Notes

With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,

The week is beginning with a wonderful cool breeze coming across the desert. I am listening as the washer and drier do their various activities. I can hear the fountain in the garden. Its soft, nearly melodic sound is eclipsed on occasion by the sudden re-filling of the tank of the clothes washer and the circling operation of the drier.
Reality. If I wished for silence I would suffer; in narrow mind, should and shouldn't. Accepting these sounds is not to suffer; in spacious mind, noise, no noise, just thusness.

Receiving what is before us in with equanimity is life's essential practice. Receiving ill-will, we use it to destroy our own animosity and offer back our love and willingness to be present with those who might dislike us.

Yesterday at steetZen there was a huge crowd. Some sort of chili festival of sorts was going on. I sat in my usual place joined by Rev. KoKyo. We burned incense and had small signs asking for peace. Many were generous and offered dana. Everyone was very respectful of our sitting except one young man who, as he walked by, said, "I say, bullshit."

As the word entered my heart, I noticed many first inclinations, let them drop away, and took his toxicity as poison to my own. Some of us, while desiring peace, distrust it and its processes. Its a narrow mind thing. True peace is the serenity of realizing both peace and war are man-made mental creations.

While sitting streetZen, many people took handouts which include zazen instruction, the Heart Sutra, and many other daily chants. Buddhas everywhere.

Be well.