes of your life—to just experience the moment. We are so used to always being on our way to somewhere else or doing something for the sake of something else. We forget where are right in the moment. Enjoy the walking the path, rather than race to the finish.
Our intention should encompass a relaxed attentiveness, that is receptive and compassionate.
Tip 3: Be Simple.
Often the reason we fail to be consistent is because we over complicate our lives. Our mind tells us that simple steps don’t matter and complex ones do. The reality is that all of our successes come from consistently taking one simple step after another.
Being simple also addresses our "need" to someday be an expert. Our goal is not to become an expert. Our goal is simply to practice.
Tip 4: Be Active Now.
Do it. Whatever ‘it’ is, do it the first thing before all other things. Go in the bathroom and lock the door. Roll out of bed to your knees. Hide in your closet if you must, but go to any lengths to practice your practice.
You can’t ride on the laurels of practice. Practice is simply dedication to the present—it is not about getting somewhere, striving for anything will only result in not being present.
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By Wonpung (Miyo)
Having anxiety issues is not an uncommon reality for many people. While my anxiety problems have largely remained undiagnosed, I can say with certainty that in my late teens to mid 20s or so, I struggled with anxiety and panic attacks.
Sometimes an anxiety attack would seem to strike out of nowhere. Sometimes, I could see it coming. Other times, it would strike out of nowhere. No matter how an attack would be triggered, the progression would always be: I feel a rush of adrenaline, followed by some symptoms like numb hand, numb left half of my face, racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pain that radiated from the left side of my chest down my arm -- all very real, all very scary. I remember getting a very acute case of this while driving home through the Adirondacks one weekend after a visit to my mother, and driving myself to the ER in Saranac, NY.
During any bout of anxiety, I would be rapid-fire diagnosing myself and imagining the worst: I have cancer; Having a heart attack; Brain tumor...eventually, I’d imagine myself dead. If the fear was over something like finances - in the span of five seconds I was in jail, my life completely ruined (in my mind). The spiral was intense, and while there was a logical part of my brain screaming at myself to stop--that I was making things worse--trying to stop my barreling thoughts was like trying to stop a train by standing in front of it--fruitless, and it seemed to get worse whether I ignored it, willed it away, tried to distract myself with enjoyable activities - it didn't matter.
For the most part, with the help of good friends, therapy, life experience and my mindfulness practice, I have been able to go years between episodes of these attacks--to the point, that when I had one just recently, I was bewildered and wondered what the heck was going on.
There was the rush of adrenaline (my brain: “Whoa! That’s weird!”). Then the hyper-attention to “symptoms” (my brain: “OMG, shooting pains in my joints, tight chest, nausea...I HAVE CANCER!”) and before I knew it, I had diagnosed myself with colon, rectal, and ovarian cancers. Why? Well, why not, I guess.
The interesting difference? It wasn’t long before I recognized my old enemy: “Ohhhhh, hello Anxiety Brain. Long time no see.” Once I understood what this was, the chills I felt disappeared. My headache eased, my racing heart calmed--I said hello to my old nemesis, and I was able to leave it behind. Very different from my days of trying to stop the oncoming train bare-handed, no tools at my disposal.
I can only attribute this newfound ability to my mindfulness practice--the repeated habit over and over of observing my thoughts, leaving them there to float away, saying hello when they return and letting them go again. That over and over practice paid off.
I still don’t know what exactly caused this bout of anxiety--that’s something I hope further practice and/or therapy will help me understand (if it’s able to). It is nice to know, though, that my brain has learned how to board that train and apply the brakes.
Having anxiety issues is not an uncommon reality for many people. While my anxiety problems have largely remained undiagnosed, I can say with certainty that in my late teens to mid 20s or so, I struggled with anxiety and panic attacks.
Sometimes an anxiety attack would seem to strike out of nowhere. Sometimes, I could see it coming. Other times, it would strike out of nowhere. No matter how an attack would be triggered, the progression would always be: I feel a rush of adrenaline, followed by some symptoms like numb hand, numb left half of my face, racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pain that radiated from the left side of my chest down my arm -- all very real, all very scary. I remember getting a very acute case of this while driving home through the Adirondacks one weekend after a visit to my mother, and driving myself to the ER in Saranac, NY.
During any bout of anxiety, I would be rapid-fire diagnosing myself and imagining the worst: I have cancer; Having a heart attack; Brain tumor...eventually, I’d imagine myself dead. If the fear was over something like finances - in the span of five seconds I was in jail, my life completely ruined (in my mind). The spiral was intense, and while there was a logical part of my brain screaming at myself to stop--that I was making things worse--trying to stop my barreling thoughts was like trying to stop a train by standing in front of it--fruitless, and it seemed to get worse whether I ignored it, willed it away, tried to distract myself with enjoyable activities - it didn't matter.
For the most part, with the help of good friends, therapy, life experience and my mindfulness practice, I have been able to go years between episodes of these attacks--to the point, that when I had one just recently, I was bewildered and wondered what the heck was going on.
There was the rush of adrenaline (my brain: “Whoa! That’s weird!”). Then the hyper-attention to “symptoms” (my brain: “OMG, shooting pains in my joints, tight chest, nausea...I HAVE CANCER!”) and before I knew it, I had diagnosed myself with colon, rectal, and ovarian cancers. Why? Well, why not, I guess.
The interesting difference? It wasn’t long before I recognized my old enemy: “Ohhhhh, hello Anxiety Brain. Long time no see.” Once I understood what this was, the chills I felt disappeared. My headache eased, my racing heart calmed--I said hello to my old nemesis, and I was able to leave it behind. Very different from my days of trying to stop the oncoming train bare-handed, no tools at my disposal.
I can only attribute this newfound ability to my mindfulness practice--the repeated habit over and over of observing my thoughts, leaving them there to float away, saying hello when they return and letting them go again. That over and over practice paid off.
I still don’t know what exactly caused this bout of anxiety--that’s something I hope further practice and/or therapy will help me understand (if it’s able to). It is nice to know, though, that my brain has learned how to board that train and apply the brakes.
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On Sunday, May 26th, Lotus Heart Zen gathered to celebrate the Buddha's birthday. For the second year in a row, we held a Refuge Ceremony, in which those attending, if they chose to, could go for refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Going for refuge in the Three Jewels is how one becomes a Buddhist. Just simply stating that you seek guidance in, shelter with and to support the Three Jewels is all that is required. There is no need for a special ceremony. It can be declared alone or among a crowd. However, having the opportunity to seek refuge in the Three Jewels among friends and fellow practitioners is a wonderful way to make such a commitment solid and perhaps more honest. It is also a way to show others in the community that you are available to others. This is important.
Refuge in the Buddha (the teacher) and the Dharma (the teachings) are important, I believe that in our current culture they greatly overshadow the value and importance of the Sangha. In order to fully realize the value of the Buddha and the Dharma in this life, going for refuge in the Sangha is necessary. A two legged stool provides little stability, but add a third leg and it is stable.
Going for refuge in the Sangha is seeking refuge in the spiritual community. The spiritual community is made up of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen. The Buddha said, “good friends are the whole of this holy life.” In the same vein, Christians find strength in the community of the church. Practicing with a Sangha is essential for spiritual growth and development. Even if we have a sincere desire or appreciation for practice, our ability for our efforts to bear fruit can be difficult without the support of friends. Being with a sangha, investing in a sangha, supporting a sangha is practicing Compassion, Attention and Gratitude.
The collective energy of the individuals of the Sangha will aid in one becoming more mindful of his or her actions. Practice is required and it is the Sangha that protects and empowers the individual to sustain mindfulness from one day to another.
“When members of a Sangha live in harmony, their Sangha is holy. Don’t think that holiness is only for the Pope or the Dalai Lama. Holiness is also within you and within your Sangha. When a community sits, breathes, walks, and eats together in mindfulness, holiness is there. When you build a sangha that has happiness, joy, and peace, you’ll see the elements of holiness in the Sangha.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
This helps us to see that the spiritual community also extends beyond the group of people that come together to practice and includes all beings. Other people, the trees, the plants, the animals, stones, the sky, the sun, etc. all become connected and holy. But to truly understand the wider, outer sangha, we need the smaller inner sangha.
Taking refuge in the Buddha is to take refuge in the awakened nature we already innately possess. Just as the Christian aspires to become Christ-like in word, thought and deed. Taking refuge in the Buddha is acknowledging that as St. Francis said, “what we are looking for is what is looking.” When we take refuge in the Buddha, we express trust in our capacity to walk in the direction of non-harm and deep understanding, based on our experience of the efficacy of the practice. We take refuge in the Dharma to remember that the teachings and practice provide a path to lead us away from confusion and ignorance to a life of compassion, attention and gratitude.We take the refuge in the Three Jewels together, because in truth they are inseparable. Each connects and embodies the others within them. One jewel cannot exist without the other two. If you are caring for a member of the Sangha who is suffering, you are caring for the Buddha. When the Sangha is harmonious and practicing diligently the Dharma becomes clearer. Recognizing the Buddha within is to know the truth as taught by the Dharma.
As we draw closer to the Five Mountain Zen Order National Sangha Family Weekend Retreat, I believe it is important to remember to hold the Sangha in equal measure to the other two jewels. In July, we have a wonderful opportunity to share our small LHZ Sangha with our larger FMZO Sangha family and experience the Three Jewels in action working together. Please join in and take part in this special weekend, giving yourself the opportunity to bring "going for refuge" in the Three Jewels to life within you and for your sangha sisters and brothers.
Refuge in the Buddha (the teacher) and the Dharma (the teachings) are important, I believe that in our current culture they greatly overshadow the value and importance of the Sangha. In order to fully realize the value of the Buddha and the Dharma in this life, going for refuge in the Sangha is necessary. A two legged stool provides little stability, but add a third leg and it is stable.
Going for refuge in the Sangha is seeking refuge in the spiritual community. The spiritual community is made up of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen. The Buddha said, “good friends are the whole of this holy life.” In the same vein, Christians find strength in the community of the church. Practicing with a Sangha is essential for spiritual growth and development. Even if we have a sincere desire or appreciation for practice, our ability for our efforts to bear fruit can be difficult without the support of friends. Being with a sangha, investing in a sangha, supporting a sangha is practicing Compassion, Attention and Gratitude.
The collective energy of the individuals of the Sangha will aid in one becoming more mindful of his or her actions. Practice is required and it is the Sangha that protects and empowers the individual to sustain mindfulness from one day to another.
“When members of a Sangha live in harmony, their Sangha is holy. Don’t think that holiness is only for the Pope or the Dalai Lama. Holiness is also within you and within your Sangha. When a community sits, breathes, walks, and eats together in mindfulness, holiness is there. When you build a sangha that has happiness, joy, and peace, you’ll see the elements of holiness in the Sangha.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
This helps us to see that the spiritual community also extends beyond the group of people that come together to practice and includes all beings. Other people, the trees, the plants, the animals, stones, the sky, the sun, etc. all become connected and holy. But to truly understand the wider, outer sangha, we need the smaller inner sangha.
Taking refuge in the Buddha is to take refuge in the awakened nature we already innately possess. Just as the Christian aspires to become Christ-like in word, thought and deed. Taking refuge in the Buddha is acknowledging that as St. Francis said, “what we are looking for is what is looking.” When we take refuge in the Buddha, we express trust in our capacity to walk in the direction of non-harm and deep understanding, based on our experience of the efficacy of the practice. We take refuge in the Dharma to remember that the teachings and practice provide a path to lead us away from confusion and ignorance to a life of compassion, attention and gratitude.We take the refuge in the Three Jewels together, because in truth they are inseparable. Each connects and embodies the others within them. One jewel cannot exist without the other two. If you are caring for a member of the Sangha who is suffering, you are caring for the Buddha. When the Sangha is harmonious and practicing diligently the Dharma becomes clearer. Recognizing the Buddha within is to know the truth as taught by the Dharma.
As we draw closer to the Five Mountain Zen Order National Sangha Family Weekend Retreat, I believe it is important to remember to hold the Sangha in equal measure to the other two jewels. In July, we have a wonderful opportunity to share our small LHZ Sangha with our larger FMZO Sangha family and experience the Three Jewels in action working together. Please join in and take part in this special weekend, giving yourself the opportunity to bring "going for refuge" in the Three Jewels to life within you and for your sangha sisters and brothers.
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Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay
By Wonp'ung (Miyo Wratten)
As the summer months quickly approach, and I pass my anniversary of having taken refuge in the Three Jewels (that was at last year’s celebration of Buddha’s birthday!), I find myself contemplating how much has happened in that year.
Back in July of this past summer, I was lucky enough to join the Five Mountain Zen retreat that took place in Oneida.
As the July retreat closed, one of our members handed out a very nice gift to us - a tile with a Chinese character engraved in it. There were four different characters from which we could choose.
The tile I chose was one for the character representing “friend.” This choice was a no-brainer for me. Since joining Lotus Heart Zen, and especially after attending the July retreat, the importance of Sangha was brought home to me.
Like many from our North American culture, I was brought up in a home where independence is valued. Asking for help from others was thought of as weak--and certainly, sharing with anybody outside of our home any of the details of what happened within the walls of our family was a big no-no. In my adolescence, I remember being shunned by my mother for weeks because I had tried to confide in my best friend some of my worries about what had been going on in my family at that time (nothing serious, but they caused me concern at that point in time).
Constant messages we received while growing up included: Pull yourself up by your bootstraps! Make your own way in the world! Make your own destiny! Climb the ladder, step over people if you need to!
Through a few circumstances in my adult life, I’ve thankfully started to learn the value of opening up, sharing what’s troubling me, and seeking help from others. Reaching out can still feel like a difficult thing to do--especially as a mom and a wife, the message that we need to be all things to all people at all times, is pervasive.
Watching people in this Sangha offer, ask for, give and accept support has been truly humbling. Last year’s July retreat showed me the importance of this together work that is done when we are in a group, and when we are practicing.
This “friendship” tile is my constant reminder that progress is rarely ever truly made alone--and we as humans weren’t meant to function in isolation from one another. It holds a special place on my altar as I meditate and chant daily--with gratitude in my heart for the Dharma brothers and sisters I have acquired over the course of this year.
I am looking forward to seeing old Dharma friends return in July, and am hopeful to make some new ones as well.
Photo credit: Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay
As the summer months quickly approach, and I pass my anniversary of having taken refuge in the Three Jewels (that was at last year’s celebration of Buddha’s birthday!), I find myself contemplating how much has happened in that year.
Back in July of this past summer, I was lucky enough to join the Five Mountain Zen retreat that took place in Oneida.
As the July retreat closed, one of our members handed out a very nice gift to us - a tile with a Chinese character engraved in it. There were four different characters from which we could choose.
The tile I chose was one for the character representing “friend.” This choice was a no-brainer for me. Since joining Lotus Heart Zen, and especially after attending the July retreat, the importance of Sangha was brought home to me.
Like many from our North American culture, I was brought up in a home where independence is valued. Asking for help from others was thought of as weak--and certainly, sharing with anybody outside of our home any of the details of what happened within the walls of our family was a big no-no. In my adolescence, I remember being shunned by my mother for weeks because I had tried to confide in my best friend some of my worries about what had been going on in my family at that time (nothing serious, but they caused me concern at that point in time).
Constant messages we received while growing up included: Pull yourself up by your bootstraps! Make your own way in the world! Make your own destiny! Climb the ladder, step over people if you need to!
Through a few circumstances in my adult life, I’ve thankfully started to learn the value of opening up, sharing what’s troubling me, and seeking help from others. Reaching out can still feel like a difficult thing to do--especially as a mom and a wife, the message that we need to be all things to all people at all times, is pervasive.
Watching people in this Sangha offer, ask for, give and accept support has been truly humbling. Last year’s July retreat showed me the importance of this together work that is done when we are in a group, and when we are practicing.
This “friendship” tile is my constant reminder that progress is rarely ever truly made alone--and we as humans weren’t meant to function in isolation from one another. It holds a special place on my altar as I meditate and chant daily--with gratitude in my heart for the Dharma brothers and sisters I have acquired over the course of this year.
I am looking forward to seeing old Dharma friends return in July, and am hopeful to make some new ones as well.
Photo credit: Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay
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Celebrate the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha, the awakened teacher for our time. In celebrating the birth of the Buddha, we not only celebrate the man, Siddhartha Gotauma, but also the birth of the Buddha within each of us. Those who wish to dedicate themselves to the Buddhist path of practice are welcomed to participate in the Refuge Ceremony, in which one vows to uphold the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha (the Teacher), the Dharma (the Teachings), and the Sangha (the Community).
- Please bring flowers (both live and cut) and fruit to place on the altar.
- If the weather permits, the ceremony will be held outdoors.
- Following the ceremony there will be a barbecue and time for fellowship.
- Please bring a vegetarian or vegan dish to share
- All are welcome, regardless of faith tradition or lack thereof.
- Please RSVP so we can make proper accomodations
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Last Friday, while going through old files, I came across a dharma talk I gave at the Won Buddhist Temple in Manhattan, NY in 2004. When I learned of yet another senseless shooting at the Chabad Synagogue in Poway, California, I re-read my talk and ended sharing at our Zen service on Sunday, which was dedicated to Lori Kaye and all those affected by the shooting. Sadly, my talk, given 15 years ago, is still relevant. I offer it here, with the hope that it gives others some guidance for creating a better world for all
An End to Violence: Creating the Seeds of Peace
A dharma talk given by Do'an in 2004, at the Won Buddhist Temple in Manhattan, NY
Lately, I have been thinking about the role violence has taken in modern culture, and it brought me back to reconnecting with the roots of nonviolence, which I have long been neglecting. I believe my recent reawakening came while watching the presidential debates, after hearing both candidates say that it was a goal of theirs to kill terrorists. Not calls to end terrorism, not even to a call to address the causes of terrorism, but just to kill terrorists. It shook me terribly to know that the policy-makers for our country were so blatantly advocating for the ending of other people’s lives. After the debates, I began to examine the prevalence of violence in our society in a much more critical way than I ever had before. When had our culture become so accepting of violence? Where did it begin? I knew it originated long before the tragedy of 9/11. I didn't have to look very hard to find how pervasive violence has become. It seems lately it is everywhere.
Violence is so pervasive in our culture that most of us don’t even notice it anymore. When I asked other people about the statements the candidates made during the debates, not one person I asked noticed the violence. This disturbed me even further. I realized I had to do something. It wasn’t enough for me to sit and point out every incident of violence I came across. But what could I do? I am only one person, I couldn’t single-handedly stop the conflicts happening everywhere. I spent some time seriously meditating on this, clearing my mind, so I might figure out what I could do. Through my meditation, I realized, I was thinking too broadly about this.
When thinking about violence, most people think of war, violent crime, television and video game violence. But these are only examples of the high-profile violence we have grown accustomed to seeing. These kinds of violence are actually the cumulative results of the smaller more insidious acts of violence that we have allowed—and sometimes even cultivated—in our daily lives, often without awareness.
Violence starts out small and like a stone thrown into water, it ripples out in ever widening circles. Many of our attempts to stop violence, the war on terrorism or the war against drugs, for example, only ends in spreading more violence. This is partly because the methods used to stop the particular violence being used leads to more divisiveness, to more selfishness, and ultimately to retaliation through more violence. However, I believe that despite the methods employed, there is a bigger problem here. Our attempts to stop or quell violence doesn’t work because we are only addressing the symptoms, rather than the source. The only way to end violence is to stop it where it begins.
One doesn’t have to start by launching huge campaigns against war, or against the government policy-makers. There are many people who do wage such campaigns, and as well intentioned as their actions may be, they will do little good, because the roots of violence hasn’t been identified. Ironically, the very people who protest against war, demanding peace, often contribute to the violence through the actions and ways in which the protests are held. How is this possible? Because violence begins within ourselves. If one hasn’t identified the roots of violence he or she is carrying inside, it grows and spreads, touching and polluting everything in their lives.
This isn’t a statement meant to make one defensive. Rather it is a diagnosis, like a doctor describing an illness. After all, the doctor doesn’t blame the patient for having the disease. Violence is the disease we all have become infected with. Fortunately, the prognosis is a good one—pending some much needed lifestyle changes. I believe that it is a natural state for humans to be peaceful and loving. The philosopher, St. Augustine said, “Peace is the quest, nay the hunger of every soul.” Unfortunately, we got lost somewhere along the way, and in the process we have conditioned ourselves away from that natural path toward a culture of violence. I did a lot of reading and meditating, in my quest to come up with answers regarding how to change the roots of violence to seeds of peace. Since I believe that moving away from violence toward peace is a process, I came up with three steps a person can do to begin reducing the amount of violence in the world.
The first step is to treat oneself well. We treat ourselves violently by over working ourselves, piling on demands greater than one person can handle, and ignoring the needs of our bodies and spirit. We can begin by slowing down, getting proper sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly. Meditate everyday. Be gentle with ourselves, and loosen our hold on opinions. Stop judging and being overly critical of ourselves and others. It’s a lot of things, but I have found the best way to incorporate them all into my life is to slow down and develop a practice mindfulness. The Buddha said that mindfulness “is the direct path for purification of beings, for overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearing of pain and grief.” There is a lot of anger and pain in the world because there are so many people with unmet needs as basic as compassion and belonging. When these needs are fulfilled, anger dissolves and the seeds of peace take root. But because these needs are so widely unfulfilled, we walk around being mirrors for each other reflecting frustration and despair at feeling so disconnected and misunderstood. It’s no wonder that people can be so rude to one another. We are terribly rude to ourselves and we have come to accept it as normal.
The second step for reducing violence in our lives is to reduce our consumption of violence as much as possible. As we begin to treat ourselves with more compassion, the need to be surrounded with peace and compassion becomes more desirable. A new awareness opens us up to the world, because as we learn to care for ourselves in a positive way, we begin to experience our connection to all things. Countless studies have demonstrated that exposure to depictions of violence causes desensitization and creates a climate of fear. The American Psychiatric Association supported a study in 1998 that determined that by the age of 18 a child will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence.(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12593343) Therefore, it makes sense to limit exposure to or avoid violent programs and activities that promote and desensitize us to violence. Also, I recommend reducing the amount of network news viewing (which “sells” violence as news) and seek alternative news sources. Network news programs have one major flaw in that they are corporations and their ultimate goal is to make a profit, not to offer information to the public. The cost to us is that the “news” we often receive is skewed or manipulated in such a way so that it can be marketed to consumers (us). In a culture of violence, violence and fear is considered selling points. Seek out multiple and alternative sources for information. Support nonprofit and independent news agencies, which don’t have the same pressure to sell news as entertainment as the major networks do. I am not suggesting developing a rose-colored view of the world. It is important to know what is going on in the world, even when it may be something negative, however, it is crucial to get a balance of information. Make room in your life for news and information that is un-sensationalized; look for the positive stories happening around the world--they are out there. In fact, there is more good going on in the world than bad, but in a culture addicted to violence, the good stories are largely ignored.
Also, reducing consumption of materials and the amount of waste we produce, conserving energy, as well as recycling and repurposing are also major factors in reducing violence. Our dependence on material objects has created a demand on the environment that is, frankly, abusive. This abuse has led to a rapid increase in the extinction of species, and to the mistreatment of indigenous people all over the world. A study sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History reported that if present trends continue as they are now, one half of all species of life on earth will be extinct in less than 100 years. (http://www.mysterium.com/extinction.html) One half of all species will be extinct. In less than 100 years! Materialism has led to a worldwide problem concerning waste and the pollution of the air, water, and the earth. We can contribute directly to the reduction of violence to the world by simplifying our needs and cutting back on our over dependence on material things.
The third step we can take to reduce violence is through improving our relationships with the people around us. This step is closely related to the first step, because we can only treat others as well as we treat ourselves. However, we are not living as hermits in the world, we all depend on one another in many aspects—from the food we eat to the shelter over our heads and the clothes we wear—we must be grateful for what other people can provide. Therefore, we can all do with a little practice in gratitude, compassion and kindness for others. Even for those who may not seem worthy of it..
In many ways, our language and behavior toward others is violent. The way we treat people (and the way we are treated in return) can be violent. Most often we are busy and believe we have no time to even greet the person helping us at the service counter, and often the person serving us treats us as an annoyance. What has happened to the connection? I think of a Korean Buddhist proverb that says “to touch sleeves with another person is to have shared 500 lives.” So we are not strangers! It is amazing how different the interaction can be when looking at that person as a long-lost friend. And, what a difference a simple smile can make. Also, we can pay better attention to our language and how we communicate both verbally and through body language. Learning how to effectively communicate through disagreements and conflicts can fundamentally change our relationship with others.
I believe if we begin with these three steps we will make great progress toward reducing violence in the world. One doesn’t need only to launch great campaigns against the ruling powers of the world to affect violence. Once one has learned how to live compassionately with his or herself, with his or her environment, and with the people around him or her, then any action, no matter how small, will be filled with compassion and peace. And like the stone dropped in water, the ripples of compassion and peace spread ever outward.
I think it’s important to be patience with oneself. In the beginning, all I saw was the violence that I had blindly accepted in my life. I felt disappointed in myself, but quickly realized that holding such criticism was violent. Change is a process. It takes time. But it needs to start right now. And as we work to change, we need to remember to look for the beautiful and positive things that are happening in the world. A violent-centered society seeks to hide those things, but if you look you will find them. Find them, cherish them, and share them. Uproot the roots of violence, and nurture the seeds of peace that already live inside you, so they will grow strong and spread to cover the world like a beautiful and loving garden.
A dharma talk given by Do'an in 2004, at the Won Buddhist Temple in Manhattan, NY
Lately, I have been thinking about the role violence has taken in modern culture, and it brought me back to reconnecting with the roots of nonviolence, which I have long been neglecting. I believe my recent reawakening came while watching the presidential debates, after hearing both candidates say that it was a goal of theirs to kill terrorists. Not calls to end terrorism, not even to a call to address the causes of terrorism, but just to kill terrorists. It shook me terribly to know that the policy-makers for our country were so blatantly advocating for the ending of other people’s lives. After the debates, I began to examine the prevalence of violence in our society in a much more critical way than I ever had before. When had our culture become so accepting of violence? Where did it begin? I knew it originated long before the tragedy of 9/11. I didn't have to look very hard to find how pervasive violence has become. It seems lately it is everywhere.
Violence is so pervasive in our culture that most of us don’t even notice it anymore. When I asked other people about the statements the candidates made during the debates, not one person I asked noticed the violence. This disturbed me even further. I realized I had to do something. It wasn’t enough for me to sit and point out every incident of violence I came across. But what could I do? I am only one person, I couldn’t single-handedly stop the conflicts happening everywhere. I spent some time seriously meditating on this, clearing my mind, so I might figure out what I could do. Through my meditation, I realized, I was thinking too broadly about this.
When thinking about violence, most people think of war, violent crime, television and video game violence. But these are only examples of the high-profile violence we have grown accustomed to seeing. These kinds of violence are actually the cumulative results of the smaller more insidious acts of violence that we have allowed—and sometimes even cultivated—in our daily lives, often without awareness.
Violence starts out small and like a stone thrown into water, it ripples out in ever widening circles. Many of our attempts to stop violence, the war on terrorism or the war against drugs, for example, only ends in spreading more violence. This is partly because the methods used to stop the particular violence being used leads to more divisiveness, to more selfishness, and ultimately to retaliation through more violence. However, I believe that despite the methods employed, there is a bigger problem here. Our attempts to stop or quell violence doesn’t work because we are only addressing the symptoms, rather than the source. The only way to end violence is to stop it where it begins.
One doesn’t have to start by launching huge campaigns against war, or against the government policy-makers. There are many people who do wage such campaigns, and as well intentioned as their actions may be, they will do little good, because the roots of violence hasn’t been identified. Ironically, the very people who protest against war, demanding peace, often contribute to the violence through the actions and ways in which the protests are held. How is this possible? Because violence begins within ourselves. If one hasn’t identified the roots of violence he or she is carrying inside, it grows and spreads, touching and polluting everything in their lives.
This isn’t a statement meant to make one defensive. Rather it is a diagnosis, like a doctor describing an illness. After all, the doctor doesn’t blame the patient for having the disease. Violence is the disease we all have become infected with. Fortunately, the prognosis is a good one—pending some much needed lifestyle changes. I believe that it is a natural state for humans to be peaceful and loving. The philosopher, St. Augustine said, “Peace is the quest, nay the hunger of every soul.” Unfortunately, we got lost somewhere along the way, and in the process we have conditioned ourselves away from that natural path toward a culture of violence. I did a lot of reading and meditating, in my quest to come up with answers regarding how to change the roots of violence to seeds of peace. Since I believe that moving away from violence toward peace is a process, I came up with three steps a person can do to begin reducing the amount of violence in the world.
The first step is to treat oneself well. We treat ourselves violently by over working ourselves, piling on demands greater than one person can handle, and ignoring the needs of our bodies and spirit. We can begin by slowing down, getting proper sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly. Meditate everyday. Be gentle with ourselves, and loosen our hold on opinions. Stop judging and being overly critical of ourselves and others. It’s a lot of things, but I have found the best way to incorporate them all into my life is to slow down and develop a practice mindfulness. The Buddha said that mindfulness “is the direct path for purification of beings, for overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearing of pain and grief.” There is a lot of anger and pain in the world because there are so many people with unmet needs as basic as compassion and belonging. When these needs are fulfilled, anger dissolves and the seeds of peace take root. But because these needs are so widely unfulfilled, we walk around being mirrors for each other reflecting frustration and despair at feeling so disconnected and misunderstood. It’s no wonder that people can be so rude to one another. We are terribly rude to ourselves and we have come to accept it as normal.
The second step for reducing violence in our lives is to reduce our consumption of violence as much as possible. As we begin to treat ourselves with more compassion, the need to be surrounded with peace and compassion becomes more desirable. A new awareness opens us up to the world, because as we learn to care for ourselves in a positive way, we begin to experience our connection to all things. Countless studies have demonstrated that exposure to depictions of violence causes desensitization and creates a climate of fear. The American Psychiatric Association supported a study in 1998 that determined that by the age of 18 a child will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence.(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12593343) Therefore, it makes sense to limit exposure to or avoid violent programs and activities that promote and desensitize us to violence. Also, I recommend reducing the amount of network news viewing (which “sells” violence as news) and seek alternative news sources. Network news programs have one major flaw in that they are corporations and their ultimate goal is to make a profit, not to offer information to the public. The cost to us is that the “news” we often receive is skewed or manipulated in such a way so that it can be marketed to consumers (us). In a culture of violence, violence and fear is considered selling points. Seek out multiple and alternative sources for information. Support nonprofit and independent news agencies, which don’t have the same pressure to sell news as entertainment as the major networks do. I am not suggesting developing a rose-colored view of the world. It is important to know what is going on in the world, even when it may be something negative, however, it is crucial to get a balance of information. Make room in your life for news and information that is un-sensationalized; look for the positive stories happening around the world--they are out there. In fact, there is more good going on in the world than bad, but in a culture addicted to violence, the good stories are largely ignored.
Also, reducing consumption of materials and the amount of waste we produce, conserving energy, as well as recycling and repurposing are also major factors in reducing violence. Our dependence on material objects has created a demand on the environment that is, frankly, abusive. This abuse has led to a rapid increase in the extinction of species, and to the mistreatment of indigenous people all over the world. A study sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History reported that if present trends continue as they are now, one half of all species of life on earth will be extinct in less than 100 years. (http://www.mysterium.com/extinction.html) One half of all species will be extinct. In less than 100 years! Materialism has led to a worldwide problem concerning waste and the pollution of the air, water, and the earth. We can contribute directly to the reduction of violence to the world by simplifying our needs and cutting back on our over dependence on material things.
The third step we can take to reduce violence is through improving our relationships with the people around us. This step is closely related to the first step, because we can only treat others as well as we treat ourselves. However, we are not living as hermits in the world, we all depend on one another in many aspects—from the food we eat to the shelter over our heads and the clothes we wear—we must be grateful for what other people can provide. Therefore, we can all do with a little practice in gratitude, compassion and kindness for others. Even for those who may not seem worthy of it..
In many ways, our language and behavior toward others is violent. The way we treat people (and the way we are treated in return) can be violent. Most often we are busy and believe we have no time to even greet the person helping us at the service counter, and often the person serving us treats us as an annoyance. What has happened to the connection? I think of a Korean Buddhist proverb that says “to touch sleeves with another person is to have shared 500 lives.” So we are not strangers! It is amazing how different the interaction can be when looking at that person as a long-lost friend. And, what a difference a simple smile can make. Also, we can pay better attention to our language and how we communicate both verbally and through body language. Learning how to effectively communicate through disagreements and conflicts can fundamentally change our relationship with others.
I believe if we begin with these three steps we will make great progress toward reducing violence in the world. One doesn’t need only to launch great campaigns against the ruling powers of the world to affect violence. Once one has learned how to live compassionately with his or herself, with his or her environment, and with the people around him or her, then any action, no matter how small, will be filled with compassion and peace. And like the stone dropped in water, the ripples of compassion and peace spread ever outward.
I think it’s important to be patience with oneself. In the beginning, all I saw was the violence that I had blindly accepted in my life. I felt disappointed in myself, but quickly realized that holding such criticism was violent. Change is a process. It takes time. But it needs to start right now. And as we work to change, we need to remember to look for the beautiful and positive things that are happening in the world. A violent-centered society seeks to hide those things, but if you look you will find them. Find them, cherish them, and share them. Uproot the roots of violence, and nurture the seeds of peace that already live inside you, so they will grow strong and spread to cover the world like a beautiful and loving garden.
- Published on
by Wonp'ung (Miyo)
If you’re reading this and you’ve attended service recently, you’ve noticed that we have new Liturgy books, which have a little more to them. There’s a lot in the new book that I’ve really enjoyed--a couple of things really stuck out to me:The first is the section about 20 minutes of Zen. It outlines how we can, quite easily, inject 20 minutes of a Zen practice into our day. Not too long ago, I would have thought “I don’t have 20 minutes.” Now, I’m thinking “I can spend 20 less minutes on FaceBook for sure.” This prompted me to add the ritual of 20 minutes of more formal practice at home - something in addition to my daily sit.
In the past this is something that never would have happened - coming from a secular background, and not having grown up going to church, and with parents who heavily mistrusted anything that resembled organized religion, Zen practice as outlined in the liturgy book would have been something I avoided.
Now, here I was, reading up on how to add a more ritualized practice to my day, and coming up with ways to build an altar! (Insert gasp here). The picture above is my home altar: Two candles, and two Buddhas on a window sill. I wasn’t sure at first if this was just too basic…but I’ve been assured it’s fine. Because our old farm house is tight on safe spaces for a permanent home altar, these all get put away in a cool wooden box that I found at a store, and are kept put away until I’m ready to use them again.As of this writing I’ve only been doing this for a week. While I understand where my old misgivings of ritual came from and why my parents (and others) have them, this ritual has become a valuable way for me to create a quiet, sacred space for not only meditation, but for contemplation and practice of the teachings. Going through the motions of getting out my candles and statues, removing my shoes before sitting on the mat, bowing as I light the candles and after blowing them out, all have become physical signals for my brain to adhere to the idea “now, we study.”
Another part of the new Liturgy book that I have appreciated is the section walking us through meal-taking. There are three pre-meal prayers offered in this section which made me happier than I really ever expected to be over something like that. “Saying Grace” is another ritual that the family I grew up with never did and turned up our nose at…but what I really enjoy about these prayers is the acknowledgement of the work and sacrifices made by individuals in bringing the meal to the table--from the person who prepared it, to the farmers who grew the food, the workers who cultivated it, and the drivers who brought the ingredients to the stores, the workers who tended to them, set them up and helped us acquire them. Without any one of those steps, I wouldn’t have the meal that sits before me.
I was so enthusiastic over these prayers and how they are worded, that I’ve made a laminated card to leave in my lunch box so that I may give thanks before taking my meals at work. No one else in my household is a practicing Buddhist, so I won’t be asking them to say the prayer with me, but I do say the prayer in my head before I take my first bites of a meal at home now.
I am truly grateful for these additions to the new Liturgy book! It’s brought some great new additions to my practice, and to my day.
If you’re reading this and you’ve attended service recently, you’ve noticed that we have new Liturgy books, which have a little more to them. There’s a lot in the new book that I’ve really enjoyed--a couple of things really stuck out to me:The first is the section about 20 minutes of Zen. It outlines how we can, quite easily, inject 20 minutes of a Zen practice into our day. Not too long ago, I would have thought “I don’t have 20 minutes.” Now, I’m thinking “I can spend 20 less minutes on FaceBook for sure.” This prompted me to add the ritual of 20 minutes of more formal practice at home - something in addition to my daily sit.
In the past this is something that never would have happened - coming from a secular background, and not having grown up going to church, and with parents who heavily mistrusted anything that resembled organized religion, Zen practice as outlined in the liturgy book would have been something I avoided.
Now, here I was, reading up on how to add a more ritualized practice to my day, and coming up with ways to build an altar! (Insert gasp here). The picture above is my home altar: Two candles, and two Buddhas on a window sill. I wasn’t sure at first if this was just too basic…but I’ve been assured it’s fine. Because our old farm house is tight on safe spaces for a permanent home altar, these all get put away in a cool wooden box that I found at a store, and are kept put away until I’m ready to use them again.As of this writing I’ve only been doing this for a week. While I understand where my old misgivings of ritual came from and why my parents (and others) have them, this ritual has become a valuable way for me to create a quiet, sacred space for not only meditation, but for contemplation and practice of the teachings. Going through the motions of getting out my candles and statues, removing my shoes before sitting on the mat, bowing as I light the candles and after blowing them out, all have become physical signals for my brain to adhere to the idea “now, we study.”
Another part of the new Liturgy book that I have appreciated is the section walking us through meal-taking. There are three pre-meal prayers offered in this section which made me happier than I really ever expected to be over something like that. “Saying Grace” is another ritual that the family I grew up with never did and turned up our nose at…but what I really enjoy about these prayers is the acknowledgement of the work and sacrifices made by individuals in bringing the meal to the table--from the person who prepared it, to the farmers who grew the food, the workers who cultivated it, and the drivers who brought the ingredients to the stores, the workers who tended to them, set them up and helped us acquire them. Without any one of those steps, I wouldn’t have the meal that sits before me.
I was so enthusiastic over these prayers and how they are worded, that I’ve made a laminated card to leave in my lunch box so that I may give thanks before taking my meals at work. No one else in my household is a practicing Buddhist, so I won’t be asking them to say the prayer with me, but I do say the prayer in my head before I take my first bites of a meal at home now.
I am truly grateful for these additions to the new Liturgy book! It’s brought some great new additions to my practice, and to my day.