8 pRIMARypOINT OCTOBER 1987 An account of the "Engaging American " ,"MAY OUR BODIES BECOME A retreat and experiment for artists with Thich Nhat ,'. Hanh at the Foundation 1-12 Ojai May moon-so tnoughts arc very simple: heaven ers of the culture." Time after rime as peo­ is to walk on the earth, horne, just taking ple got up and went to the eenter and either (The follo .....ing account is drawn from a retreat journal kept bJ' Ellen Sidor. one of simple steps, happiness." (Thay) spoke or sang or whatever. I felt chills of more than 60 artists participating ill all unusual and historic ltl-day retreat last May Sitting under the medicine tree, 50 quiet resonance and often eame to tears. at the Ojai Foundation, high up ill the foothills above Santa Barbara ill southern folks. Ike hum. Waiting, not waiting, There are a lot of good hearts here. .. Special thanks go, to Thay (Vietnamese Master Thich Xhut Hanh) readiness, not even readiness. Just being friendships already underway, a sense of in­ and his senior assistant Sister Phuong, the Ojai Foundation staff and founder Joan there. No thought of enlightenment or credible leisure to explore whatever is Halifax (a long-time student of Seung Sahn), and Marlow Hotchkiss teaching, no teacher, no student. Thay emerginl People's personalities are begin­ and Cynthia Jurs, coordinators of the retreat. The basic concept for the retreat comes slowly. Goes down to the ning to emerge. especially through the . flo .....edforth from Thay's idea of artists as ' holden' 'for the culture and that yurt to get a cushion. Prep. is xiow=-cvcry­ works that were shared last night. The won­ Buddhism can most fully take root ill A merican culture with the active participation thing moves slowly here. but no one seems derful silliness of play without alcohol or of artists who are practicing. The three basic elements to be joined were a firm 11fI­ uptight about it. Sense of having "enough" party food or even music-c-how amazing! derstanding of the Dharma, practice, and artists in their art process. time is delightful. It feels very old, very The Deena and Rose is used with A man in under a song/poem bJ' Metzger Betsy permission, Many ordinary. robes sitting Tea ceremony. Monday .... Marlow taking of the quotes used ill the journal cannot be attributed; thou that can are so noted. tree. Simple, everyday. Serene. From the to the Buddha-walking Participants lived in tents and a fell' guest yurts scattered about the Ojai property. Thay'x : slowly, mindfully, shyly, a lot like Jesse did The daily schedule included {III early morning meditation, breakfast, samu (work per­ old the last two See- Sitting like this is an opport unuy to be ha,» (his JO-year son) days. iod in which people could choose the area they wanted to work in), a 45-minute I I' cannot be now, the» ;_--. py. you happy .....alking meditation, Dharma talk by TJIl/Y, then lunch. After lunch there lI'as free whe;l? Happiness is made from awareness.' SII.ENCE time for studio .....ork or gatherings, a tea ceremony (for the first three days) in which "Solitude-dwelling in the present much group sharing I\�/J done, allother sitting period, then supper. 111 the evening moment and not worrying about us being the time WlB' spent in a big gathering. either sharing a common project like gatha attached to past or Future. Solitude is the writing or watching live or slide presentations of each other's art, and a closing base for contact with others, Solitude Silence sitting, means getting in touch with yourself. Many Pours into me As the retreat got underway it rapidly became apparent that there were I1Uj'IY of us are afraid of being alone-so often we Like a cataract of wine agendas being .....orked on, probably too many. To llst'just a fell': working Oil Thay's do not have the courage to turn off a.boring Reddening the sea agenda of creating forms for American Buddhism, slowing down and being on TV program. And I'm drowning retreat (ill the case of some artists, their first experience), exploring feminist forms "The awareness of-suffering is a very irn­ In a drunken melody within Buddhism, the II-step program and iIJ relationship to Buddhism, networking portant part of growing up as a human be­ Whkh is still .....ith other artists, Oil one's 011'11 and last but 1I0t least, trying to working projectts), ing. But some kinds of suffering are use­ Whkh is still stay with the schedule. For most of the first week, Thay insisted that ..... e keep silence less-we make them up. First recognize at meals. which created all interesting tension as ideas. network ing and mirth bub­ them, by breathing. Life is both dreadful And if I do not speak. I will die bled increasingly forth. An everpresent sound lI'as the bell, rung and wonderful. Suffering is not And if I speak. this silence throughout the day sometimes as often as el''ery !5 minutes, to remind us to stop enough-you will wither like a flower with­ Which has become my breath what we were doing, breathe and smile. out 'water. You must' also emphasize and Will disappear On the final day, we offered a public performance to share the experiment with open yourself to the wonderful. .. The two " several hundred invited guests and dignitaries. following days, for those On "heroic sitting"-'.'In many .Zen Silence' who could stay .....ere for rest and evaluation of the retreat. Unfortunately there is Centers we do violence to ourselves. When Breaks over me not space in this (0 give more than a brief taste of the retreat. A, enough publication we force like it will bounce .'. something that. Like an avalanche of snow fuller. richer account of it, including contributions from the many notable artists back. Our body has a habit of recuperat­ Burying the trees present and their follow-up discussions, will be published hopefully sometime next ing. We need to learn the non-violent way And I'm dreaming To add name to a list to receive write to: year. your information. please l.ightworks, of sitting." Of a frozen melody Route 7, Box 123C, Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Whichiswhite In the spirit of continuing the experiment begun at Ojai, the Prol'id;nce Zen Cen­ Sunday presentations: "Our art is evening Which is white ter in Cumber/and, RI, is planning a IO-day artists retreat ill early July 1988. with a our practice" our art is how we transform ..... relaxed schedule and non-hierarchal structures. Please rite to the Director, Provi­ our suffering." (Joan Halifax) ..... The And if I do not I will die

speak. ' dence Zen Center, 528 Pound Road, Cumberland, RI 02864 if you .....ish to receive meeting of the Buddha and the God­ And if I speak. this silence information about this retreat. 'dess-theme? ? Try to imagine what " , ' Which has become breath I \_ •• _ 'my ! .�. that meeting ,would be like. (Anna Will disappear , ..... The Three the :.,.";-- Douglas) Fates. updated: Five dozen artists., mountains, sun, chil­ energy field and yet dra\\n to it. S_uch a fun­ creator. the pres,erver, the transformer. dren, YUTts: ;;iorful foo,1:'t�vo;'0Id dqgs" 'ny idea: really, �etling a bunch of artists to­ "Fhis �in� of silence; it

. under the tree meditation' instruction: breathe . possiblliti�s.' Sitting teach,iog today- ' 'Walking ;:r· .. nI ". f, "f hungry, sleepy. listeninl? Jalk about like a thread through sheets of papeL Eaeh tSl.;T.?ay Tea Ceremony'. Saturd:,:ty afternoon .. , "Tan­ mindfulness in such simpIe'terms: how to step a page, the breath holding, them ing the child in the adult, the adult in the tea J.·,litter their eat a and not gerine peels, empty cups. really tanger_ine! BeiMt �er� " together. (Thay) child .... "Thank you to this very special the presence. losing the present moment'M Pll'rsuit of Walking on the same trail, yet it is never tree for giving liS shade, that's been sining future. Learning t� br�athe' 'mindfully, : "Let your feet make a the same. Today hot, breezy, a burst" of here much than we have." (Mayumi .., longer (0 smile. learning , 'peace treaty with the floor-first step. con­ gratitude for the little winds that come Oda) Sister Phuong suggested that she paint in line Standing (actuaIlY.'a polite mob) tact; second step, treaty." (Thay) ihrough the woods. Using Thay's walking it sometime .... The architect of the reflect­ last night to sign the meal "rota"-feeling Watching two rabbits, frolicking and meditation gatha all the way (When I walk, ing pool who lived under this .tree for six irritated, rushed. wanting to return to my foot-fighting-a prelude to ? Just coming my mind goes in a million directions; now I weeks, said to Joan that this would be very whatever-so of tent. get away, typical out of afternoon sitting, people half-way up walk in peace. With eaeh step I create a important some day ... Geomancers said this "not here" mind. to leave the Wanting the hillside, watching, chuckling-inno­ warm breeze� with eaeh step a lotus tree is a vortex of energy on this ridge. "A '-'P cent, free. In tI- afternoon sun, rabbits blooms), managed to cut down a lot of ex­ man who planted trees and grew near the edges 01 ,he meadow, grazing. traneous thinking. Just being here is recommended '_ happiness"-book by ';'- alert but not afraid of us. Even the dogs enough, complete. The picture: Thay walk­ Mayumi.

ignore them ... Sense of spaciousness, 15 ing ahead of us with his Vietnamese hat and The foundations of this experiment (as minutes before dinner bell, eternity-bird­ brown robes- learning so much from how given to Joan by Thay) an! �hree, like a tri­ flute song. crickets. mountain sound. A he walks-the long line of us strung out be­ pod: the teachings, the organization of the the truck How hind him like beads on a is and the financial structure. playing up hill. going by. / string-breath community, ordinary. how miraculous that time has the thread, each step is a bead. So simple Dharma is a ,growing reality. As the Buddha slowed so. that we usually miss it. Day after day we are taught and met many more people, his asleep! teaching became multi-faceted.... More Saturday evening .... recapping the day. Relax the quality of striving. of overcom­ ing, breathe and smile (Thay) ... Beginning "The Dharma is not something readymade, like to compose "the American gatha"-taking " from Vietnamese and translated into 'En­ Campbell soup. glish, then used as a basis for brainstorming.

Resistance to smiling practice: let it roll. This is really a remarkable coming­ , than 40 sehools of Buddhism after the first of the = of the All sorts of Softening mouth softening together. mirth bubbles up like 100 years s,ince his . Therefore, f heart. "People wh'o have to smile on' their' a river running through eaeh of us-just the more Dharma doors should be The J open. jobs, actually live longer." "Forty-eight simple joy of bein\g here, being wh'o we are. Dharma is not something ready-made, Uke Bateson us [he to create hours after he died. Gregory Thay puts tasks: gathas, Campbell soup. We must deeply under­ smiled. If he could do it under those cir· songs, a way of American Buddhism that is stand the culture. What are the problems of cumstances. I guess I can try." our way. suited to our language. Last night thiS society? as J01m presented the plan for the evening, The birth of art forms is very necessary Walking meditation instruction, Sunday there was a surge of excitement, real en­ for the practice of the Dharma: We must be 3.m ..... "Be like an astronaut who knows thusiasm. This is what we have been made brave enough to see what goes along with -y few stranded on the this is his last hours, for, summoned to, as "the languag� hold- the Dharma. Community life should be OCTOBER 1987 pRIMARYpoINT

PRAYER-STICK THE accept any that weren't enlightened. But we FOR WORLD" all got transmission, he said. Different feeling today-people more simple. Simple life is the only way out of In artistic consciousness, Thay explained, Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Middle East into their trips, less meditative. The end is our present problems. "You must deeply un­ the storehouse consciousness plays a great and South Africa. being felt, that magical sense of so many derstand your society, as well as the pre­ role. When he greeted us before meditation He suggests a studio time for "peace be­ possibilities has closed down some. I finish­ cepts of Buddhism." (Thay) this morning, he said he hoped we were not ing" art, with meditation-a poem, flower ed my adobe (wall) carving, a lot easier to­ delivering a baby, but that we were preg­ arrangement, song-a two-hour period to day because Brother John and the crew got

discussion .... Invitation to Monday evening nant. Each minute is a work of art.vso the meditate, breathe, 'smile and produce a a tarp up over the area. Jack was shirtless

the bell is still the best so far .... part Big time when we are not working, painting, brief work of art. and doing an. Indian with a drum the discussion about people resisting the etc. is also a work of art. A true Buddhist whole the Celtic maze. time," involving . and not but Thursday night presentations ... Incredibly agenda people feeling that, 'be­ practices joy at the same time as hisiher art. Sounded a bit mournful. excited about. the context. Discussion moving' songs by Betsy Rose, about ing The work of art is only a photograph of Joan mentioned last night about the mor­ silence ... and a about vs. alcoholism, secrets, request project process. Feeling of being your being. atorium" coming at Ojai, when everyone is from Thay to really address our "commis­ invited-to not do anything in particular. being asked to leave until September. Said Tuesday evening ... slide presentation. Six sion" about American Buddhism. The anarchism of artists-not willing to all the staff were processing their farewells. or seven of us showed slides of our work. be led. to the pro­ For it be So there is Struggling integrate Friday ...documentary film about Thay in' some, may permanent. Fantastic view into the 21st century! Many foundness of the Dharma and the Dharma Australia by Gillian Coote, called "The a preoccupied mood about, partly from the works of and Bodhisat-tva-hood. of art. Feeling of resistance to light with the end of being Awakening Bell" ... another documentary artists, dealing on-coming Clearly a lot of people are moving in the di­ violated, programmed. film about two elderly Japanese artists wit­ this experiment. A sense of a special place rection of harmony. Creating who I am, discovering who we nessing Hiroshima, called "Hellfire." and time never to be retrieved. are is Buddhism. Mayumi: conference feels Wednesday a.m. after walking medita­ a little bit confined, a little too "sweet." tion ...met Grandfather Semu this a.m. (a Kaz Tanahashi: excited about very being Chumash Indian medicine man). He spent here and at a in Bud­ being turning point the night after making visits to prisons in dhism. Very grateful to Thay. Did Jesus call which some of his people are held. He is an himself a Christian? Do we want to really Oak Medicine man-beautiful face, calm limit this wonderful vessel by giving it a energy. At the breakfast circle (around the name? Feeling excited by the challenge of cottonwood tree) he said, "Welcome to my the vision Thay offered. land." There was a general laugh, buthow Others: these feelings are a response to much suffering lies behind that simple state­ Thay's invitation. Concern about wanting ment. I am constantly amazed how people to heal the world and working on it by heal­ ,', like 'him, like Thay and Mahaghosananda, I at one's dark side and ing oneself-looking can walk around in this world with so much , trying to "be peace." Pleased at Thay's joy, having seen so much suffering. Their recognition of artists as those who carry the secret is a profound one. images of the culture. Exciting to be invited to work together. Want to a.m. ...Thay's talk on the ( opportunities Wednesday

r share feelings together: your releasing of Heart ... "interbeing"-the cloud and 'your anguish heals me. Is that the feminine the sheet of paper "interare." Without one, side of Buddhism manifesting right here you will not have' the other. Also in the and now? Always before a hierarchy, a blank sheet of paper is the sun and the rain. patriarch and a pyramid. They also "interarc." Also the forest-it· Thay: "Buddhism is the vision of togeth­ takes many trees to produce the Sunday NY erness. Like inviting a'friend to a meal. In­ Times. You also see the and his daily , logger vite him inside, take his coat, let him get bread, andour minds are there, too. There used to the house" serve him some tea, let a is nothing that is not already there, coexist­ cosy feeling develop. The silence is particu- ing with the sheet of paper. You cannot be ) larly important." . yourself alone-you must "interbe." To be _...._ means to "interbe." The sheet of paper is made only of non­ �\_J\.\ . ([.--1 paper elements; it is full of everything. And \ . yet, it is empty. To be empty, is to be empty , -;t.,.. ,. .". , of something. > Wealth is made of poverty, and poverty I' is made of wealth. We must understand this. If we do not take care of these things (like Third World suffering), we will not continue in our prosperity. Already 'the seeds of the Third World' suffering are within our deeply society ..

Wednesday night presentations ... a lot of energy tonight. Announcements: a meeting tomorrow about In the Dharma talked healing/transforma­ J talk, ' morning Thai .. '1 nf'

. tion/service. Walking meeting. about the Tiep Hien Order and its precepts Sunday'a.m.. :-.final tea ceremony and pre- . Caterpillars are causing rashes. People want Said of the its weakness is that there sentation of poems �{(��- retreat, . everyone dinslght" I( , ;-.�./��. 'Cr ,»: ..... to see more of the performances. Also we are no children artists, At the end of the dressed up again and carried a flower. A still haven't "introduced" ourselves. Peo­ talk he invited... some of the new song heavy mist cov�r� the mountains, no sign of ple want to hear more about struggles and versions of the gathas, promises (vows) and the sun, althougb damp, it is not cold, just Tuesday a.m. after walking meditation process of art, in small groups. Maybe a the Heart Sutra to be sung. One was a very clammy. Moisture on the tent's, a faint

... again hot. Now many people walking map of what's going on and where. "Art is funny version with guitar (rock & roll, earthy smell everywhere. barefoot. Symptoms are beginning to ap­ really a celebration of our understanding." country western & folk) sung by Wendy and Now we sit in silence as the tea is poured pear: poison oak, blisters, fatigue, tears, A women's practice will' meet under the Stephanie from Green Gulch. & passed around. A final rest & breathing, one small freak-out. People are settling in space before we stop being "guests" & start without the sense of masks and poses so evi­ being "hosts" for the multitude expected dent in the first I think we are days. begin­ "In many Zen Centers, we do violence to to arrive today. Some feelings of resent­ ning to believe we are really here, together, ment/encroachment are appearing-our and chance to ourselves � we have to learn - with this unusual incredible .... the non-violent way of cosy little community is going to be invaded " meet each work in a dif­ other, together sitting. by those outside. Yet it all fits perfectly.. ferent way perhaps .... when most of us are Having received the seed, the torch, it is our

alone. . so used to working, producing obligation to share it, to pass it along, to moon that the tonight. Marlow suggests Friday evening presentations ... the Travel­ "Walking without arriving. That is won­ nurture it. So even before we leave to sort work period should be-a mindfulness prac­ ling Jewish Theatre (Naomi & Albert), Bra­ derful. We hardly know how to stop, that is out the tremendous implications & respons­ tice. Silence and breathing' and mindful zilian jungle sounds participatory opera, our trouble. If we continue like this, the de­ ibilities of this retreat, we are being asked to working. . .. A pebble ceremony will be slides of paintings and photographs, video struction of our planet is unavoidable. It's share our insights & this nurturing space. planned. of a bathing and whale music event in Ger­ like a person on a galloping horse who does Over the last few days people have men­ and incredible Fran many by Mickey, seems that & not know how to stop or where the horse is Thursday a.m ....Thay's talk; prefaced by tioned continuity-it breathing Peavey & Atomic Comics. going. Our fear makes us continue. The last the singing of a chant by Sister Phuong, the IS-minute bell (sometimes 30 minute, and at meals sometimes that recalls us to few days we have been practicing stopping, written by Thay during the/worst part of the Saturday a.m. Precepts of the Tiep Hien S!) have to A art' it have been in us aimlessness and begun be alive. Vietnam War. talk about without .... "With clear voice, very significant reminding to be mindful. I doubt we would have been Walking meditation is a wonderful way to using the word "art." Buddhism is a heal­ Buddha greets me this mountain learn the art of stopping. ing power, but if you give it a name, it will morning-birdsong, mist rising." Everyone able to break our habit of ceaseless preoc­ with & such Our civilization is based on the idea of have less power. We have to be able to see offered flowers to the Buddha and a poem cupation past future, without tools. Therefore thank bell & breath. exploitation for human benefit. Even artists Buddhism in non-Buddhist elements, other­ or object. People were as dressed up as they you, look at things and people with an eye to wise we cannot find it anywhere. Gradu­ could be, given our tent city lifestyle. but. if we do we cannot from Buddhism doesn't take 12 profit; that, really ating' The tempo is really increasing. Many Ellen Sidor has been associated with PRI­ enter into their' years-you can do it right now ....The visitors are reality. Pragmatism-the coming tomorrow, including, MAR Y POINT since its inception in 1983. truth is something that pays. Meditation-a vision of inter-being, of non-duality, can be the Governor. We are possibly gearing up A projessional stone sculptor as well as an way to truth with a 'payment' at the end? the beginning of a new civilization. But the for Each has been performances. person editor, she has been a student oj Zen How can we elements to a civilization seeds are already present in this civilization, asked to write an to bring enlightenment poem Master Seung Sahn since 1981. She has two that uses A in our own traditions. The of in­ offer a.m. everything? poem, article,. "policy" during the early tea ceremony to­ teenage daughters and lives in Providence, about about aimlessness, terbeing would, have saved many lives. Viet­ morrow. said in the old the painting stopping, Thay days, 'RI,· where she runs a meditation support can we do that?" nam has not ended, it is present in Master would check these and not (Thay) (war) poems group called The Meditation Place. I