Four Commonplace Truths: Principles of Engagement

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1 September 8, 2008 UPAYA INSTITUTE and ZEN CENTER Santa Fe, New Mexico Four Commonplace Truths: Principles of Engagement 1. No situation is impossible to change. 2. A communal vision, outstanding strategy, and sustained effort can bring forth positive changes. 3. Everyone can help make a difference. 4. No one is free of responsibility. -Kazauki Tanahashi The Upaya community of guests, residents, and teachers has concluded the month long period of intensive mediation and study. The theme of social action has been present in every teaching of every teacher. Kazauaki Tanahashi, author, artist, and social activist provides the above prescription for action in the Principles of Engagement; four down to earth, nondogmatic observations that state what is possible and what is required to create change. Except for the first one, the principals lay down the hard work for which there is no short cut. Deep thinking, deep listening, humility and intelligence, not to mention sheer endurance are essential for the second. That all can help and that all are responsible to help as stated in number three and four are also high and sober standards to meet. But it is the first one that is wildly hopeful and holds up the possibility of breaking apart the most intransigent of human difficulties. Breakthrough can happen, political stalemate can dissolve, concrete walls do come down. But what is breakthrough? Kazuaki defines it as: "..a sudden and overwhelming unfolding of freedom from long-held limitations. Breakthrough makes what seems impossible possible." He points out, in "Ten Laws of Breakthrough" that although it may or may not happen, the chances can be increased through focused and sustained effort. This sounds like the practice of zazen or calligraphy, and what appears to be the unique flowering in

2 American zen of Engaged Buddhism which seeks to make positive change where change seems most impossible. As the 7th law of breakthrough states: "the more forces are combined, the larger is the chance for breakthrough." Here is the encouragement we need for everyone to help and be responsible. etsudo THIS WEEK AT UPAYA - DHARMA TALK, September 10, 2008, 5:30pm. Merle Lefkoff. Topic to be announced. SPECIAL INVITATION 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 own transportation 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. UPAYA FLOOD DONORS - Potential flood waters have been held off by the marvelous flood work that so many of you have

3 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: ZAZENKAI Sep 27, Beate Seishin Stolte Payment for meals only. Donation to teachers and Upaya. For registration and 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. 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 deep learning and practice. For

4 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 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 Applicants. A visionary chaplaincy program for those serving our

5 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 METTA COUNClL - "NEW" OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER WITH COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS AT UPAYA Compassionate Friends at Upaya is a new program started in the Spring of 2008, it provides spiritual companionship to people living with a life changing illness and those approaching the end of life. This encompasses home visits, institutional visits, phone communication and support, and the sharing of contemplative practices and perspectives around living with an illness and approaching the end of life. Engaging with this work offers each of us the opportunity to explore the meaning of death in our own lives, and develop an approach to death that is kind, open and dignified. In learning to be with dying, it is possible that we can see death and know life in terms of compassion and awakening. In gently caring for the dying we can more peacefully and wisely care for the living and for life itself. A new round of training for volunteers, will begin in October 2008, if you are interested in engaging with this rewarding work please Jean Wilkins at jean@upaya.org to receive an application form, please put in the subject line of the "Volunteer Application". Application forms will also be available at the front desk of Upaya. I look forward to working with you in the near future. Jean Wilkins,Co-odinator Metta Refuge and Compassionate Friends. jean@upaya.org, phone , ext. 22. Every Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon, there is a meeting for people who are ill, their caregivers, hospice volunteers, nurses, and anyone interested in exploring issues around sickness, aging

6 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: 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: PRISON OUTREACH PROJECT "For decades I had a practice of zazen on and off, mostly off due to my chemical addiction. It feels so natural to return to it. I imagine that had I maintained such a practice before my arrest I would not be writing you from behind bars now." 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:

7 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 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

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