INSIDE THIS ISSUE ESSENTIAL CONTEMPLATIONS 2 A WINTER’S TALE 2 NEWSLETTER OUR GANG 3 MEET THE STAFF 4 GIVING CORNER 5 COMING UP 8 My Guest House 6 Questions for Bernie By Jorge Arango Glassman In every corner, around each tree—a transformation, an open- From May 10-12 at Guest House, ing. The field of Guest House sus- tains me through infinite person- Bernie Glassman will co-host, with al discoveries, headlong tumbles Walter Link (Diamond Approach® into the abyss and re-emergence teacher and originator of the “In- into a greater fullness of life. spired Pragmatism” approach to transformation) a program entitled A walking meditation one crisp autumn afternoon… Skirting the “Living a Life that Matters: Integrat- woods I become aware that I ab- ing Action and Realization to Unfold sorb with great joy the tapestry Our Potential.” of colors, the rustle of breeze as it sifts through the thick screen of en master Glassman is co-au- Photo Credit: Alan Kozlowski birch, oak and pine. Yet my eyes thor, with actor Jeff Bridges, also dart quickly over unruly tan- of New York Times bestseller gles of vines and haphazard scat- Z in Rwanda to bear terings of leaves that have curled The Dude and the Zen Mas- ter (Penguin). He founded witness to the geno- and browned, and suddenly I un- Greyston Mandala, a net- “My opinion of loving cide that took place derstand how in my human life work of for-profits and actions are those that there 20 years ago. I seek order and turn away from messier situations. What I can- non-profits working to arise naturally when one Most recently he is focusing on promot- not order—the chaos of fear, the improve the lives of in- enters a situation in the confusion of emotions I don’t ing socially engaged dividuals and the larger state of not-knowing, comprehend, the disorientation inner-city community of Buddhism, the devel- and then bears witness of shifting identities, the muddle Yonkers, New York. He opment of dharma of projections—discomfits me. also founded Zen Peace- to that situation. It has centers (Zen houses) Being attentive to this tendency makers for Zen practitio- nothing to do with one’s in impoverished ar- eventually lessens my avoidance ners dedicated to peace or the other’s opinions eas and on nurturing and makes me more resilient. and social justice. He has as to whether it is loving communication and Another summer morning, I am interaction between hosted Bearing Witness action or not.” “silent witness,” observing, from retreats at the old sites affiliates of the Zen the loft above the dining room, my of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Peacemakers Sangha. fellow students having breakfast. Poland for 18 years, and (Continued on page 6) (Continued on page 7) this year will conduct one 1 v Essential A Winter’s Tale Contemplations By Jane Bronson In each issue, we look at dif- On Friday, February 8, a severe winter storm dropped approximate- ferent views from different ly 40 inches of snow on parts of New England. We had a full house for paths regarding a single sub- Diane Poole Heller’s retreat, “Healing Attachment Wounds and Em- ject. Since our 2013 programs bracing Essence.” Jane Bronson, one of our board members who at- are focused on the heart, we tended, sent us this dispatch when she arrived back home that Sunday. offer these contemplations on the heart and on love… just returned from Guest House. The retreat itself was wonderful and nourishing to me personally. I The important thing is not to I feel the significance that Guest House think much, but to love much; programs can have. The field generat- and so, do that which best stirs ed was open and deeply compassion- you to love. ate, which touched us all. So, when —St. Teresa of Avila the big snowstorm hit, I was already in a place of open sensitivity. That may explain some of the impact that Guest House had on me these past There is a light that shines few days. beyond all things on Earth, beyond us all, beyond the Marianne (Hile, director of retreat heavens, beyond the highest, services), Chef Steve Matterazzo Photo Credit: Marianne Hile the very highest heavens. This and a couple of kitchen staff stayed is the light that shines in our overnight so they could serve us as heart. usual on Saturday. Marianne didn't —The Chandogya sleep soundly, having kept one eye Upanishad open for the power to go out, as we all felt certain it would. Think- ing ahead, she had bought a pile of flashlights just in case. The next Love is an existence, not a morning she was at the desk early reaction, not an activity. It is not with such grace and energy you a thought, or an emotion…it is would have thought she’d been Essence. You cannot have love, home and asleep for a weekend. as you are love. Whenever you Meanwhile Will (Galvin, our mainte- feel you have love, there is a nance manager) looked like a snow- contradiction. man each time he’d take a well- Photo Credit: Sarah Tremaine —A.H. Almaas deserved break from shoveling. He stayed up all night to keep ahead of the storm and ensure access re- mained clear. He was still shovel- Look at every path closely and ing Saturday morning when I saw deliberately. Try it as many him, and he kept shoveling snow times as you think necessary. the entire day. He and his daughter Then ask yourself, and your- Becca eventually shoveled out over self alone, one question.... 30 cars. He just kept on going, kept Does this path have a heart? on going, kept on going. I was in awe. If it does, the path is good. If it On Saturday one of the kitchen staff doesn’t, it is of no use. walked three miles to get to work, —Carlos Casteñeda one mile of it in waist-deep snow. Chef Steve felt magnanimous to 2 (Continued on page 3) Photo Credit: Jane Bronson A Winter’s Tale Our Gang (Continued from page 2) A regular column that focuses on a guest group frequently in residence at Guest House. me. The food that day was superb, as always, includ- ing the 120 coconut haystacks! (There were just six left on the plate once we had our fill.) All the kitchen staff was cheery and helpful, as though nothing much had occurred overnight. Mind you, most of the roads were still impassible. Sunday, Marianne was once again at the desk early. She had slept over, as another group of 40 were arriv- ing. Our group was out of our rooms by 10 a.m. to ac- commodate the shift. Only two housekeepers could get in, so Steve (Kennedy, our executive director) and his wife Pattie, snowed in themselves, trekked to Guest House and pitched in. The last I saw Steve, he ounded over 40 years ago, the Hoffman Process was pushing a cartload of used sheets and towels into brings into awareness the counterproductive the elevator, bound for the laundry. He still had his ski Fbeliefs, perceptions and emotional needs that cap on. have been adopted from parents and others who shaped our early life. These distortions of reality block When I expressed my gratitude to Marianne, Steve, our capacity to be fully present and open to life’s op- Will and Chef, they seemed surprised. This was life portunities. The Process provides the possibility and at Guest House. Perhaps this particular situation was tools to let go of what is not working and move nat- unusual, but many are. Still, I felt touched to my core urally into being the primary creative force in all as- to be so taken-care of, and to see that their obvious pects of our lives. professionalism was coupled with such a depth of personal generosity, compassion and joyful sense of Our “infused teaching” addresses all dimensions of service. Everyone in our retreat group felt this. It was your being: intellectual, emotional, physical and spiri- these few individuals who took it upon themselves tual. It is the integration of our whole self that creates to absorb the entire impact of the storm so that we powerful forward motion and establishes the frame- retreatants could have a seamless experience. Even work for being a more loving, mature, creative and now I do not know how they did that. balanced person. With a deeper and more thorough sense of this organization I am a part of, I feel, more than ever, what The Hoffman Process continues to develop in col- an honor it is for me to be a participant. And by the laboration with experts, including health profession- way, Guest House looked lovely dressed in white. als, therapists, educational advisors, spiritual healers and others from the human potential movement. One teacher for every seven to nine students provides you Other GH News with the individualized attention that catalyzes pow- erful personal change. * We’d like to thank Tom Muraco for his donation of bedroom furniture, which was not acknowledged in “Guest House provides impeccable support for our our last newsletter. Apologies, and thanks Tom! work,” says teacher Sudas Buckley. “The attention to detail of the staff, and their loving care, make this a * And another huge thanks to Hilary Peck for her sec- premier site for the Hoffman Process. The cleanliness ond donation of furniture, rugs, lighting and outdoor and healthy cuisine are gifts that inspire a healthy chaises.