With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Many thanks, and nine bows, to the individual who offered a new Buddha statue at our Temple’s gate. And for the care given to our plants along the side. It was a delight to arrive yesterday afternoon and discover these gifts.
Last night’s Zazen was powerful. Just before the bell rang we got an update on the tsunami/nuclear plant catastrophe. So the loss of life, devastation, potential for even greater devastation, and great suffering of the Japanese people were foremost on our minds. Our Robe Verse, Verse of Atonement, Three Refuge Chant, Heart Sutra and Four Great Vows seemed especially meaningful and suggestive.
A glance at the news pages this morning revealed death and destruction, war, wanton killing, and environmental crisis. On a student’s Face Book page, I saw a video of a young woman thanking God for answering her prayers by raining down destruction on the “atheists” in Japan. Soku Shin and I saw a documentary about a new craze in the UK: cosmetic surgery for vaginas. A diet of this sort of thing feels quite toxic, yet is what it is: our condition today. What are we to do with it?
Some might suggest we not turn on a TV or read a newspaper. Some might suggest we do nothing as there is nothing we really can do. Some might suggest we do what we can to help: offer food, clothing, medicine, etc. These are each ways to cope, and in the latter case, actually help, albeit on a very small scale. Yet, these do not address the toxicity of the images, nor do they touch the fundamental issues a spiritual and religious life demands of us.
How do we make sense of such events? Is God punishing us? Or, framing it differently, is the earth making adjustments to compensate for conditions, some of which might be manmade? Are these random? Are these karmic?
When faced with death and destruction on such a scale we often feel there is nothing to do but clean up and rebuild. Yet, there is something else. We can pause and look deeply in all directions. What are we here for? Just to multiply? Simply to build factories that have the potential, and in some cases, actual capacity to harm both life and that which supports life? What is our relationship, as individuals, to these things? Do we support industry that pays little or no attention to its impact on us and our home?
If so, this is a time to re-evaluate and say “Enough!” No more war, no more taxing to support industry harmful to animal and plant life; no more “Progress is our most important product” or “Better living through chemistry.” Such delusions are not in-service to humanity. What is in our service is our willingness to touch one another, love one another, and care for one another. What is in service to us is our willingness to care for our homes, beginning in our own neighborhoods and working our way outward toward the entire planet. To use a phrase we are using this year at Peace Village, we might consider thinking globally and acting locally.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
Many thanks, and nine bows, to the individual who offered a new Buddha statue at our Temple’s gate. And for the care given to our plants along the side. It was a delight to arrive yesterday afternoon and discover these gifts.
Last night’s Zazen was powerful. Just before the bell rang we got an update on the tsunami/nuclear plant catastrophe. So the loss of life, devastation, potential for even greater devastation, and great suffering of the Japanese people were foremost on our minds. Our Robe Verse, Verse of Atonement, Three Refuge Chant, Heart Sutra and Four Great Vows seemed especially meaningful and suggestive.
A glance at the news pages this morning revealed death and destruction, war, wanton killing, and environmental crisis. On a student’s Face Book page, I saw a video of a young woman thanking God for answering her prayers by raining down destruction on the “atheists” in Japan. Soku Shin and I saw a documentary about a new craze in the UK: cosmetic surgery for vaginas. A diet of this sort of thing feels quite toxic, yet is what it is: our condition today. What are we to do with it?
Some might suggest we not turn on a TV or read a newspaper. Some might suggest we do nothing as there is nothing we really can do. Some might suggest we do what we can to help: offer food, clothing, medicine, etc. These are each ways to cope, and in the latter case, actually help, albeit on a very small scale. Yet, these do not address the toxicity of the images, nor do they touch the fundamental issues a spiritual and religious life demands of us.
How do we make sense of such events? Is God punishing us? Or, framing it differently, is the earth making adjustments to compensate for conditions, some of which might be manmade? Are these random? Are these karmic?
When faced with death and destruction on such a scale we often feel there is nothing to do but clean up and rebuild. Yet, there is something else. We can pause and look deeply in all directions. What are we here for? Just to multiply? Simply to build factories that have the potential, and in some cases, actual capacity to harm both life and that which supports life? What is our relationship, as individuals, to these things? Do we support industry that pays little or no attention to its impact on us and our home?
If so, this is a time to re-evaluate and say “Enough!” No more war, no more taxing to support industry harmful to animal and plant life; no more “Progress is our most important product” or “Better living through chemistry.” Such delusions are not in-service to humanity. What is in our service is our willingness to touch one another, love one another, and care for one another. What is in service to us is our willingness to care for our homes, beginning in our own neighborhoods and working our way outward toward the entire planet. To use a phrase we are using this year at Peace Village, we might consider thinking globally and acting locally.
Be well.
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