Meditation is not a means to an end. It is both the means and the end. Krishnamurti

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1 February 11, 2008 UPAYA INSTITUTE ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico Meditation is not a means to an end. It is both the means and the end. Krishnamurti COMMUNITY Although it is too soon for the robins to nest, flocks of them have been arriving for weeks. Their calls and the sound of dripping water floats through open windows of the zendo. Old snow gives way to stretches of deep, sticky mud. Yesterday a crew of residents went down to the river to clear out the nonnative elms that grab too much water from the cottonwoods. But in spite of some warming, winter still holds fast, especially at night when mud and water freeze back into rock-hard ground and slick ice, Careful! Since the daily schedule has returned to the normal round of meditationwork-eat-sleep, residents have had time to spend an hour practicing ritual, in this case the gassho, the bow of respect we use so frequently. Fingers are pressed together and the hands are held fist distance from the face and just opposite the nose. The arms are held horizontally with elbows out, and feet are together, or fist distance apart. This is Part One. Next, the whole assemblage bends over at the hips in a 45 degree angle, and then to finish, the arms, head, chest rise as a unit back to the original standing position: beginning, middle and end. These rituals are a deep and interesting part of practice and they never fails to rouse a spectrum of resistance, tolerance, curiosity and devotion. Not only do these customs come from a radically different time and culture than ours, their strict requirements irritate our modern sense of personal autonomy. To bow to another person, ideology, or institution seems deeply undemocratic, and yet we perform this bow countless times every day. This creates a rich and fruitful dilemma for us to ponder. Beata Stolte, the Vice Abbot of Upaya, commented in our seminar that Soto Zen, more than other forms of Buddhism, is quite scripted and defined in its outer forms, but at the heart of its practice, the individual is left to confront the vast, unwieldy nature of mind with little guidance. Zen students can

2 spend years wandering in this wilderness. And there is a wisdom to this, she explained. Ultimately practitioners have to teach themselves to find a way through their own experience. During this difficult work, strict form might actually provide supportive structure. This daily practice of the gassho gives us plenty of opportunity to find our way through the experience of ritual. In time, each of us can make the passage from regarding ceremony as an annoying external requirement, to seeing in it a useful internal discipline, and perhaps eventually to embodying it as a slow dance, a shared community experience of beauty and oneness. We can face another, eyes meet, and then we bow as one in recognition of our true unity. For more about the meaning and history of ritual, see the spring '08 issue of Buddhadharma, "Rethinking Ritual," a review by Norman Fischer of the book Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Buddhist Theory in Practice, ed. Steven Heine and Dale S. Wright. Wednesday, February 13th DHARMA TALK at 5:30pm in the zendo will be given by Beate Stolte, entitled "The Content of Consciousness." Saturday, February 16TH, ZAZENKI lead by Beate Stolte. This daylong silent meditation begins at 6am and ends at 8:15pm. The cost is $35 for meals and we ask for dana, or a donation, for the teacher. We sit two periods in the morning and have a Zen service, followed by temple cleaning and breakfast. We have an hour of work practice and then we meet in the temple for zazen and hold a noon service before lunch. After lunch there is a rest period, zazen,and a dharma talk. At 5:30 we sit before dinner until 6:30, and then we sit for an hour after dinner ending the evening with chanting the four bodhisattva vows. Please join us for the day of deep and silent practice. If there are any other questions you may have, please do let us know by calling the office: or ing temple@upaya.org. Sunday, February 17th MEDITATION INSTRUCTION from Jisen Mcfarland will lead meditation instruction which will be followed by meditation at 12:20 and then lunch at 1PM. We explore Zendo Etiquette, Posture Instruction, Meditation Instruction, Walking Meditation, and more. All those interested should call the office to sign up at , or temple@upaya.org. Please give us your name, phone number, and/or . The meditation instruction is by donation and all are welcome to attend. If you would like to join the residents for

3 lunch, we ask for a donation of $15, though no one is turned away for lack of funds. Please let us know if you plan on staying. ================ >> DATE CHANGES FOR MARCH AND APRIL EVENTS - CANCELLATION of The Non-Dual Dimension of Life, scheduled for March Matt Flickstein. - Zazenkai will be held on April 12th (originally scheduled for April 5th) - Introduction to Chaplaincy will happen April 2-10 (originally scheduled for April 4-10) - Thinking Like a System is now scheduled for April 3-6 (originally scheduled for April 10-13) ================= >>SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Roshi Joan is in need of a vehicle and she would love to find a donated 4WD Forrunner, X-Terra, or pick-up truck that can get her reliably up to Prajna and around town. The Toyota is no longer viable, so even a sedan on loan for local errands would be WONDERFUL. Please call or with any helpful ideas. ================ >>UPCOMING RETREATS February 28 March 2, 2008 THE JOURNEY WITHIN WOMEN S RETREAT WITH SURYA LITTLE & ELESA COMMERCE at Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico Come immerse yourself in a women s retreat with master teachers Surya Little and Elesa Commerse as we journey within to the land of selfblessing. Everyday you will be guided in therapeutic, restorative asana and will learn meditative techniques for self-renewal. Our time together will be punctuated with infusions from the natural world: Japanese flower arranging, Japanese tea ceremony and releasing our cares and concerns to the waters at 10,000 Waves. Reserve your space early and begin to look forward to activating your Inner Resource. Thursday, Friday, Saturday 9am 12pm and 1:30 4:30; Sunday, 9am 12pm. TUITION: $595.00; does not include meals and accommodations at the waters at 10,000 Waves. REGISTRATION: please call Prajna Yoga directly at

4 April 03, April 06, 2008 THINKING LIKE A SYSTEM: How to Intervene in a System for Social Change Merle Lefkoff, Ph.D, John Goekler For many of us, the greatest challenges to living our principles arise in the social systems of which we are a part, such as our families, communities and work places. This training blends complexity science and Buddhist principles to guide our interventions in these systems to foster positive social change. Drawing on emerging work in physics, neuroscience, biology and systems dynamics, we examine how the alignment of spiritual practice with science can open space for joyous collaboration and creativity, and give deeper meaning to all our endeavours. Tuition (Members): $ Tuition (Non-Members): $ More details: Required for Chaplaincy. Plus lodging. Dana to teachers. To register, call Upaya at or upaya@upaya.org April 12, 2008 ZAZENKAI Beate Seishin Stolte, Jean Wilkins A day-long silent meditation retreat provides us with the experience of deep periods of uninterrupted meditation. We do sitting and walking meditation throughout the day, one hour of work practice, three informal meals and dharma talk in the afternoon. Interviews with the teachers. Meditation instruction is available for those new to practice. Payment for meals only. Donation to teachers and Upaya. If there are any other questions you may have, please do let us know by calling the office: or ing temple@upaya.org BEING WITH DYING trainings: April 25 - May 2, July 10-13, October 1-5. Early registration is advised. This revolutionary and practical training program for health care professionals gives essential tools for work with dying people and their families. Designed for physicians, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, and clergy, the training covers core issues related to dying, death, and grieving; ethical issues in end-of-life care; community building around dying persons and relationship-centered care; cross-cultural and family concerns around religion and ethnicity; approaches to psychological and spiritual care of the dying; the relationship between pain and suffering; peri-death phenomena; and care of the caregiver. Over the years, this program has been a key resource for hundreds of health care professionals in the U.S., Canada, and Europe who are dedicated to transforming the environment around dying. For more information please call the office at

5 , or visit the website at May 05, May 11, 2008 MOUNTAIN AND MONASTERY SESSHIN Roshi Joan Halifax, Roshi Enkyo O?Hara, Marty Peale This is the practice of the Ancients who revered the great mountains. It is a time of deep solitude with Roshis Joan and Enkyo at remote Prajna Mountain Forest Refuge. Sitting, mountain walking, exploring Buddhism and bioregion with environmentalist Marty Peale, accommodations are camping; food is simple; mountains are high, clear and accessible from the Refuge. Utter simplicity of practice. Daily zazen, simple liturgy and dharma talks. Shared transportation to Refuge. Roshi Joan Halifax is Abbot, Upaya Zen Center; Roshi Enkyo O Hara is Abbot of Village Zendo; Marty Peale is an environmentalist and teacher. Tuition (Members): $ Tuition (Non- Members): $ Includes dormitory at Upaya (upgrade available) and camping at Refuge. Registration is limited to 12. Please call office to be placed on waiting list upon reaching our maximum. Thank you. Dana to teachers. May 22, 2008 May 25, 2008 LIBERATION THROUGH YOGA AND BUDDHISM Richard Freeman, Roshi Joan Halifax This powerful and rare retreat brings together Yoga and Buddhism with two master teachers in a radical approach to healing and liberating body and mind. Richard Freeman, a renowned teacher of Ashtanga yoga in the tradition of K. Pattabhi Jois, integrates yoga practice with Dharma. Roshi Joan, Abbot of Upaya Zen Center, explores the shared principles of yoga and Buddhism through dharma exchanges with Richard in the evenings. The spirit of yoga and Buddhism is realized in a retreat setting that includes five hours of guided yoga practice, evening talks, two hours of meditation, and silence. Call , visit the website upaya@upaya.org for more information. Tuition (Members): $ Tuition (Non-Members): $ More details: Plus lodging. Dana to teachers. Jun 26, 2008 Jul 06, 2008 WILDERNESS FAST AND COMPASSIONATE ACTION Roshi Joan Halifax, Marty Peale A time for deep practice and a rite of passage, participants enter the wilderness in solitude and fasting to see how to bring forward greater energy and depth in their lives to serve others. Preparations include

6 intensive teachings, interviews, meditation, and council. A basecamp is established at Prajna Mountain Forest Refuge. From there, participants find a natural refuge where they spend four days alone and fasting. In the vastness of the mountains and sky, we hope to discover how to bring wisdom and compassion forward to actualize compassion in the world. Tuition (Members): $ Tuition (Non-Members): $ More details: Plus lodging. Dana to teacher. Registration limited to 12 participants. Contact Upaya for application prior to registration. Phone: or upaya@upaya.org ================ ENGAGED BUDDHISM METTA COUNClL - Living with Illness Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon--a weekly group for people who are ill, their partners, caregivers, hospice volunteers, nurses, and anyone interested in exploring issues around living, sickness aging and death. Beginning around 12:05 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. the group engages in contemplative writing. This is not a writing group per se but rather an alternative way of exploring what is alive for people in the moment. No previous writing experience is needed, just a willingness to be fully present. Please call Jean at or jean@upaya.org for more information. PRISON OUTREACH PROJECT Volunteers in the Prison Outreach Project offer weekly mindfulness instruction classes in three correctional facilities: Central New Mexico Adult Correctional Facility, Santa Fe Youth Development Facility, and the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility. These classes provide inmates with a way to reduce the stress of their time in prison and to encourage a shift in thought and behavior patterns away from violence and harming. Studies show that this training reduces violent behavior among inmates as well as between inmates and corrections staff, preparing them to re-enter society without relapsing into addiction and ending back in prison. Persons interested in working inside with prison residents are warmly welcomed. Volunteers may choose to train and work in the Santa Fe County Youth Development Center or in the SF County Adult Detention Center. There is a defined training program, in which a volunteer works as a co-facilitator with a trainer at weekly group meetings. Volunteers who choose to work with youths are invited to contact Susan Benjamin at ArtTherapy@aol.com; those who desire to work with groups of adult inmates should contact Ray Olson at nanrayols@aol.com. A volunteer commitment of several months to one year s services is requested.

7 Since the first of this year, a number of inmates from around the country have written asking for information about meditation or Zen practice. Several of these inmates have requested participation in our Pen-Pal Program which provides information about spiritual practice, meditation and Zen practice, and assistance in setting up a Buddhist meditation group in their prison. In the past eighteen months, 15 volunteer Sangha members have engaged in correspondence with prison residents. The hypermasculine ethos of prison life often makes sharing personal thoughts and feelings with another man taboo, so we are especially in need of female volunteers for the Pen-Pal Program as some inmates feel much more comfortable talking about their inner feelings of anger and isolated loneliness with a woman. If you would like to participate as a volunteer in the Pen-Pal program, please call Ray at 505/ or him at nanrayols@aol.com ================ PATH OF SERVICE AT UPAYA Dear Friends. Upaya is very happy to let you know that we have once again opened up our powerful Path of Service program - living in a practice community with people for three months to a year in the historic east valley of Santa Fe, New Mexico; having the precious opportunity to receive teachings from our Roshi and many other extraordinary teachers, weekly seminars and dharma talks, dokusan and retreats, and the deep joy of living in community; this is in exchange for serving all the many beings who come through our doors every day. If you are interested, or know of someone who might be interested, please let Yushin know (pos@upaya.org ). Path of Service candidates must have a deep appreciation of practice and community, and be physically and mentally healthy. You can find more information and the requirements for this program on our website, as well as the application form. We are looking forward to you! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Upaya is always grateful for a helping hand. We have volunteer opportunities in the office, kitchen, and housekeeping, and there is the possibility of earning retreat credit (up to 80% of the total cost of a retreat) for hours volunteered. If you are interested, please call Roberta at ext. 2 or registrar@upaya.org ROSHI JOAN HALIFAX ON THE WEB Roshi Joan discusses dharma, offers koanic poetry, considers the works of Ken Wilber, William Irwin Thompson, and Francisco Varela, and brings us into her lifestream. To find out more, go to This complements her Flickr photo site, where she constantly adds new photos of current Upaya happenings, as well as some great archival photos of her life. * The Chinese filmmaker Kam Sung has made a fascinating and visually poetic account of Roshi Joan in Tibet and her teachings, which you can view here:

8 video.google.com/videoplay This is a low-resolution video; a high-resolution version on DVD will be available shortly, which you can order from Upaya. Roshi's new book, Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death. It can be pre-ordered from Amazon: The book is a powerful exploration of nearly 40 years of contemplative work with dying people. Her 6-CD series on Being with Dying (from Sounds True Audio) is now available. Call to order. Also, the Upaya bookstore has a number of Roshi's dharma talks on DVD, including one with Brother David. We are happy to make this wonderful series available to you. Please call the front office for titles and ordering. -- If you do not want to receive any more newsletters, this link To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visit this link Forward a Message to Someone this link No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: / Virus Database: / Release Date: 09/02/ :54 AM

February 4, UPAYA INSTITUTE ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico

February 4, UPAYA INSTITUTE ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico February 4, 2008 UPAYA INSTITUTE ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico 505-986-8518 upaya@upaya.org www.upaya.org In 1978 when I was eating 150 calories a day and weighed 80 pounds, no one knew to call it anorexia...