With respect,
This afternoon I will take a blanket and zafu and sit down on the sidewalk in front of the Federal Building in Las Cruces at 4:00 PM. This sitting is not just sitting, but is the practice of serene reflection as was done in the ancient times when monks walked, stood, sat, and taught only in public spaces. We call this practice today "street Zen" and we use it to bear witness for peace and serenity.
It is a fast and mindless life most of us live today. We live without real connection to our world, the actual world of the natural phases of the sun and processes of our world's plant and animal life. We become annoyed easily, frustrated, angry, and willing to not actually see the person in front of us, but rather, we see what they represent to us: a help, a hindrance, a friend, or a foe.
Our world is at war on many fronts: political, social, religious, and cultural. We easily use the overt violence of weapons or the covert violence of intimidation and manipulation to get what we want or need, but in the process do not realize what we are doing dismisses, disregards, or injures the person in front of us. It is time to make peace by practicing peace.
Our street practice invites both ourselves and others to stop, sit down, and look deeply. Zazen is a marvelous practice. Serene reflection meditation is a powerful image for our times. Consider establishing such a practice. Please write to me for details.
In gassho,
Daiho