re. religion and spirituality.com!
Posted on Nov 24th, 2006
by 
jhalifax
jhalifax
from lynne bundeson, with thanks to you, lynne.
www.religionandspirituality.com
Sorry for stealing all your material but it was so lovely I couldn't resist.....and think it works well--did give you credit of course.
Transform the world without a sound
Column: Interesting Times
Lynne Bundesen
ReligionAndSpirituality.com
November 24, 2006
The sound of the stream is his long, broad tongue;
The mountain form, his body.
This evening's 84,000 verses —
How will I tell them tomorrow?
— Su Tung-p'o
The time of stress is upon us. Holidays bring mixed blessings. A Buddhist retreat may be the answer.
"As we move into the fall, the skies are vast, and the community is full, strong, and clear. I am very much looking forward to sitting with many of you during Rohatsu Sesshin this winter, December 1-8, the sesshin that marks the enlightenment of the Buddha. This is a deep time of practice, a time where we enter the wondrous darkness of winter and look inwardly to the truth of the existence of our own Buddha Nature and the awakened nature of all beings," says Roshi Joan Halifax in a weekly newsletter from Upaya — the mountain Zen center in Santa Fe, N.M.
Offer the color red, paint it
on the world with breath risen
from the ashes of hate and grief.
Offer words.
Write understanding of earth,
of small foxes curled up under trees,
of bears visiting night orchards for apples.
Offer heart, lungs, legs, breasts,
the varied brocade of years,
substance
of all that's been.
— Cynthia West, "Sunrise in the Valley"
Adding to West's poetry, Roshi Joan writes: "We are enjoying days of open skies, clear night stars, and a bright sun that eases the autumn chill. Over the weekend we basked in this warmth during our Zazenkai daylong retreat, enjoying outdoor walking meditation, allowing the sun to soak into our bodies. This week we welcome the practice of collective gratitude into our lives. So often we sink into a cycle of discontent, caught into looking only through the lenses of unsatisfactoriness.
"We can use our cultural observance of Thanksgiving as an invitation to gain perspective — to step back from the day-to-day annoyances that can trap our minds and hearts into believing that we lack what is necessary to enjoy life. Freedom is our birthright. What more do we need? Gratitude practice can wake us up to this truth. In realizing our great bounty, we are able to share freely and joyously with all beings.
"As our dear friend Brother David Steindl-Rast teaches us, the simple but profound act of consciously being grateful for something different every day can be life-changing. Indeed, it can change our world. We wish you deep joy and the blessings of gratitude this Thanksgiving."
In the spring, cherry blossoms.
in the summer the cuckoo.
In autumn the moon.
In winter the snow, clear, cold.
— Zen Master Dogen
And, Roshi Joan from another newsletter: "A great moon shines over the eastern valley of Santa Fe. A few gold leaves have not given themselves over to earth as fall advances. In Zen, this full moon reminds us of the bonds of awakening. The presence of autumn gives us a sense of the truth of impermanence. This life is so fleeting; this earth so imperiled; our opportunity to serve and practice so precious.
"The Zen Ancestor Dogen with his clear words above carries the spirit of sitting in stillness in the zendo, working in a simple way with one's hands, as well as giving ourselves over to the Great Matter of life and death. The simplicity of his poem and the big sky above clear and beautiful Santa Fe remind us of 'things just as they are,' including the coming and going of the seasons and their pure mark of thusness in our lives."
Endless river sands,
sparse fall grass-
dusk bringing snow
to the mountains.
— Chia Tao
Moving into the period of the enlightenment of the Buddha, Roshi Joan says: "Santa Fe is cradled by the snow-peaked Sangre de Cristo mountains — winter making her approach known to us. As the days grow shorter and the cold deeper, our hearth fires at Upaya burn brighter. Apple cider and granola are cooking in the kitchen, and the season is drawing us inward into the heart of the community and the heart of practice. Just as surely as the trees have let go their leaves, we prepare for a season of letting go into the freedom of deep, concentrated practice, in the company of our dear sangha."
Now, do you still want to drive from here to there to shop, then cook, address cards and juggle holiday schedules?
For more on Upaya, Roshi Joan Halifax and programs, see the Upaya Zen Center website and check out some photos at Flickr.com. And finally, listen to the podcast.
— — —
Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion and was adjunct professor at the Boston Theological Institute under a Templeton Science and Religion Grant. She is a three-time winner of the Religion in Media Award for her syndicated column on religion and is currently the spiritual expert for the physical and spiritual health website of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her email address is lynnebundesen@hotmail.com. © copyright 2006 by Lynne Bundesen
www.religionandspirituality.com
Sorry for stealing all your material but it was so lovely I couldn't resist.....and think it works well--did give you credit of course.
Transform the world without a sound
Column: Interesting Times
Lynne Bundesen
ReligionAndSpirituality.com
November 24, 2006
The sound of the stream is his long, broad tongue;
The mountain form, his body.
This evening's 84,000 verses —
How will I tell them tomorrow?
— Su Tung-p'o
The time of stress is upon us. Holidays bring mixed blessings. A Buddhist retreat may be the answer.
"As we move into the fall, the skies are vast, and the community is full, strong, and clear. I am very much looking forward to sitting with many of you during Rohatsu Sesshin this winter, December 1-8, the sesshin that marks the enlightenment of the Buddha. This is a deep time of practice, a time where we enter the wondrous darkness of winter and look inwardly to the truth of the existence of our own Buddha Nature and the awakened nature of all beings," says Roshi Joan Halifax in a weekly newsletter from Upaya — the mountain Zen center in Santa Fe, N.M.
Offer the color red, paint it
on the world with breath risen
from the ashes of hate and grief.
Offer words.
Write understanding of earth,
of small foxes curled up under trees,
of bears visiting night orchards for apples.
Offer heart, lungs, legs, breasts,
the varied brocade of years,
substance
of all that's been.
— Cynthia West, "Sunrise in the Valley"
Adding to West's poetry, Roshi Joan writes: "We are enjoying days of open skies, clear night stars, and a bright sun that eases the autumn chill. Over the weekend we basked in this warmth during our Zazenkai daylong retreat, enjoying outdoor walking meditation, allowing the sun to soak into our bodies. This week we welcome the practice of collective gratitude into our lives. So often we sink into a cycle of discontent, caught into looking only through the lenses of unsatisfactoriness.
"We can use our cultural observance of Thanksgiving as an invitation to gain perspective — to step back from the day-to-day annoyances that can trap our minds and hearts into believing that we lack what is necessary to enjoy life. Freedom is our birthright. What more do we need? Gratitude practice can wake us up to this truth. In realizing our great bounty, we are able to share freely and joyously with all beings.
"As our dear friend Brother David Steindl-Rast teaches us, the simple but profound act of consciously being grateful for something different every day can be life-changing. Indeed, it can change our world. We wish you deep joy and the blessings of gratitude this Thanksgiving."
In the spring, cherry blossoms.
in the summer the cuckoo.
In autumn the moon.
In winter the snow, clear, cold.
— Zen Master Dogen
And, Roshi Joan from another newsletter: "A great moon shines over the eastern valley of Santa Fe. A few gold leaves have not given themselves over to earth as fall advances. In Zen, this full moon reminds us of the bonds of awakening. The presence of autumn gives us a sense of the truth of impermanence. This life is so fleeting; this earth so imperiled; our opportunity to serve and practice so precious.
"The Zen Ancestor Dogen with his clear words above carries the spirit of sitting in stillness in the zendo, working in a simple way with one's hands, as well as giving ourselves over to the Great Matter of life and death. The simplicity of his poem and the big sky above clear and beautiful Santa Fe remind us of 'things just as they are,' including the coming and going of the seasons and their pure mark of thusness in our lives."
Endless river sands,
sparse fall grass-
dusk bringing snow
to the mountains.
— Chia Tao
Moving into the period of the enlightenment of the Buddha, Roshi Joan says: "Santa Fe is cradled by the snow-peaked Sangre de Cristo mountains — winter making her approach known to us. As the days grow shorter and the cold deeper, our hearth fires at Upaya burn brighter. Apple cider and granola are cooking in the kitchen, and the season is drawing us inward into the heart of the community and the heart of practice. Just as surely as the trees have let go their leaves, we prepare for a season of letting go into the freedom of deep, concentrated practice, in the company of our dear sangha."
Now, do you still want to drive from here to there to shop, then cook, address cards and juggle holiday schedules?
For more on Upaya, Roshi Joan Halifax and programs, see the Upaya Zen Center website and check out some photos at Flickr.com. And finally, listen to the podcast.
— — —
Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion and was adjunct professor at the Boston Theological Institute under a Templeton Science and Religion Grant. She is a three-time winner of the Religion in Media Award for her syndicated column on religion and is currently the spiritual expert for the physical and spiritual health website of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her email address is lynnebundesen@hotmail.com. © copyright 2006 by Lynne Bundesen
Access: Public
buddhism
July 2008 