September 1, 2008 UPAYA INSTITUTE and ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico

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1 September 1, 2008 UPAYA INSTITUTE and ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico Does not this whole notion of nonviolence imply a change in human nature? And does history at any time record such a change? Emphatically it does. Many an individual has turned from the mean, personal, acquisitive point of view to one that sees society as a whole and works for its benefit. If there has been such a change in one person, there can be the same change in many. -Mohandas Gandhi The art of Peace is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On occasion the voice of peace resounds like thunder, jolting human beings out of their stupor. -Morihei Ueshiba Ango intensifies during sesshin in these last days of summer. The rain pounds as Kazauki Tanahashi and Roshi Joan Halifax talk about Dogen and social action during afternoon teisho. Kaz's simple and most difficult question is "how do we stop violence without violence?" and part of his answer is that we need to listen and think very deeply in the context of each situation as there are no set answers. He spoke of his teacher, Morihei Ueshiba, the renowned Japanese Akido Master who during class, would invite students to attack him and then they would end up on the floor without knowing what had happened. Ueshiba sat unperturbed. Here too is part of the answer of how to meet violence: with stillness, extreme calm, and clarity of mind. Ango gives us a marvelous opportunity to do this work. We sit on the cushion, hour after hour, meeting our minds, letting aggression and confusion fall to the floor. And if we can learn to do this within, then we can do this without in our work, our relationships, and our social action in the world. etsudo

2 THIS WEEK AT UPAYA - DHARMA TALK, September 3, 2008; 5:30pm. Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi and Beate Seishin Stolte. Topic: "Dogen's Koans for Social Action" UPAYA FLOOD DONORS - Potential flood waters have been held off by the marvelous flood work that so many of you have supported. We are nearer than before, but still $20,00 short of our goal. Please support the flood project to preserve the life and beauty of Upaya. And MANY THANKS for the generous help of: Barry Hershey, Jeff Ballowe, Christine Mauro, Fran Colleti, Anna Lenartowicz, Caroline Law, Andrea Sutherland, Eric Von Horstman, Mark Ferguson, Carol W. Wu, Kim Smith, Ann Down, Sphere Single, LLC, Roberta Learner, Anne B. Pedersen, Holly Terry, Marie- Elizabeth Mali, Jennifer rice, Brian Ziegler, Noland Thuss, Andrew R. Lefette, MD, Patrick Rentsch, Jane Faysash, Santra A. Lusk, Joy Stocke, Susan Benjamin, Kristen Robertson, Dr. James Austin, anonymous, Harriet Crosby, Barry Hershey, Anthony Favello, American Indian Institute Inc., Gretta Thomas, Canice Garth, Howard Schwartz, Unity Church of Santa Fe, Russell Targ, Suzanne Garney, Cathy Anne Rose, Margaret Minevini, Rita Schwartz, Vincent Dopulos, Clare Rhoades, Susan Dean, Chris Ford, John O Hern, Sascha M. Rockefeller UPCOMING UPAYA RETREATS and PROGRAMS: SUMMER PRACTICE PERIOD and PROGRAMS: Essence of Engaged Buddhism. Aug. 6 - Sept. 7, '08. Roshi Joan Halifax, Roshi Bernie Glassman, Sensei Fleet Maull, Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi, Natalie Goldberg and others. BREAKTHROUGH WITH THE BRUSH: Art and Social Action. Sep Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi. For registration and details: ZAZENKAI Sep 27, Beate Seishin Stolte Payment for meals only. Donation to teachers and Upaya. For registration and details:

3 PRAJNA MOUNTAIN FOREST REFUGE WORK RETREAT: October 1-21 You are welcome to join Roshi Joan, Peg Murray and Marty Peale and some Upaya residents who will be preparing the Forest Refuge for the winter. We will be winterizing cabins, doing fuel abatement in the forests, and if we have enough carpenters, building a small bathhouse. Samu will last from four to six hours a day. There will be simple meals, some zazen, gorgeous brisk days and good friends. People with the following skills, please contact Peg: carpentry, plastering, cooks, chainsawing, lovers of good respectful work. One needs to enjoy working in a team and be responsible, physically and mentally very healthy, and have a love of wilderness. You may join us from one to three weeks or for shorter periods. Accommodations are in simple dorm style cabins or camping; food simple and vegetarian--no bathing facilities per se. We would prefer you provide your owntransportation to the Refuge. The Refuge is in the high Sangre de Cristo mountains southeast of Taos, directly east of el Valle and Truchas, near the San Leonardo lakes. It is a remarkable high altitude valley of forests, meadows, and wetlands that is stewarded by Upaya. Please contact Peg Murray (peggy@upaya.org)with your skills and available dates and she'll respond with details. DATE CHANGE: LIVING WITH ILLNESS: The Nature of Change and Transformation. October 6, Roshi Joan Halifax (when available), Susan Benjamin, Jean Wilkins. Donation to teachers and Upaya. For registration and program details: ZAZENKAI - Oct 12, Beate Seishin Stolte Payment for meals only. Donation to teachers and Upaya. For registration and details: FALL PRACTICE PERIOD - EXPLORING RESILIENCE & THE COMPASSIONATE LIFE. October 24 - November 9, Roshi Joan Halifax, Sensei Zoketsu Norman Fisher, Sharon Salzberg, Jim Gollin, Beate Seishin Stolte, Jean Wilkins, Ani Tenzin Palmo.

4 Compassion has many faces revealing themselves when we see life as a journey to awakening for the benefit of all beings. Join us with these dynamic teachers for and deep learning and practice. For registration and more information on individual programs, see: 1. SESSHIN: TO STUDY THE MIND. Oct.24, Oct 30, Beate Seishin Stolte, Jean Wilkins, talk by Roshi Norman Fischer. For registration and information, click on: 2. SAILING HOME: Using the Widsom of Homer's Odyssey to Navigate your Spiritual Journey. Oct. 31-Nov. 02, Roshi Norman Fischer. For registration and information: 3. MANI RIMDU FESTIVAL IN NEPAL. Oct 31, - Nov 19, Carroll Dunham, Thomas Kelly. For information and registration: 4. POLITICS AND COMPASSION ELECTION RETREAT: Buddhist Perspectives on Democracy and the Environment. November 4-6th, Roshi Joan Halifax, Jim Gollin. For registration and information: COMPASSION AND RESILIENCE: Transforming Secondary Trauma and Compassion Fatigue. Nov 07 - Nov 09, 2008 Sharon Salzberg, Roshi Joan Halifax. For information and registration: SAVE THIS DATE IN NOVEMBER Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 4:00pm - Ani Tenzin Palmo Gives Dharma Talk at Upaya. Hold this time and place for this special Dharma Talk given by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo who is embarking on her last visit to the United States fundraising for her nunnery, Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery. Her talk will be "The Value of Contemplative Life" and is free and open to the public. ENGAGED BUDDHISM: ONGOING PROGRAMS at UPAYA UPAYA BUDDHIST CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM Invites New

5 Applicants. A visionary chaplaincy program for those serving our imperiled world: Two-year certificate program founded in Buddhist teachings and systems thinking Training paths in End-of-life Care, Prison Ministry, Peacemaking, Environmental Ministry, Interfaith and Multi-faith Ministry, and Women s Ministry 2009 faculty includes Roshi Joan Halifax, Fleet Maull, Daniel Siegel, Richard Davidson, Stephen Batchelor, and many more. Applicants now being accepted for 2009 Cohort. For More info: or chaplaincy@upaya.org UPAYA'S RESIDENTIAL PATH OF SERVICE Live in a practice community for three months to a year in the historic east valley of Santa Fe, New Mexico; enjoy and learn from the precious opportunity to receive teachings from our Roshi and many other extraordinary teachers; hear weekly seminars and dharma talks; attend dokusan and retreats, and experience the deep joy of living in community. All of 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 at: 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 for this rare opportunity on our website, as well as the application form. Click here for more information: METTA COUNClL - Living with Illness Announcing the New Metta Refuge Program - Upaya is pleased to announce a new support service - "Compassionate Friends," in which trained volunteers will be available to support those living with an illness and also as the end of life approaches. If you know of anyone, or you feel that you need this level of support, please contact Jean Wilkins at jean@upaya.org or phone , extension 22. She will talk with you and help you implement a plan for your support. Every Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon, there is a meeting

6 for people who are ill, their caregivers, hospice volunteers, nurses, and anyone interested in exploring issues around sickness, aging and death. Beginning around 12:05 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. the group engages in contemplative writing as a way to explore what is alive for people in the moment. No writing experience is needed, just a willingness to be fully present. Please call Jean at or for more information: jean@upaya.org For more details: PRISON OUTREACH PROJECT Last week an inmate in Pennsylvania wrote, "I committed a horrendous crime: I took a man's life, with no reason whatsoever. Recently I heard bits and pieces of Buddhist teachings from other inmates. It intrigued me, but I did not learn as much as I had hoped. Since my arrest, I have come to feel against harming others, be it mentally or physically, man or animal. I've begun to try to see the deeper purpose of living creatures. I've tried meditation, and I've begun to feel happy for the first time in my life." Please help! We have 4 inmates waiting for volunteers to step forward. If interested, write Ray Olson at: nanrayols@aol.com. Volunteers also offer instruction in meditation, yoga, and conversation from the heart which leads to problem solving. Susan Benjamin, who works with juvenile offenders needs volunteers to go into the facility with her for one to two hours a week to offer meditation and a creative process to these young men, ages years. Contact Susan at ArtTherapy@aol.com and for more details see: ROSHI JOAN: ANNOUNCEMENTS and EVENTS Dharma Vortrag in Basel: Roshi Joan will be giving a talk in Basel, Switzerland on Sept.11th. The title is: Lucky dark - Wisdom and Compassion in our time. For more information, please contact: Iris at ROSHI JOAN HALIFAX ON THE WEB Roshi Joan discusses dharma, offers koans, poetry, considers the works of Ken Wilber, William Irwin Thompson, and Francisco Varela at jhalifax.gaia.com/blog

7 This complements her photosight: 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. A high-resolution version on DVD is now available from Upaya. at upaya@upaya.org or call to order. Roshi's new book, Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death can be preordered from Amazon: tinyurl.com/2ullul The book is a powerful exploration of nearly 40 years of contemplative work with dying people. Roshi Joan's 6-CD series on Being with Dying (from Sounds True Audio) is now available. Call to order or upaya@upaya.org 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 or upaya@upaya.org -- If you do not want to receive any more newsletters, visit this link

Four Commonplace Truths: Principles of Engagement

September 8, 2008 UPAYA INSTITUTE and ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico 505-986-8518 www.upaya.org upaya@upaya.org Four Commonplace Truths: Principles of Engagement 1. No situation is impossible to change.