Newsletter of the Pine Gate Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

Five Trainings Ian Prattis ...... 1 Pine Gate is the voice of Ottawa’s Pine Gate Water in the Wave Jim Ebaugh and Lori Sangha, who practice engaged in the ...... Edwards 4 tradition of . Friends of the sangha The Fish Lake Five Mindfulness Trainings also contribute to the newsletter. Submissions are Contemplation Practice ...... 5 invited, articles of 500-700 words, poems and insights that reflect engaged practice and personal To Be of Use Marge Piercy ...... 8 experience are appreciated. The Pine Gate Sangha Into the Future Meditation Joanna Macy .... 9 has many leaders and the newsletter is an organic outcome of sangha insight. Effortlessly it appears. Despair Mitchell Ratner ...... 10 Anapanasatti : Part II Ian Prattis ...... 12 Ian Prattis provides talks and teachings that encourage practice through deep non-action, so that Lisa Karuna ...... 16 engaged practice (action) emerges from Misogyny and Sexual Assault Joan Halifax 17 understanding and compassion. Carolyn Hill teaches a regular Qi-Gong class at Pine Gate Jesus Saves ...... 18 Meditation Hall as an introduction to mindfulness My Journey: Ayurveda Shobha Gallagher .. 19 practice. The Pine Gate Sangha welcomes old and new members to its regular and special activities. Pleating Memories Angie Kehler ...... 21

No Birth, No Death Thay ...... 22 Thich Nhat Hanh Jo Confino ...... 23 Five Mindfulness Trainings Ian Prattis

Buddhist Economics Peter Hadekel ...... 23 On the Pine Gate Channel on YouTube there is a War: Slavery of Our Times Koozma J. about the Fab Five: Tarasoff ...... 24 http://youtu.be/CqZWfeHMW1o Voluntary Simplicity Ian Prattis ...... 25 Quotes ...... 26 There are three major conditions that enabled the emergence of the Mindfulness Trainings. The first Review: Heart Attack Sutra Norman is the awakened mind of the Buddha; the second is Fischer...... 27 the great skill of the Buddha as a teacher and New Videos of Dharma Talks ...... 28 communicator; the third is Thich Nhat Hanh’s insightful rewording of the Five Wonderful Pine Gate Sangha ...... 29 Precepts of the Buddha in 1996 and 2009. In a language that would appeal to the consciousness of the 21st century, the Buddha’s mindfulness

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

trainings were renewed, in tune with modern dark times facing us the Buddha’s mindfulness planetary, socio-economic and cultural trainings provide protection. Embracing the developments. So when we study and penetrate Buddha’s awakened mind in the mindfulness deeply into the mindfulness trainings we touch all trainings is taking in the Buddha. Extending three conditions, in particular the awakened mind of it to our society and environment is the foundation the Buddha. At the same time we also touch our of . potential to be similarly awakened. With the Five Mindfulness Trainings the Buddha communicated At a mindfulness retreat I offered in Orlando, in a very precise way the ethical and moral basis of Florida in the spring of 2006 I was asked a question practice; of how to be with ourselves, others and about living the mindfulness trainings in everyday with the planet and society at large. To be in touch life. The gentleman who asked the question was a with the Buddha’s awakened mind enables us to good practitioner and he placed his question within take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the the framework of the troubled times we face, and Dharma and the Sangha - in a very deep way. Once asked if his mindfulness was enough. This was a we grasp the extraordinary qualities and understand deep question. I paused for several minutes before the power of the energy created by the mindfulness replying that his mindfulness was indeed enough trainings then something deep and very wholesome but the question was—are there enough of us who stirs in our hearts. From this initial experience the are mindful? This is the crux of Engaged seeds of awakening are nurtured within store Buddhism and I indicated that the mindfulness consciousness and distance is created between trainings can take many forms in order to penetrate ourselves and the negative actions that can harm consciousness and enlarge the constituency of both humanity and the planet. Taking refuge in people committed to an ethical design for all of life. this deep manner is the basis of all dharma practice, which enables the practitioner to transform the In the latter part of his ministry the Buddha took energy of past negativity and step onto the path of great care to reconstitute himself in terms of the liberation and create no further harm. Sangha so that if you wanted to truly touch the Buddha and Dharma you had to do so in the Contrast this understanding of taking refuge in the Sangha. Thich Nhat Hanh has repeatedly referred to Buddha with the current mindset of the politicians, sangha building as the noblest profession in the 21st corporate executives, and terrorists who are making century and in his dialogue with Daniel Berrigan the decisions that shape our world. They do not (2001), talks about as communities of have awakened minds. Their minds are scarred, resistance providing a major source of spiritual and filled with ignorance, greed and vengeance, their global renewal. In such communities of hearts held hostage to corporate, ideological and mindfulness practice everything encountered electoral agendas. They all follow the same script, refreshes the senses, guiding us to the energy of seeking similar justifications to advocate the misuse clarity, peace and understanding. In this way the of power, entitlement and violence. Trapped in individual grows from the fruits of community history they offer no means of re-creating our world practice and each person becomes an example for in a new and better way. The Buddha does, as his others to similarly grow. The sangha as a practice mindfulness trainings provide a different road map community of this nature is a strong tree that we for peace, a different view of politics, conflict lean on for support and shelter. An essential resolution and planetary care. The implications of component of this support is a unifying set of ethics the Buddha’s teachings apply fully to the question based on wise spiritual teachings from the of how to be with our degraded environment and awakened minds of great Masters. These provide take steps to transform our consciousness. In the guidance on the path of awakening. In this way

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

people are encouraged and supported to be There is an energy to the trainings that comes internally strong. From that foundation they can directly from the awakened mind of the Buddha, engage with communities and nations and transform which is continued through us. So that when a them. The sangha as a community of resistance sangha collectively and diligently practices the five presents an oasis of hope for people lost and mindfulness trainings, an extraordinary energy alienated by a world they feel has gone quite mad. emerges that uplifts everyone who is suffering. The It is a major resource for ensuring a different future, sangha creates a collective energy that the simply by protecting our sensory doorways and individual cannot. When I think about taking guiding our steps to deepening mindfulness. The refuge in the Sangha I smile with quiet joy. My trainings allow us to remain steady, lucid and home sangha in Ottawa, Canada - the Pine Gate compassionate in the midst of adversity. Sangha - has matured so that it operates very much as an organism. There are so many leaders in the Yet I personally encounter obstacles within myself. sangha choosing to walk the path and Across North America there are many instances of be of support to everyone else. We take one children being abused and murdered at the hands of another’s hand and willingly walk together through parents and guardians. This deeply distresses me. the early part of the twenty first century. From our Teenagers volunteering as suicide bombers in the engaged practice in the city of Ottawa—for peace, Middle East could well leave me stunned. If I did social justice, the environment and schools – there not have my mindfulness practice to stay steady and emerges so much confidence and clarity. The look deeply, I could easily be overwhelmed. But I experience of the fruits of practice transforms our do have my practice of meditation, and I do take wider community, as we become more skilful and refuge in the Mindfulness Trainings on a daily aware that we are infusing mindfulness throughout basis. I am convinced more than ever before that our city. We have that lucidity and confidence as a the world needs a universal code of ethics. The consequence of the joy that emerges from Five Mindfulness Trainings fill this void. For me experiencing for ourselves the fruits of mindfulness they are a guide and protector in moments of doubt, practice. so that I see clearly and can take care of my own internal garbage. This is the only way to deal with The sangha becomes a safe haven, a community of the potential terrorist that lurks deep within resistance where participants are free to explore everyone’s consciousness. To unravel the insidious deeply the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha that is internal knots caused by generations of ancestral within. Using breath consciously, living the habits, created from ignorance, vengeance and mindfulness trainings fully, practicing the guidance separation—this is the work of the new of the teachings enables the awakened mind of the revolutionary of the 21 st century, transforming Buddha within us to be touched. And so we terror and violence first within themselves and then transform our consciousness. The waves recognize within the world. It is not a political or intellectual that they are water. This is why I believe it will be exercise, nor a matter of compromised treaties or sanghas creating Pure Lands that provide the basis ceasefires. It is an internal transformation of for the next Buddha, the new Christ, to manifest, consciousness at the very core of our being. It takes with each sangha operating organically as a cell in mindfulness to do this and the Five Mindfulness the new manifestation of Divinity on Earth. This is Trainings provide the starting gate, a guidance a statement of practice and is our greatest gift to system—the proverbial finger pointing to the humanity and Mother Earth. Our deep practice of moon—and a deep well of internal ethics to live by. the mindfulness trainings enables us to live This is why I do my very best to live by these authentic lives and be free, at the same time trainings. ensuring that a future is possible. There are many

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

ways to talk about the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Water in the Wave Jim Ebaugh and Lori They can be applied to personal spiritual growth, Edwards global ecology, the post 9/11 world and so on. With each focus we rest in the awakened mind of Water in the Wave Sangha will turn one year old on the Buddha, which is also there within each one of April 15th, 2013. Our Sangha meets in York, us. Our actualization of the mindfulness trainings Pennsylvania, a small Pennsylvania city with the in daily life defines us as true revolutionaries for the dubious distinction of regularly appearing on the 21 st century for we can respond intelligently and top 20 cities of its size for gun violence and courageously to both global terror and homicide. From our viewpoint, where else should a environmental degradation. Sangha be? Our growth has been way beyond the founder’s expectations. In our first year, we have Thay does not see a way out for our modern established several cornerstones of our practice. civilization other than practicing the Five First, we committed to quarterly days of Mindfulness Trainings—or something like them mindfulness at virtually no cost as an outreach to that leads to different values and ethics for action. our community. We also have drawn as closely as The trainings are not there for us to be in judgment possible to the principles of the of others, to bludgeon people with a misplaced self- Charter (a resource suggested by Pine Gate). We righteousness. They are an internal compass to our are totally secular, far from Dharma teachers or heart, so that we wake up to love and compassion, even the nearest brown jacket. We are currently and heed the directions in which the Mindfulness engaged in a collective study of the Five Trainings guide us. Practicing the trainings with an Mindfulness Trainings, and decided to do our study open heart strengthens and develops our in tandem with Pine Gate Sangha. This allows us to compassion and loving kindness, and builds our use their resources and study materials. Ian Prattis awareness of interconnectedness as we move in the and Pine Gate Sangha have in our experience direction of the trainings’ intention. Practicing the modeled how a well-established Sangha can serve trainings nourishes “boddhicitta”, the “Mind of as a brother or sister Sangha to budding and fast Love.” The practice of these values and ethics is growing start-ups like Water in the Wave. The Pine the “real” medicine for our times and provides hope Gate You Tube channel is excellent and the video for the future (Hanh 1998). They provide of Ian’s talk on the Five Mindfulness trainings most protection and distinguish that which is good for helpful. The Pine Gate meditation CD is deeply ourselves, our minds and planet, and that which is loved by our practitioners, an excellent resource for not. It is not necessary to be perfect in the those trying to establish a meditation practice. This practice—that is not possible. But it is possible to is exactly what is needed in rural Sangha move in the direction of responsible and ethical communities, access to materials that help all of us living and make a difference to our society and deepen our education and knowledge. environment. By doing this, then we can transform global terror and environmental degradation. We We started our course with an “adopt a mindfulness created the present situation, yet there is a clear way training” homework assignment. The idea came of transforming our creation. If there is “this”, the from Pine Gate Sangha. By working in tandem with actualization of the Five Mindfulness Trainings, them, our resources are fresh, we have access to a then there is “that,” a balanced and peaceful world. dharma teacher through YouTube, and there is a By being centered in mindfulness we can change sharing of creative ideas for discussion. Ian Prattis the world and the planet. has been invited and been involved on our Facebook page at our request. The one thing that has helped us perhaps more than anything else is

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

Pine Gate’s greatest commodity, accessibility, you is a treasure. We are studying the Five Mindfulness can get to them, you can reach the Dharma teacher, Trainings presently, and are receiving invaluable and I suppose that is presence and attention in the guidance and inspiration from Ian Prattis of Pine present moment. Is that not one of the underlying Gate Sangha. Ian is a wonderful mentor. We so themes of Thay's teachings on love? I am storing appreciate his time, talent, and energy. my gold pieces so if it all ever comes tumbling down here, I can bribe the Canadian border guards; It is with great joy and humility that I share the our thanks to Pine Gate Sangha community. contents of 'The Sangha Box,” especially the brochures for the continuation of the TNH The Blooming of A Lotus is one of our greatest Continuation and Legacy Foundation. I laminated resources to encourage and instruct in the practice the photo of Thay and the Thich Nhat Hanh and teachings. This should be digitalized or at least Continuation and Legacy Foundation, and display on CD for utilization in establishing a daily practice the brochures and photo at our weekly meetings. for all of us. This book is metaphor and for this We are truly grateful. liberal arts dinosaur at least, metaphor cuts deeply. The Fish Lake Five Mindfulness Trainings Lori: The Sangha Box Contemplation Practice

It was a cold, winter afternoon and I was down with We use this practice in the Sangha in order to get the flu. I thought to myself, 'how can I find joy in the trainings “off the shelf” and reinvigorate them this moment?' Then I heard a tap at my door... my as integral to daily life. After establishing the Sangha Box had arrived from the Thich Nhat Hanh Sangha in mindfulness with at least 12 minutes of Foundation at Deer Park in California. meditation, the title of each training is read For the next hours and rest of the week, the Sangha followed by each sentence or major thought. A bell Box occupied my time and energy, transforming a is invited at the completion of each reading and for dismal time into a retreat where I recovered my nine in and out breaths, the practitioners examine balance, joy, and serenity. I listened to the CD of the statement deeply seeing where they are while reading 'The New Sangha Handbook,' practically applying it in daily life and where they with the beautiful picture of our beloved teacher, could go deeper with it. Two guided breathing Thay, beside me. I couldn't wait to share the exercises follow each mindfulness training. If Handbook with our Sangha and encourage everyone questions arise during the contemplation, we to participate in leading. The new Sangha address them in Dharma discussion. At the end of Handbook is a valuable resource for building, the contemplation, the Five Mindfulness Training nurturing, and developing a practice. The bell has a statement is read followed by two bells. clear, pristine sound that resonates and calms. Three books, 'Peace is Every Step,” “Happiness,” and BELL “Joyfully Together” were included. They provide a profound starting point for new Sangha members, Reverence For Life the practice of mindfulness, and a guide for building community. I was so excited to see the Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of booklet, Songs of Practice, and called Deer Park to life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of see if there was a CD of the songs available. I was interbeing and compassion and learning ways to told not at this time. Hopefully with intention and protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and love, we can manifest the production of one for all minerals. sanghas. The 'Five Day Mindfulness Retreat,' DVD

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

BELL happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth, fame, I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, power and sensual pleasures can bring much and not to support any act of killing in the world, in suffering and despair. my thinking, or in my way of life. BELL BELL I am aware that happiness depends on my mental Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, attitude and not on external conditions, and that I greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from can live happily in the present moment simply by dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will remembering that I already have more than enough cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non- conditions to be happy. attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the BELL world. I am committed to practicing Right Livelihood so BELL (Half sound) that I can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth and reverse (mitigate) the process of Breathing in, I know I am alive global warming. Breathing out, I know my life is not separate from all other lives BELL (Half sound)

BELL Breathing in, I become aware of the conditions of happiness around and in me Breathing in, I am aware of my own anger, fear and Breathing out, I smile to my happiness intolerance Breathing out, I offer compassion BELL

BELL Breathing in, I offer happiness to others in my daily life True Happiness Breathing out, I see clearly that all happiness is my own happiness Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am BELL committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal True Love and not to possess anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and Aware of the suffering caused by sexual material resources with those who are in need. misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the BELL safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I will practice looking deeply to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate BELL from my own happiness and suffering; that true

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that among other people, ethnic and religious groups, sexual activity motivated by craving always harms and nations. myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a BELL deep, long-term commitment (made known to my family and friends). Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully BELL using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope.

I will do everything in my power to protect children BELL from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and BELL walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed found in my wrong perceptions and lack of to learning appropriate ways to take care of my understanding of the suffering in myself and in the sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, other person. I will speak and listen in a way that compassion, joy and inclusiveness – which are the can help myself and the other person to transform four basic elements of true love – for my greater suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue BELL beautifully into the future. I am determined not to spread news that I do not BELL (Half sound) know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Breathing in, I am aware of my body Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, Breathing out, I smile to my body love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in BELL my consciousness.

Breathing in, I understand the power of my actions BELL (Half sound) Breathing out, I know my actions are my continuance Breathing in, I know my words are real Breathing out, I know my words have power BELL BELL Loving Speech and Deep Listening Breathing in, I am aware that I have the capacity to Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech listen without judgment and the inability to listen to others, I am committed Breathing out, I am aware of the benefits I cause to cultivating loving speech and compassionate through deep listening listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and BELL

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

Nourishment and Healing BELL

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful Breathing in, I am aware of things I could choose consumption, I am committed to cultivating good not to bring in to my mind and body health, both physical and mental, for myself, my Breathing out, I am I can see my own path of health family, and my society by practicing mindful and peace eating, drinking, and consuming. Statement BELL The Five Mindfulness Trainings represent the I will practice looking deeply into how I consume Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic. the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, They are a concrete expression of the Buddha’s sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I teachings on the and the Noble am determined not to (gamble), or to use alcohol, Eightfold Path, the path of right understanding and drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, true love, leading to healing, transformation, and such as certain websites, electronic games, TV happiness for ourselves and for the world. To programs, films, magazines, books, and practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings is to conversations. cultivate the insight of interbeing, or Right View, which can remove all discrimination, intolerance, BELL anger, fear, and despair. If we live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we are already on the I will practice coming back to the present moment path of a bodhisattva. Knowing we are on that path, to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and we are not lost in confusion about our life in the nourishing elements in me and around me, not present or in fears about the future. letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me 2 BELLS out of the present moment.

BELL To Be of Use Marge Piercy

I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, The people I love the most anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in jump into work headfirst consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and without dallying in the shadows consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight. well-being in my body and consciousness, and in They seem to become natives of the element, the collective body and consciousness of my family, The black sleek heads of seals my society and the Earth. Bouncing like half submerged balls.

BELL (Half sound) I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart, Breathing in, I clearly see my habits of Who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience, consumption Who strain in the mud and the muck to move things Breathing out, I am aware of my real needs forward. Who do what has to be done, again and again.

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

I want to be with people who submerge have you—you are just older – a true elder. As you On the task, who go into the fields to harvest sit there you have the knowing that the crises at the And work in a row and pass the bags along, end of the twentieth century have been resolved. Who stand in line and haul in their places There are no more high school murders, world Who are not parlor generals and field deserters hunger is not there and the institutions that brought But move in a common rhythm devastation and cruelty to the planet have changed. when the food must come in or the fire be put out. Know also that you and your friends played a major part in this change. (Pause) The work of the world is common as mud. Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust. As you sit in your favorite place, a young child But the thing worth doing well done approaches you. This child comes and stands Has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident. before you and places her hands together and bows Greek amphoras for wine or oil, respectfully to you. He has heard about you in Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums legends and songs, about what you and your friends but you know they were made to be used. did to turn the world away from disaster. She The pitcher cries for water to carry addresses you respectfully: And a person for work that is real. O grandmother, O grandfather what was it like in Into the Future Meditation Joanna Macy the past to live in a cruel and polluted world? What was it like to know that 40,000 children died every This meditation is adapted from Joanna Macy and day from starvation, that whole nations of people Molly Young Brown, Coming Back to Life: were bombed to death? How did you feel? Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World (pp. 142-3). Sit quietly and have a notebook and pen Keep your eyes closed and remember this question. close at hand, as you will need to write at the end of It is written down for you and you can refer back to the meditation. Bring your attention to the in- it at the end of the meditation. (Pause) Now the breath and the out-breath, just be aware of how your child asks a second question: breath comes in and out. Do this for ten breaths until you settle into a calm. Now breathe in with O grandfather, O grandmother what was it that you awareness of your total body, and as you breathe and your friends did to change the world? Tell me out smile to your body with gladness. Do this for about the small things you did as well as the big ten breaths. (Pause) things you did.

Now breathe in and out and imagine that you are in Keep your eyes closed and remember this question. your favorite place on the planet, whatever that may Know that it is written down for you. be—by a waterfall, shopping in a vegetable market, sitting in an outdoor café, or standing in the silence (Pause) The child asks you a final question: of a forest. Feel your happiness grow as you breath O grandmother, O grandfather where did you and in and out ten times. (Pause) your friends find the strength to do what you did? How could you keep going? Now imagine that you are moving into the future, through the second decade of the new century, then Keep your eyes closed and remember this question. the next decade until you are in the middle of the It is already written down for you. (Pause) See that twenty first century—2050. You are still in your the child is now ready to leave. As she starts to go favorite place. It has not changed much, neither back to her family, she turns and smiles to you and

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

bows once with her hands clasped before her, very Terrorism , written by Thich Nhat Hanh in response gracefully she bows. And she says: to the 9/11 bombings and the U.S. War on Terror.

Thank you my grandfather, thank you my Thich Nhat Hanh believes that “Despair is the worst grandmother. thing that can happen to us.” His suggestions for countering despair ask us to take action on three You watch her go and you feel such gratitude. levels. First, we do what we can to reduce suffering, Tears may come to your eyes. Sit for a while violence, and confusion in our own lives. Thich silently in your favorite place, just bring your Nhat Hanh explains: awareness to your in-breath and out-breath. (Pause) Everything we are looking for we can find in the Now travel back in time from 2050 to the present present moment, including the Pure Land, the moment, to where you are now sitting. Take Kingdom of God, and our Buddha nature. It is several deep breaths in and out and be here in the possible for us to touch the Kingdom of God with present. Open your eyes, pick up your pen and our eyes, our feet, our arms, and our mind. When write down your replies to the three questions asked you are mindful, you are concentrated. When your by the little child. Do not edit anything, just write mind and body become one, you need only make down what arises from inside you. Take your time one step and there you are in the Kingdom of doing this. If you are doing this meditation in the Heaven. When you are mindful, when you are free, company of friends, share your writing in small anything you touch, whether it is the oak leaves or groups of two or three persons. Put the salient the snow, is in the Kingdom of Heaven. Everything points up on a large chart so that the entire company you hear, the sound of the birds or the whistling can share everyone’s journey into the future. The wind, all belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. chart can then become the focus for further discussion as you realize that all these The basic condition for touching the Kingdom of understandings are already within you. God is freedom from fear, despair, anger, and craving. Mindfulness practice allows us to Despair Mitchell Ratner recognize the presence of the cloud, the fog, and the storms. But we can also recognize the blue sky Thursday, April 18, 2013, 7:00 to 9:00 pm at behind it all. We have enough intelligence, courage, Crossings in Silver Spring, Maryland. and stability to help the blue sky reveal itself again.

When I read about the bomb blasts in Boston I felt Second, we live mindfully with those around us: heart broken. I thought of the innocent people killed We stay calm and present, we speak lovingly, we and maimed, the families shattered, probably listen compassionately. We create a zone of safety because someone, or some group, had a deep around us: grudge. Suddenly the world felt much less safe. I was reminded how easy it is to cause great harm in You can’t feel safe if you’re not in good the modern world. I was reminded of my communication with the people you live with or see vulnerability and the vulnerability of those I love. regularly. You can’t feel safe if those around you don’t look at you with sympathy and compassion. How do we cope? What can we do to not be In the way you speak, sit, and walk, you can show overwhelmed by grief, fear, and despair? One of the the other person that she is safe in your presence, few books that directly addresses these questions is because you are coming to her in peace. In this way, Calming the Fearful Mind: A Response to you build confidence. Your peace and compassion

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help the other person feel very safe. This allows her overwhelmed by despair in our own personal lives. to react to you with compassion and understanding, And mindfulness, compassion, and community are and you, too, will feel safer. Safety is not an just what nation-states and the world at large most individual matter. Helping the other person feel safe need in order to resolve differences and reduce guarantees your safety. suffering.

Third, and most challengingly, Thich Nhat Hanh Displaying the Light Of Wisdom by Thich Nhat suggests we “scale up” the practices we use with Hanh, from Calming the Fearful Mind: A Zen those around us. In the book, written shortly after Response to Terrorism 9/11, Thich Nhat Hanh is especially focused on the community of nations. Whether or not the twenty-first century becomes a century of spirituality depends on our capacity of If the United Nations could become a true building community. Without a community, we will community, the tensions between various countries become victims of despair. We need each other. We could be taken care of by the Sangha of the United need to congregate, to bring together our wisdom, Nations. The United Nations’ General Assembly our insight, and our compassion. The Earth is our could also be a place where people learn to listen to true home, a home for all of us. We invite everyone each other as brothers and sisters. We could stop to look deeply into our collective situation. We acting in the name of national interest. . . . invite everyone to speak out to spread the message. If we fail in this task of Sangha building, then the We can’t allow things to continue as they are. Every suffering of the twenty-first century will be day people die, every day bombs explode. If people indescribable. don’t believe in the United Nations as a true Sangha, it’s because it’s not functioning that way. We can bring the spiritual dimension into our daily Instead, each country wants to use it to their own life, as well as our social, political, and economic advantage. And mass violence continues without life. This is our practice. Jesus had this intention. intervention. If the United Nations can become a Buddha had this intention. All of our spiritual real Sangha body and if the Security Council can ancestors, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, become a true instrument of peace, we could act Hindu, or Buddhist had this intention. We can quickly and solve many of the problems of violence display the light of wisdom and come together in around the world. Some people say the UN is order to create hope and to prevent society and the hopeless, and that we should destroy it and start younger generation from sinking in despair. with something new. But the UN is already there and it is what we have. The UN is our hope. We can learn to speak out so that the voice of the Buddha, the voice of Jesus, the voice of Not directly mentioned by Thich Nhat Hanh, but Mohammed, and all our spiritual ancestors can be important in terms of domestic terrorism and the heard in this dangerous and pivotal moment in everyday violence we have become inured to, is the history. We offer this light so that the world will not need to radically transform American institutions to sink into total darkness. Everyone has the seed of reduce the resentment nourished by discrimination, awakening and insight within her heart. Let us help injustice, and estrangement. each other touch these seeds in ourselves so that everyone will have the courage to speak out. We There is symmetry in what Thich Nhat Hanh must ensure that the way we live our daily lives offers—see below. Mindfulness, compassion, and doesn’t create more terrorism in the world. Only a community are what we most need to not be

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

collective awakening can stop this course of self- we gladden the mind by taking conscious steps with destruction. our thoughts and intentions to water the seeds of Love, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity and other Anapanasatti Sutra: Part II Ian Prattis concentrations, so that they manifest at the level of mind consciousness. Furthermore, we take positive This completes the commentary on the Mindful action by organizing our everyday living so that Breathing Sutra with a focus on the final two external circumstances further the nourishment of quatrains of exercises proposed by the Buddha. our wholesome seeds. And we become very Part One was published in Pine Gate Volume 11, attentive about not watering unwholesome seeds Issue 3: Fall 2012. like despair, anger, jealousy and greed. In effect we are re-writing the programs in our store In the third quatrain of breathing exercises we consciousness that can be activated by ego to take contemplate the “mind in the mind” and go deeper, us into the realm of suffering and harm. as mental formations are causally prior to particular emotions; the ground out of which emotions Nothing survives in our mind without us allowing manifest. This is the stage for some deep digging the flow of nutriments to feed and maintain and once more the Buddha is absolutely brilliant: particular mental formations that arise. So in Exercise 11 we concentrate the mind and 9. Skillfully training myself—breathing in and investigate deeply the nutriments that brought an breathing out, aware of my mental formations. unwholesome mental formation into manifestation. 10. Skillfully training myself—breathing in and It is like burning the affliction away, as once we breathing out, aware of gladdening my mental become aware of the causes and conditions we can formations. immediately reduce the potency of the affliction to 11. Skillfully training myself—breathing in and cause harm by recognizing the nutriments that kept breathing out, aware of concentrating on the it alive. This is followed by Exercise 12, liberating nutriments that feed my damaging mental the mind whereby we choose to cease feeding the formations. harmful mental formations by cutting off the 12. Skillfully training myself—breathing in and nutriments within and around us that fuel them with breathing out, aware of liberating my mind by not energy. Concentration is the sword that cuts through feeding damaging mental formations. the suffering that ties the mind into knots. We simply stop feeding our demons—and they become In Exercise 9 we use our breath to recognize, and afraid because they realize that you have got their then look deeply at, the causes and conditions that number! And it is Number 12. create the damaging mental formations arising in the mind. We recognize that this is an energy that This quatrain also played a big part in my requires our attention and some serious TLC. And grandson’s rehabilitation. The focus by my wife and that is exactly what Exercise 10 does with me on gladdening his mind was vital for him to gladdening the mind. This is a wonderful exercise eventually see that he could change the internal as we consciously provide the mind with CDs he listened to. We had listened carefully to nourishment to become stronger and to go further in identify the nutriments that fed his impetus towards the practice. This self-nourishment is vital as we suicide and then did our best to encourage him to are now deeply in the domain of the mind. Deep in eliminate them—so my grandson could stop feeding store consciousness there are many positive and the nutriments that inflamed his damaging mental wholesome seeds of potential just waiting for an formations. After emptying our fridge one day and opportunity to manifest in mind consciousness. So finding it bare he started to laugh and said,

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“Nothing survives without food!” He got it and I and notions with respect to desire and cravings was very proud of him and told him so. I talked to (Exercise 14). him about the tugs or shenpas that were a warning signal for him to get ready for the next round of This exercise assists in an end run around Manas— stuff. He had already learned some very valuable the distorting level of consciousness based on tools from this sutra. ignorance and suffering. Letting go, particularly in the realm of sexual desire, is not easy, because there The cumulative effect of the training brings us to is a constant energy to “hook” us to desire and the the final quatrain, which provides four breathing notions of permanence and attachment. I call exercises to correct wrong perceptions as objects of attachment by its true name—addiction—as mind. Perceptions, which are with us all the time, attachments are powerful and difficult to transform. are also singled out by the Buddha to demonstrate It often feels like getting past a cocaine habit— that the practice of mindful breathing—being which we do refer to as an addiction. Many of our skillfully aware, loaded with mindfulness, attachments are of that same nature. Addiction to concentration and insight—does actually work and sex, alcohol, drugs, entertainment, along with other bring about transformation. desires, provides illusory incentives to seek satisfaction by chasing after it – always providing Skillfully training myself—breathing in and for an ultimate disappointment. This is the Darth breathing out, aware of contemplating Vader element of our minds and it is difficult to . resist, which is why we need steady re-training to Skillfully training myself—breathing in and let go of desire and craving and move towards a breathing out, aware of contemplating letting go of deeper wisdom. The Buddha’s teachings refresh our desire and craving. memories, underlined by his many statements that Skillfully training myself—breathing in and “under no circumstance permit your mind to attach breathing out, aware of contemplating . to anything as me and mine.” Skillfully training myself—breathing in and breathing out, aware of contemplating cessation and The next two exercises (15 and 16) skillfully throwing away all notions. contemplate Nirvana and Cessation, respectively. Nirvana means extinction of all notions and views These four exercises are there to assist us in seeing that prevent us from being our true nature. The reality-as-it-is, without the mud and distortions experience of reality-as-it-is becomes available provided by our feelings and mind. Exercise 13— once we rid ourselves of notions of birth, death, perhaps the most significant one - is to at last being and non-being. As Thich Nhat Hanh understand impermanence and with it the nature of eloquently puts it—we have been nirvanas from the non-self and interbeing. We grasp the insight of non-beginning! With Exercise 16 we have an impermanence rather than have a notion about it. interesting conundrum—a final drum roll. In Contemplating impermanence does in fact include throwing away wrong perceptions and views, in the final three exercises. Impermanence is a central throwing away the processes of getting caught, in tenet of the Buddha’s teachings. It includes all throwing away the notions that fuel our fears, concentrations, as it leads to the insight that all addictions, suffering and wrong perceptions—we formations are of the nature to change and the trick must be attentive and careful not to get caught in is to see how the mind responds. This is necessary the notions of impermanence, letting go, nirvana to comprehend before we can let go and throw and cessation. They are all notions, offered by the away our attachments to wrong perceptions, views Buddha as a key to unlock the nature of reality. When our views transform to insights that is the

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moment to burn away the instrument of practice van crumpled and buckled while my beloved winter that got us there in the first place. These breathing green Subaru Outback had minor damage to the exercises are instruments to aid our final steps into front fender. awakening, so we must take care not to get caught in the fine-tuning of these last four instruments. My neighbour cheerfully, and without realizing the And also be aware to not get caught by the dharma risk, got into my car and I drove both of us to the as taught by our teachers. That too must be thrown nearest police station to report the collision. The away—an important offshoot of cessation and police sergeant took our particulars. As I stood throwing away. there looking somewhat sheepish, he put up his hand with an air of authority and said: “I don’t want I have had only a limited success with Letting Go to hear anything from you – I will put this down as and do fall short on Cessation. But here is a story a no-fault collision.” I was about to point out that that indicates some initial steps: “no-fault collision” was an oxymoron, when my neighbour said OK and hurried both of us out. He “Letting Go,” Exercise 14, is the one brought to had to meet his daughter at a shopping mall and your attention. It can be translated as either asked if I would kindly drive him there. Quite a “Letting Go” or “Throwing Away Strongly.” risk taker he was, given the circumstances. I Letting Go actually sounds a bit lame—for wimps happily agreed and mused that just perhaps my and wusses—whereas Throwing Away Strongly is absence from driving would make it safer for every when we have the confidence to be Splendid and other driver on the road, quite apart from the the internal strength to have unyielding confidence obvious environmental benefits that I cared deeply in our inherent goodness. While I like the idea of about. All this being said, I was not prepared for throwing away strongly, the following personal the new vistas that were suddenly there when I example is much closer to that of reluctantly letting became car-less in Ottawa. go. It was the best I could manage at the time, clearly starting off this endeavour as a thorough I learned how well served my city of Ottawa was wimp. Yet once the benefits were experienced it with bus and light rail services. Had I continued took on something of the character of throwing driving a car I would have missed out on one of the away strongly. most hilarious and refreshing bus conversations I have ever had. Riding home one evening on the Since relinquishing my car several years ago, 117 bus from my university to Baseline Station, I radical new horizons appeared, though there was an noticed a young man with a twelve pack of beer initial period of grief and frustration. Every time a sitting opposite, staring very intently at me, winter green Subaru Outback drove past I would obviously three sheets to the wind. Finally he weep, especially if I was clambering over snow blurted out: “Hey, ain't you the ecology guy on banks to get to a bus stop. I would often get on the TV?” To which I mildly demurred that indeed I wrong bus, discovering parts of the city of Ottawa I was—not really wishing to get into a conversation had no intention of visiting. Relinquishing my car with this inebriated young man. But joyfully he was not quite as virtuous as it may seem. My car exclaimed: “Hey, me and the boys have a twelve insurers refused to renew my insurance policy due pack of beer every Monday night when we watch to the frequent, yet small, crashes that had cost your show on TV. It’s cool man.” I felt immediately them oodles of money. The most notorious incident humbled by his openness and that surprisingly I was when I collided with my neighbour’s mini-van. was making a difference. As was he at this I still believe he was on the wrong side of the road, moment, as he chatted away about ecology and but just perhaps it was me. His insubstantial mini- recycling until his bus stop. He proudly stated that

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thanks to my show when he and the boys went tasted and it soon felt like Throwing Away Strongly drinking in the woods, they always brought their to me. So I wave goodbye to even an empty bottles out for recycling! He offered me a environmentally friendly Mercedes. bottle of beer before leaving the bus, which of course I accepted graciously. I did not drink it, The Buddha concludes his teaching by stating: leaving it in the bus driver’s bin to dispose of. “Bhikkus! That is how the practice of Mindful I had discovered that between Baseline Station and Breathing helps make our body and mind peaceful, my home, there was a kilometer walk along helps us acquire positive investigations and Pinecrest Creek that constantly stunned me with its reflections, makes our mind calm and pure, helps us beauty. As it was a bicycle path the snow was have perceptions leading to Wisdom, and brings our ploughed in winter, which made walking that much practice to completion.” easier. To have nature dance in such unexpected ways led to my often carrying a camera, with stale In this brief commentary, with a dash of humour, bread and grain for the mallard ducks that wintered my intention is to provide just a taste of the depth of there. The sunsets over the ice rimmed creek and the Buddha’s teachings in the Sutra on the Full snow-covered field leading up to it would take my Awareness of Breathing. To recognize how the breath away. They could not possibly be there in Buddha generously offers instruments of practice to the middle of a busy city!! As were red foxes, one support our onward journey but not to get caught by lonely coyote, song birds, owls and the occasional or to hold on to any of the instruments. My practice pedestrian. My walking meditations between of this exquisite training has been very “lumpy” Baseline Station and home made me smile as I over the years until I could truly see for myself that slowed down and hummed Pooh Bear type hums. indeed my body, feelings and mind were calmer as If I had a car this wonder would have been denied a consequence of practicing it. It takes me to a to me. I also relocated essential services close to seemingly strange place where I see all of life as a home, finding doctors, dentists, eye specialists (and movie—an illusion that I am in but do not camera shops) within walking or biking distance. participate with—well not too much! From deep in They had been there all the time, just waiting to be the cave of formless—I do my best to use discovered. I now re-arrange appointments locally mindfulness, concentration and insight to navigate within bicycle range, rarely going downtown unless the forms in everyday life and not get caught in absolutely necessary. Driving a car, I could not those forms. It is not always a success story. stop to be fully present with moments of stunning beauty for as long as I liked; or say hello to rabbits Finally, though you may be uplifted by the that boldly appeared; or leave contented ducks well experience, when you meet the Buddha on the road fed on bread and grain murmuring their approval of you will know what to do. Kill him. More the two legged who listened to what they wanted. precisely - kill the perceptions and notions about the Buddha that you have become attached to. The raft The bus drivers on the 117 bus route have come to is not the shore. know me and younger passengers offer their seats to the greybeard with the jazzy umbrella and funny black hat. Would I go back to driving a car and lose all this? Well, talk to me about an affordable, environmentally friendly Mercedes and a kind insurance broker, then perhaps we’ll see... only kidding! The fruits of Letting Go were gratefully

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

Well, what delight rang through me, since I was reflecting on how I might turn my attention to .

Off went Anjali to Belgi um, and I was fetched by my friend David, who took me to Bristol where he would attend a conference for the week. Bristol, is the seat of the Text Society, which has enabled large collections of to be translated and made available to t he English speaking world. Once in Bristol, I wondered how far my new feet could take me, without collapsing or breaking into terrible pain. The University was just ten minutes from our hostel. The old buildings at Bristol University are lovely and cluste red together in a Spreading the word small area. One of them was buried by lilac bushes in full bloom, a scent that beguiles like no other. Women in Buddhism Lisa Karuna That turned out to be the Buddhist Studies building, and in I went. There were lovely posters Last year, I was in England, accessing one of the 50 everywhere. Khandro was coming t o charity-run Multiple Sclerosis centres in operation Wales, marvelous talks and retreats being across the country. When I took the 14 announced. Upstairs I went to see if the (acting) Mindfulness Trainings with Thay, I was in a Director was in. Stood in front of her office, the wheelchair, and could only get a pair of soft pink door closed, I realized it had been some time since I slippers around my painful and contracted feet. Not had spoken to anyone other than my immediate only did the time in England get me out of the family and h ealth care practitioners. I felt a bit wheelchair, it got me thinking about how to get unsure and returned down several flights of stairs, back to work, in a way that respects right livelihood when my poor feet said, “Right. What did we come and expresses my love of the Triple Gem, in a body all this way for?” And back up I went and knocked that may not have the conditions to ordain as a nun on the door. “Come in! We’re done!” and the door in this lifetime. swung open, frien dly smiles and I was offered a cup of tea. As I boarded t he plane in Ottawa, I thought, if I am lucky and my good health continues, I would like to On Rita’s desk was a copy of “The Asokavadana.” embark on a new career direction. On the plane That evening, she informed me, there would be a from Ottawa to London, the cabin I was sitting in talk on gender and the female yogini, and would I was empty, except for one woman, who sat right like to come to that? I attend the talk and am next to me. It was no t until we were standing in the charmed by the coll egial atmosphere. They invite customs line up that we actually spoke. Anjali, me to their weekly coffee morning a few days later. shared with me that she was in transit to give a talk At that gathering, I learn that an excellent, (long on Indian history, in Belgium. Delighted that we overdue) book on the re-discovery of the life of might share some interests, I told her I was writing King , has been published and the author a book on King Ashok a for Western children. She would be presenting it the following week in Wales. had studied many years ago with Professor “Wales is only about an hour’s drive from me,” my Gombrich, a legendary Pali scholar at Oxford. host informs me. David takes me to Wales the

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following week to hear Charles Allen present the most, is that stories of women, women saints, findings from his new book. Charles Allen could at women renunciants, women’s faces in , once be Indiana Jones or William Shakespeare. He the pervasive mythology around the feminine that is a most eloquent speaker and stirs a great passion contradicts the actual teachings – all of these are for the story behind the discovery of our Buddhist missing from our narratives. Research on issues heritage. On our drive back from Wales we stop off around women’s ordination has been, until recently, at Oxford. Professor Gombrich is not in, but I am a side pursuit for mainstream scholars. greeted by the team at the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies. Their summer course in Pali is So what came of all of this was the idea to develop full but one would be offered in Budapest. a programme on Women in Buddhism. I wrote a Budapest! I can barely make it ten minutes up the proposal for this and it was presented in India in road! How will I get myself to Budapest! David is January 2013 at the bi-annual Sakyadhita very encouraging. So, I post my wish on Facebook, International Conference on Buddhist Women. One and a beloved Facebook friend of two years replies year from the day my tender feet climbed the stairs immediately, “Lisa, I live in Budapest, you can stay at Bristol University, I will be standing in front of with me.” Well then, that is it. the public, at a University in Germany, presenting this new idea, followed by a colloquium with Sadly, David and I parted ways, as we are both in theologians and Buddhist Studies scholars and a transition, and chronic illness does not leave much brainstorming session on how to bring it to life. room for intimacy. On our last day together, a lovely visit to Stratford, we jest about how the May our efforts be for the benefit and happiness of Celtic symbol of three geese has accompanied us all beings. throughout our friendship. As we drive out of the city, three geese fly by us again. I returned to Sister True Collective Compassion Canada, disappointed that I would not be in England to see where this could lead. As I board the Misogyny and Sexual Assault Joan Halifax plane, I see a familiar face. “This is cosmic!” says Anjali, the woman who set these wheels in motion. The Third Mindfulness Training on True Love “But, you have no idea, how cosmic it is!” I reply, provided a deep vessel for the Sangha to profoundly breaking into a smile of great relief. All is not lost. discuss this issue during the Winter Session focus I made it to Budapest, with some difficulty, and sat on the Five Mindfulness Trainings. with the venerable Professor Gombrich. My efforts to learn Pali were stymied by the illness and a …For too long in the West, and I am sure in the summer heat wave. Neurological weakness and East, gross misogyny has existed in the Buddhist heat have a knack for squelching consciousness world, a misogyny so deep that it has allowed the altogether, as I discovered in the subway, the disrespect and abuse of women and nuns in our own classroom, and where I was staying. Alas, this time, and not only throughout history, and not only would not be the perfect route to Pali, but an in Asia. The misogynistic abuse is not only in terms excellent introduction nevertheless. of the usual gender issues related to who has This led me to reflect on right livelihood and what I responsibility and authority (women usually don’t could contribute to the broader community and have much, if any), but it is as well expressed draw on my background in gender and through mistreatment of women, through sexual development. If anything, I had discovered that boundary violations of women, and the Buddhist Studies as a whole is a fertile field, with psychological abuse of women… much still to be explored. What has struck me the

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

It will take a while for us to fully understand why practicing? Every two minutes, someone in the US we as Buddhists took so long to act. If any of these is sexually assaulted…That Buddhist teachers teachers had been a doctor, lawyer, or contribute to this unacceptable statistic should break psychotherapist, there would have been rapid social all of our hearts and call us to do more and call us and legal consequences. But there is something to do better. about our religions, whether Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Islam, or Buddhist, that disallows us facing Jesus Saves the shame associated with sexual violations and the gross gender issues that plague most, if not all A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined religions… his flashlight around, looking for valuables, when a voice on the dark said, ‘Jesus knows you are here.” It is not only a matter of the sexual violation of women and the painful violation of boundaries that He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his are based in trust between teacher and student, it is flashlight off, and froze. When he heard nothing as well a matter of the violation of the core of more, he shook his head and continued. Just as he human goodness; for their behavior is also a pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the violation of the entire Buddhist community, as well wires, clear as a bell he heard. “Jesus is watching as the teachings of the Buddha, which are you.” uncompromising with respect to the unviability of killing, lying, sexual misconduct, wrongful speech, Startled, he shone his flashlight around frantically, and consuming in toxicants of body, speech and looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the mind. The North Star of goodness has been lost corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest from sight in the long and recent past, and we are on a parrot. all suffering because we cannot see how deep the wound is to the heart of our world and to the “Did you say that?” he hissed at the parrot. coming generations. “Yes,” the parrot confessed, then squawked, “I’m Protections, dialogue, education are all necessary at just trying to warn you that Jesus is watching you this time. And a commitment to not forgetting…as and he is right behind you.” well as vowing to not repeat the mistakes of the past, and to practice compassion that is clear and The burglar relaxed. “Warn me, huh? Who in the brave, liberating and just. world are you?”

Danny Fisher’s commentary… “Moses.” Replied the parrot. Every time one of these scandals breaks, we talk about the power differential, appropriate “Moses,” the burglar laughed. “What kind of people relationships between teachers and students, and would name a bird Moses?” everything else but misogyny. We don’t want to believe that it has crept into Buddhism and our “The same kind of people who would name a individual communities. We want to believe we’re Rottweiler Jesus.” better than that. But the practice Roshi Joan Halifax asks us to undertake here – “compassion that is clear and brave, liberating and just” – is essential. It won’t be easy work, but it will be work that benefits all beings, and, in the end, isn’t that why we’re all

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

My Journey: Ayurveda Shobha Gallagher once one with nature and her elements. Her cycles were ours, her rhythm ours, her heartbeat ours. It The most divergent pathways led me to the study of was a harmonious coexistence and more so, a Ayurveda. I once interned in the thick of media in mutual unspoken reverence as every need was met, the frenetic city of Mumbai - fueled by neon-lit her primal wisdom understood. Life was simple, in dreams and high adrenalin. When I immigrated to biorhythmic balance and in union with her soul. Ottawa - it was a transition from a cacophonous and amorphous crackle of life - to a hugely pregnant What was once a way of life, is now a distant pause. Nothing seemed to move or moved at a paradise. What changed? Who changed? sluggishly slow pace. To cut a long story very short Not nature, not the universe, not God. There is only and run it on fast forward mode - I hopped from one answer to the question: “Guess who moved?” project to project in a rapidly declining job market with the backdrop of recession, deficit, changing In these three words lie the crux of the issues that government, and cold guillotine cuts to the arts. I we face today. This delinking with nature and frantically searched for that one dream pill that plugging into what can be clubbed as “externals” - would give me back my sense of worth in a job be it accumulation of wealth, material gains, the market that now increasingly underlined the sense of greed, competition, possession, insecurity, importance of being bilingual. ego only further intensified the Great Separation. We failed to realize how potent and far reaching the “Why not study Ayurveda?” This came from my effects would be and painfully unaware of the ripple husband out-of-the blue. “Why not?” I thought with effect on the collective conscious. Our energies of a tired mind frame ... and it does not require me to fear, anxiety, stress, fanned out to touch every grain know French. Why not seek out one more avenue of sand, drop of water, every blade of grass, the that could serve as an alternate mode of income. My very air we breathe. This itself became the fertile friends back in India put their support machinery in ground for toxic elements, pollutants, germs and high gear. “Don’t forget to look exotic when you bacteria, fumes and noxious gas, diseases and start your practice. Put a big bindi on your forehead, ailments that we had never experienced before. wear a sari, do the Namaste...you already have the skin color, authentic background, be barefooted and As the microcosm, so the macrocosm. Our do the arti when they enter, imbalances were reflected in nature - in her water, and apply the red kumkum on their forehead, make her flora and fauna, her seasons, cycles and soul. sure there is incense all around and Hindu Don’t we all know the reason for the storms that idols...the whites like all that stuff...and o yes, look rage with more frequency, the earthquakes, the mysterious, mystic, moksha-fied.” I only took the tsunamis, the fires? And are these storms not within sweetness of the well-meant, grossly misdirected us? As we disconnected from nature’s core by our advices. own choice, more virulent viruses began to emerge that wiped out mass population such as the Great What initially started as a quest for a home-based Plague, cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis. Today even alternate mode of income became a journey that more deadlier diseases prevail such as cancer, opened portals to another way of thinking about Alzheimer, fibromyalgia, heart failure, cholesterol, inner and outer health, balance and imbalance and stroke, psychosomatic illnesses, schizophrenia, our deep connection to Nature. The word Ayurveda paranoia. means “the wisdom of life” and underscores the science of longevity. To understand Ayurveda, we We have become a society of frantic pill poppers have to roll back time. On our very planet, we were for every ailment that assailed us. The quick fix

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

became the norm - but on the flip side it diminished absorbed by the body. Air is all about movement our natural immunity, the innate wisdom of our and relates to our breath, the nervous system that cells to heal. We sought defenses with chemicals sends signals for body or organ, movements such as that even altered our DNA. And now even the walking, swallowing, or even the pace of our minuscule and almost invisible viruses have thoughts. Space provides chinks or gaps for the free become mutating monsters and superbugs that are flow of energy, internal communication within the becoming harder to combat. They have invaded our various systems of the body so there is no organs, bloodstream, cells. Again let’s face the truth congested activity or blockages. - we let them in. Modern medicine took the route of treating only the cause of the ailment, attempting This leads us to what Ayurveda refers to as the to suppress, snuff out, repel or eradicate the bacteria doshas and their attributes or gunas. Ayurveda or virus or cell that were causing the illness. condenses the five elements into three doshas: Allopathic and chemical based medicine while Vatta, basically “that which moves”, comprises of effective for immediate relief, also tampered with 90% air and 10% space - is light, cold, moving, the body’s inner wisdom. As Deepak Chopra, world astringent. renowned spiritual leader and ardent advocate of Pitta basically “that which transforms”, comprises Ayurveda states, “Modern medicine for all its of 90% fire and 10% water - is hot, sharp, pungent advances knows only ten percent of what your body Kapha, basically “that which binds”, comprises of knows instinctively.” 90% earth and 10% water - is heavy, cold, oily, sweet. Ayurveda as a holistic health care system bases its diagnosis and methodology on the most important Once these doshas and their attributes are factor - our own personal experience. How do we understood, we can identify when any of these are feel when in a state of imbalance and what has in excess or in a state of lack and what is needed to caused it. This very self-referral, self-reflection, bring it into balance. For example, excessive Kapha self-analysis, self-scanning leads to understanding can lead to cold and congestion and what is needed our own body in the most intimate way we can. No to bring it into balance is warmth, sunshine, longer is the body broken up into little portions for breathing exercise. Understanding these doshas can lab tests, scrutiny, clinical or pathological also relate to what food and activity is best for examination. It is perceived as a whole, governed as optimum health. a whole, where the whole exists in every part and even in the invisible spaces between the parts. This very approach of Ayurveda where the body is seen through the eyes of nature gives us a more This connection is embedded in the five elements: holistic, all-embracing and spiritual perspective of air, fire, water, earth and space/ether. Each has our body-mind-soul. The emphasis in Ayurveda is distinct functions and attributes: Earth being solid, on sensory and direct experience. For like nature stoic, grounding relates to the overall structural that changes with the seasons, so also the body and framework of our body, the bones, muscles, tendon what constitutes the physique can change moment and tissues. Water being fluid, lubricating, binding to moment. Since we are the body and the body is relates to blood, plasma, saliva, urine, cerebral- us, we are the ones who know it inside-out and spinal fluid. Fire being heat-inducing, outside-in. transformative, cleansing, relates to enzymes and hormones that breakup substances for cleansing, In a way Ayurveda introduces you to you - and this elimination and transformation such as the acidic feels strange, disorienting at first, or awakening, bile juices that disperses food into nutrients to be enlightening, relieving, enhancing. Here unlearning

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Newsletter of the Pine Gate Sangha Vol. 12 Issue 2: Spring 2013

our preconceived notions means to disengage from touch... and the language of Ayurveda is the what we have been trained to think all these years. language of eco-physiology ... it points to living a The new paradigm implies that the direct symbiotic life, not an antibiotic life.” experience of our body is a validation of knowing what can work to bring it back into balance. Here When I reflect on what brought me to the threshold self-referral becomes the key. Sadguru, a spiritual of Ayurveda as a holistic approach, I realized that in master of India, in one of his discourses stated that life when the cacophony is silenced and when the when knowledge comes from the East, it is called dust settles - there is a reason for pregnant pauses superstition, and when the same knowledge comes and they need to be heeded as they light up a path from the West they called it science....and now it is that ultimately shows you your way “home.” Do I time to see this “superstition as science.” More sport a “bindi” (the Hindu dot on the forehead) people the world over are scanning the past for when I do my practice? lessons, truths and answers. Ayurveda carries with No - and does it really matter...? it the ancient wisdom of the rishis who went into deep meditation to find answers. In this state they Website: Amritdhara Ayurveda for Contact, connected to the all-pervading superconscious and Packages, Location and Appointments: understood that this superconscious is present in http://ShobhaGallagher.wix.com/amritdharaayurveda every cell and every empty space of our being. This space of stillness, of silence is not out there in some Pleating Memories Angie Kehler unreachable zone or vortex... it is present in each microscopic microcosm. I fold fragmented thoughts My personal journey into being an Ayurvedic into Health Practitioner is still an ongoing educational kusudama flowers process that is a continuation from my short-term training in India. I am at the moment focusing on remembering Ayurvedic bodywork “Abhyanga” using Aroma- Ayurvedic herbal oil blends that is specific to wild-eyed stares individual doshas; on Shirodhara that involves the uttering flow of specific oil blends on the forehead and third incantations behind eye region after an Abhyanga; Ayurvedic saffron robes Reflexology that uses ghee (clarified butter); Ayurvedic facials using herbal elements; Basic as I Marma therapy that includes Abhyanga bodywork pad barefoot combined with the gentle stimulation of marmas. in the These marmas are subtle vital points throughout the street fountain body that enhance the flow of prana and pranic energy. I also weave in Reiki and deep meditative skirt lifted to knees practices into my work with clients. cooling my feet

Mostly importantly, I honor the inherent soul of those who enter my Ayurveda room. To quote I fold, David Crow, the world’s foremost expert of pleating memories botanical medicine and grassroots healthcare, “Everybody understands the language of a soothing of warm bread

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and fresh cheese and as a loss, I understood that she had never died, that the smell of sandalwood my sorrow was based on illusion. She appeared in on my angora sweater my dream on an April night when I was still li ving in the central highlands of Vietnam. She looked the keeping bare shoulders warm same as always, and I spoke to her quite naturally, without a tinge of grief. I had dreamed about her keeping time many times before, but those dreams did not have with John Prine the same impact as that night.

I am When I woke up my mind was at peace. I realized a vessel of *Light that my mother's birth and death were concepts, not truth. The reality of my mother was beyond birth or an origami flower death. She did not exist because of birth, nor cease to float calmly to exist because of death. I saw the being and across the surface nonbeing are not se parate. Being can exist only in as you relation to nonbeing, and nonbeing can exist only in navigate dark waters relation to being. Nothing can cease to be. Something cannot arise from nothing. This is not I bend, philosophy. I am only speaking the truth. pleating memories That night at about one a.m. I awo ke, and my grief of the times was gone. I saw that the idea that I had lost my you knew me mother was only an idea. Being able to see my ~ mother in my dream, I realized that I could see my mother everywhere. When I stepped out into the No Birth, No Death Thay garden flooded with soft moonlight, I experien ced the light as my mother's presence. It was not a thought. Thich Nhat Hanh on the death of his mother. I could really see my mother Excerpt from "Fragrant Palm Leaves" This is his everywhere, all the time.” vision of reuniting with the "soul" of his mother some years after her death. It is full of beauty, mystery and deep consolation.

“The full moon of October. My mother was with me. No doubt she had followed me to the temple as the moon was first peeking over the horizon. As I listened to the sermon and then t o Kimioto's music, the moon shone on the temple roof, and it followed me home. My mother died six years ago on the full moon day of October. The midnight moon is as gentle and wondrous as a mother's love. For the first four years after she died, I felt like an orphan. Then one night she came to me in a dream, and from that moment on, I no longer felt her death

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Thich Nhat Hanh Jo Confino tea. When you pour hot water in the tea, you drink it for the first time, and then you pour again some Despite all his achievements, including a recent hot water and you drink, and after that the tea stint as guest editor at the Times of India, Thay is leaves are there in the pot but the flavor has gone modest when he looks back at his life. Excerpt from into the tea and if you say they die, it is not correct Guardian News, January 21, 2013 because they continue to live on in the tea, so this body is just a residue. It still can provide some tea “There is not much we have achieved except some flavor but one day there will be no tea flavor left peace, some contentment inside. It is already a lot,” and that is not death. Even the tea leaves, you can he says. “The happiest moments are when we sit put them in a flower pot and they continue to serve down and we feel the presence of our brothers and so we have birth and death like that. So when I see sisters, lay and monastic, who are practicing young monastics and lay people practicing, I see walking and sitting meditation. That is the main that is the continuation of the Buddha, my achievement and other things like publishing books continuation.” and setting up institutions like in Germany, they are not important. It is important that we have a sangha Prompted by a letter that informed him that (community) and the insight came that the Buddha someone has built a temple in Hanoi to of our time may not be an individual but it might be commemorate his life, Thay recently sent a letter to a Sangha. If every day you practice walking and the Tu Hieu temple in central Vietnam, where he sitting meditation and generate the energy of trained as a novice monk, making it clear he does mindfulness and concentration and peace, you are a not want a shrine built in his honor when he dies: “I cell in the body of the new Buddha. This is not a said don’t waste the land of the temple in order to dream but it is possible today and tomorrow. The build me a . Do not put me in a small pot and Buddha is not something far away but in the here put me in there. I don’t want to continue like that. It and in the now.” is better to put the ash outside to help the trees grow. That is meditation.” He adds: “I recommend While Thay is still in good health and sharp as a that they make the inscription outside on the front pin, he is not getting any younger and may soon “I am not in here.” And then if people do not pull back from the strenuous schedule that has seen understand, you add a second sentence “I am not him repeatedly criss-crossing the world, leading out there either” and if they still do not understand retreats and passing on his teachings. This year he on the third and last “I may be found in your way of travels across the US and Asia – perhaps his last breathing and walking.” major foreign trip. Given his belief in no birth and no death, how does he feel about his own passing? Peter Hadekel “It is very clear that Thay will not die but will continue in other people,” he says. “so there is Laszlo Zsolnai is a visiting international scholar at nothing lost and we are happy because we are able the University of Virginia. He was the keynote to help the Buddha to renew his teaching. He is speaker at a conference in Montreal on Sustainable deeply misunderstood by many people so we try to Business in March 2013. Students from Concordia make the teaching available and simple enough so and McGill Universities and HEC Montreal united that all people can make good use of that teaching to present the weekend conference. and practice.” As he lifts a glass of tea to drink, he adds: I have died already many times and you die “Mainstream business and the functioning of every moment and you are reborn in every moment western economies are unsustainable from an so that is the way we train ourselves. It is like the ecological point of view. Social change has to start

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with the creativity of individuals themselves, a simpler life and cutting back on material especially young people. That’s our only hope,” consumption is a net gain for most people,” he says. says Professor Zsolnai—who specializes in Buddhism itself is growing in the west can be both business ethics and responsible leadership. helpful and inspiring in taking the consciousness of businesses and customers to another level. A decade ago, business schools were churning out graduates who were anxious to find jobs in War: Slavery of Our Times Koozma J. Tarasoff investment banking and other get-rich-quick lines of work. Today’s students seem more concerned In his 1900 essay, The Slavery of Our Times, Lev about whether the planet can survive the excesses of N. Tolstoy argued that killing people is murder and global capitalism. They are more interested than therefore war is contrary to Christian teachings (and ever in corporate social responsibility and working one can add, to any warring religion). for non-profit ventures. And that is a good sign, says Zsolnai. He is an economist and proponent of He explained how: "Laws are rules, made by people Gross National Happiness. The first such index, who govern by means of organised violence ..." The developed in the 1970’s in the Himalayan nation of army is an instrument of murder which kings, Bhutan, is based on the belief that happiness is the emperors, presidents and prime ministers best measure of prosperity, not quarterly growth in have institutionalized. He concluded that war is as the economy. This alternative way of looking at useless, brutish, murder and harmful madness to growth is based on a simple notion: material society as slavery. The alternative is love, non- success does not make people happy. killing, and a fair economy for all.

Life is not about how many televisions and personal It has been over a century since Tolstoy penned that video recorders you can hook together. Humans profound essay (below), yet we daily hear the derive happiness from other people, not from drums of war with the propaganda of 'neutralizing' things. “Happiness is an important economic asset,” the enemy, the development of robot planes Zsolnai says. “Happy societies like the (drones) to better kill, and for surveillance and Scandinavian countries usually work better. I think control of human populations. happy employees are fundamental for a good economy.” He is a proponent of what he calls Our 'military industrial complex', which the late “Buddhist Economics,” arguing that capitalism can President Dwight Eisenhower in 1961 called as the reshape itself if it adopts a kind of voluntary greatest threat to our society simplicity. “It is important to note that Buddhism is (http://goo.gl/OeM2m), continues to devour the not anti-business at all. What is important in daily bread of ordinary citizens around the world, as Buddhism is that wealth should be created in a non- it seeks to develop more and more weapons of mass violent way by not harming others or the self. destruction. Wealth should be managed in a non-attached way. Your attitude toward wealth is crucial. You can be Surely guns kill whether they are rifles or atomic rich or poor, but your priorities on the non-material bombs! Let's stop murdering people for some largely determine your well-being.” spurious patriot cause or more precisely for some economic gain. Shame on us! War is certainly not Reducing the material aspect of our lifestyle is of healthy for children and other living things course not so easy. Zsolnai is interested in the (http://goo.gl/o3P33) values within people that can foster this kind of change. “It need not be a personal sacrifice. Living Where is our concern for humanity?

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not remember anything but that from the audience, • For the beautiful environment? yet have retained it as a distinct possibility, • For creating a better United Nations? translating this wisdom into the 2% option. This is • For developing a Departments of Peace in do-able and within our immediate grasp. our respective countries? Just persuade 2% of the people we know to Where is our sanity? Have we gone mad as a implement a lifestyle of voluntary simplicity, human race? reduce meat consumption, walk or cycle more, drive less, create an organic garden, plant a tree – Brothers and Sisters around the world, let's outlaw but do it! Reduce our ecological footprint by war just we have earlier done with human slavery. conserving energy with one eco-friendly act every The time is now! This is a time for cooperation, a day, then global consciousness as a collective time for using science for human goodness and human phenomenon will change. Different beauty, a time for common sense. Let's get on with questions will be asked and different solutions it, my friends! Let's turn a new path of sanity, found, as a new mind-set of shared consciousness justice and respect all. Are we not members of one emerges to make the necessary decisions for human family? change. Mass awakening does not mean that everyone “wakes” up. A critical mass of 2% will I invite you to read Tolstoy's The Slavery of Our be satisfactory as a tipping point, the catalyst, to get Times, free on the Internet: things moving in the right direction. http://spirit-wrestlers.blogspot.com/2013/03/war- The challenge is to be in society, but as a still island slavery-of-our-times.html of mindfulness. Take small steps at first, then larger ones. The small steps are to realize that many cannot drop present lifestyles cold turkey, but Voluntary Simplicity Ian Prattis we do not have to be caught by the fast pace of consumerist madness in terms of energy usage. We The obstacles preventing people taking wise action just need to make essential changes. Free up with regard to Global Warming are a mixture of time— be television free for several evenings, write fear, despair, sheer laziness, disempowerment and a in a journal, meditate and sort the clutter of the sense of hopelessness. “What on earth can I do to mind. Voluntary Simplicity is a good starting make a difference?” is a phrase muttered all over place. It means being more aware of our the world in countless languages. Followed by “So consumerism, making deliberate choices about how why should I do anything?” There is global we spend time and money rather than living on the awareness, but also fear about our future place on automatic pilot of busyness. We support planet earth. This is understandable. The environmental causes with the excess clutter in the overwhelming terror of Gaia crashing down on us is basement, always thinking about whether we really unbearable. I recall many years ago when I was “need” to buy. Enjoy being simple and living true teaching meditation in India, hearing Sai Baba, the by shifting our perceptions just a little bit. Not a Indian sage, say that a transformation in human big deal really. Voluntary Simplicity makes life consciousness required at least 2% of the suddenly available in much larger compass. Let us population to meditate on a daily basis. I have no all resolve to give Voluntary Simplicity a chance in idea what the knowledge source was for his our lives – look deeply into what we do with time, pronouncement yet I do remember the “buzz” of money, clutter and our choices. And change. Then energy in my body and mind when I heard it. I do

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see whether the consequences are peace and arc to a spiritual practice. Within that long arc, there happiness. is always trial and error. There are lots of things you don’t discover unless you happen to stumble Where do we start? Of course we must think into them. It’s a nice thing to be offered a path, and globally and be aware of the bigger picture and step the important thing is to enjoy the way station beyond the smaller pictures of ourselves created where you happen to be spending the night. from fear and disempowerment. Yet we can also act - John Tarrant locally with great vigour in our families and communities. Our intentions then spread as ripples Turn all mishaps into the path. from a pebble dropped in still water. In addition to Drive all blame into one. holding officials, politicians and corporate culture Be grateful to everyone. to account let us begin with the small things that all See confusion as Buddha and practice emptiness of us can do. While at the same time alerting the Do good, avoid evil, appreciate your lunacy, pray political and corporate decision makers that we do for help. mean business as voters and consumers deeply Whatever you meet is your path. concerned about the planet and our location on it. -Norman Fischer This is very important. Our leaders are a manifestation of our collective will. When the In many shamanic societies, if you came to a collective will changes, our leaders will act shaman complaining of being disheartened, differently. dispirited or depressed, they would ask you one of four questions. When did you stop dancing? Quotes When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? IN-BREATH: With the turning of the Earth, the When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet Sun comes up on the fields, forests and fjords of the territory of silence? biosphere, and everywhere within the light there is When we have so stopped, that is where we a great in-breath as tons upon tons of oxygen are experience the loss of soul. Dancing, singing, released from the living photochemical surfaces of storytelling and silence are the four universal green plants, which are becoming charged with healing salves. food storage by the onrush of solar photons. —Gabrielle Roth

OUT-BREATH: Then when the sun passes in Every day, think as you wake up… shadows before the night, there is a great exhalation “Today I am fortunate to have woken up. I am as the oxygen is burned and carbon dioxide pours alive. I have a precious human life, I am not going out, the net result of the maintenance activity of the to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to living machinery. develop myself. To expand my heart out to others, —Howard T. Odum, Systems Ecologist to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards Eventually, the distinction between your spiritual others. I am not going to get angry, or think badly practice and the rest of your life blurs and perhaps about others. I am going to benefit others as much disappears. This is because your spiritual practice is as I can.” interesting and works, and you end up noticing it —The Dalai wherever you look. It appears in some form every day of your life, so we can say that there’s a long

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My friends, Love is better than Anger. and fascinated. “ No eyes, no ears…nothing to Hope is better than Fear. attain...no hindrance and no fear…” How? Why? It Optimism is better than Despair. has taken me many years of practice and study to So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic, begin to appreciate and understand the Heart And we’ll change the world. Sutra’s words and put them into practice in my life. —Jack Layton At one page, the Heart Sutra is probably the briefest of all Buddhist sacred texts, and the most Distracted people don’t realize they are in danger. influential. Foundational to Buddhism, it Rumi said: “Sit down and be quiet. You are drunk is prized in all schools of and in and this is the edge of the roof.” (Wheatley S.Sun Zen, where it is chanted every day in most temples May 2003) We occupy an ecosystem of distraction and . But what does it mean? Can it technologies. Add in the Fear factor and unbearable really be denying the existence of the very nose on suffering – then our species may be toast. But the our face? And why is it so important to a religion opposite of distraction is mindfulness. The remedy that prizes compassion over all other virtues? for fear and suffering is mindfulness. Turning on the switch of awakening seems to be a good idea Because of its central importance to so many right now. , the Heart Sutra has inspired a —Ian Prattis number of commentaries in English from scholars and teachers of almost every tradition. Both the and Thich Nhat Hanh have taught it, Review: Heart Attack Sutra Norman Fischer and a number of younger Western-trained teachers, probably more than I know of, have also written Extract from a review of Karl Brunnholzl’s The commentaries. The Heart Attack Sutra by Karl Heart Attack Sutra in Shambhala Sun, January Brunnholzl enthusiastically discusses the sutra from 2013. the standpoint of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, with its rigorous logic and philosophy and careful All are empty: no eyes, no ears, no nose, parsing of doctrine. (The title comes from a Tibetan no tongue, no body, no mind, no form……. Buddhist legend that some early Buddhists, on first hearing Buddha preach this sutra, went apoplectic I was thunderstruck the first time I encountered the and had heart attacks.) words of the Heart Sutra. Somehow, no eyes, no ears, no nose, made sense to me in a way that I In Tibetan scholastic tradition, the emptiness couldn’t explain, and I felt a great relief. As a child teachings are a major topic for intellectual study, I had always suspected that the world I was raised and Brunnholzl has made this tradition completely in didn’t hold up to scrutiny, and on hearing the his own, discussing the various treatises and Heart Sutra for the first time, my childhood doctrines with ease and considerable wit. This text confusion was suddenly acknowledged and includes a sadhana (a visualization practice) of addressed, even if I couldn’t explain how. It seemed dazzling complexity that is an interesting intuitively to me that the sutra was affirming that supplement to the teachings. The key term in the the world was indeed not the way I had been taught Heart Sutra is the Sanskrit shunyata, usually it was. “No, it isn’t like that. It’s like this,” the sutra translated as “emptiness.” In fact, the Heart Sutra is seemed to be saying. a brilliant one-page summary of the entire edifice of Buddhist psychological, epistemological, and Shocking as it is on first hearing, the heart Sutra soteriological teachings, which are enumerated and won’t go away. You wonder and ponder, perplexed then denied; the emptiness of the Heart Sutra is the

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good news of joyful freedom and liberation. Letting Go. Organic gardening in the mind. Listen Commentators to the sutra often ask the question, to the Ocean. “Empty of what?” and answer, “Empty of separate self, empty of weightiness, empty of burden, empty URL: http://goo.gl/9HNrI of boundary.” 2) Title: The Nature of Happiness The Heart Sutra is not denying the existence of the world we live in. It’s denying the basis of the Co-dependent relationship with suffering torpedoes world’s sticky intractability. It’s denying the happiness and harmony. Reconfigure the Four ultimate reality of the basis of our suffering—our Noble Truths so emphasis is not placed on suffering separate, burdensome self and all that seems to exist but on happiness. Work involved with the 12 apart from it, all that we think we need and do not Turnings of the Dharma Wheel. Right View is have. The other side of emptiness is connection, cultivated and its importance illustrated through the relationality; , the most influential of all new and hilarious Middle Finger Sutra. Buddhist thinkers, seized on the emptiness teachings as the cornerstone of his URL: http://goo.gl/9zMJn approach... There are no “things” at all and never were. There is only connection, only love. This, 3) Title: On Being Splendid Nagurjana argues, is not a new doctrine; it is what the Buddha was pointing to from the start. This is The Buddha's Four Clay Pots metaphor as a means why the emptiness teaching of the Heart Sutra, to introduce Shamghala Warrior training. Sutra on which seems to be rather philosophical and dour, is the Full Awareness of Breathing, a mature teaching the necessary basis for compassion... The Heart from the Buddha. Learning to Throw Away Sutra is more than an inspiring vision or Strongly so that when you meet the Buddha on the understanding. It is also a practice, a course of road - you kill him. Kill the perceptions you hold action that relieves suffering and transforms lives. about the Buddha. The raft is not the shore.

URL: http://goo.gl/ErciK New Videos of Dharma Talks 4) Title: The Dharma and The Sangha Pine Gate has a YouTube Channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/pinegatesangha The Dharma and The Sangha begins with the conditions leading to the Buddha’s first dharma talk 1) Title: This Moment Heals All Moments and the intention to offer the dharma through appropriate vessels that are skillful instruments to Crises of History require a similar response - be guide understanding – with a clear emphasis that mature, present, steady and do the internal work. the Raft is not the Shore. The video ends with a Impermanence and Signlessness. The Buddha story about levels of deep listening inspired by an provides instruments, practices and teachings to get adventure Ian and his son experienced in the drug there. The mindfulness trainings as instructions. underworld of Glasgow, Scotland. In between, a Cannot tame the mouth until we have tamed the tapestry unfolds of skillfully creating sanghas as the mind! The art of Deep Listening. Can we be present masterpiece of your life in the manner of the with our consumption? Are we aware of toxins Buddha, so that we may touch the original artist of pouring through our senses and consciousness. the masterpiece through sangha building. The emphasis is on creating sangha cornerstones and the

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concrete example of Pine Gate Sangha and Friends Canada, which now has a page on Facebook, for Peace in Ottawa is a reference point for activism https://www.facebook.com/friendsforpeacecanada. based on sangha cornerstones. The Fierce Light of The coalition, with Pine Gate at the core, has Engaged Buddhism. The Five , created annual events to celebrate peace, social instruments of practise, the Historical and Ultimate justice and planetary care. Fierce Light of Engaged Dimensions and their interpenetration are presented Buddhism in practice. Pine Gate is also on so that we may touch the significance of space Facebook—check it out and click “Like” if it beyond space, time beyond time. appeals: https://www.facebook.com/pinegatesangha

URL: http://goo.gl/BQtNB On YouTube there is a new Pine Gate Channel with dharma talks, video clips of Friends for Peace and 5) Title: Valentine Day Teachings on Love interviews about Failsafe: Saving the Earth From Ourselves: With Valentine's Day falling on Thursday, February http://www.youtube.com/user/pinegatesangha 14, 2013—The Buddha's Teaching on Love was offered to the sangha. We examined the Four At Pine Gate the resident teacher is Dharmacharya Mantras on the Practice of True Love and then the Ian Prattis—True Body of Wisdom. Ian is a poet, Buddha's tenderness in teaching about Maitri— scholar, peace and environmental activist. As a Love, Karuna—Compassion, —Joy, professor at Carleton University from 1970 to 2007 Upeksha—Equanimity. The teachings are like an he taught courses on Ecology, Symbols, oxygen mask on the airplane. We help ourselves Globalization and Consciousness—reflected in his first before we can help others and learn to expand 2008 book: Failsafe: Saving The Earth From our hearts through understanding. A sharp contrast Ourselves. As an ordained meditation teacher he between training and mindless consumerism. encourages people to find their true nature so that humanity and the world may be renewed. He has URL: http://goo.gl/mSrwq trained with masters in Buddhist, Vedic and Shamanic traditions. 6) Title: The Five Mindfulness Trainings The sangha, located in the west end of Ottawa, had Presented as Environmental Ethics to students at very modest beginnings. Inaugurated in 1997 Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Extract following Ian’s return from teaching meditation in from Class Two on “Deep Ecology” in Ian’s 12 India, early gatherings featured Ian, his wife week course on Ecology and Culture (2000 - 2004). Carolyn, and their pets—Nikki the dog and Lady Originally produced through the facilities of the cat. Since then the sangha has grown, and Carleton University On Line, www.cuol.ca. presently has over 250 members on the e-mail list. In the summer of 2001 major renovations took URL: http://goo.gl/NNj93 place to the lower level of Ian and Carolyn’s home. A new meditation hall emerged from the dust and Pine Gate Sangha knocked down walls—the Pine Gate Meditation Hall - named after Thich Nhat Hanh’s story in the Pine Gate is a meditation community practicing book: The Stone Boy and Other Stories. Engaged Buddhism in the tradition of Thich Nhat Thich Nhat Hanh provided a gift of calligraphy, Hanh. It has created an engaged expression for naming The Pine Gate Meditation Hall. This now peace, social justice and planetary care, as the hangs on the wall for all to see. The new community is the nucleus of Friends for Peace

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meditation hall has become a source of sanctuary for many friends,

There are regular meetings for meditation and study every Thursday evening from 7.00pm–9.00pm. The first Saturday of every month has a Mindfulness Gathering from 5.00pm–8.00pm for dharma and a mindful meal. Duong Sinh - Bamboo Stick Qi-gong classes, known as the Life Sustaining Way of the Heart, are offered in addition to regular qi-gong classes throughout the year. Potluck vegetarian suppers, Hikes, Sweat Lodges, Pilgrimages, Days of Mindfulness, and Meditation Retreats are organized on a regular basis. There are three seasons at Pine Gate—Fall Study Session from September to December: Winter Study Session from January to May; Lazy Days of Summer Session from July to August. The voice of the sangha is heard through the sangha journal Pine Gate - available online at: http://www.ianprattis.com/pinegate.htm

“Our engagement with society and the environment rests on our quality of being. When that quality is rooted in stillness there is a different ground for subsequent actions and so events take a different course. We simply go home to our true nature. We are very active in this way and bring harmony to those we interact with. The most significant interaction is with our true nature. To connect to its boundless quality in daily life, and then to connect to others and the world in the same way is surely the ticket to ride!”

DIRECTIONS TO THE PINE GATE MEDITATION HALL:

In Ottawa, take Queensway to Woodroffe South exit; go to Baseline Rd; RT on Baseline; RT on Highgate (2nd lights) RT on Westbury; LT on Rideout and follow the Crescent round to 1252, which is always lit up with Christmas lights in the winter and full of flowers in the summer. Tel: 613 726 0881 Contacts [email protected] ; [email protected]

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