August 2013 Volume 2, Issue 3

SOJI ZEN CENTER NEWSLETTER

Saying "Yes" As Practice in Action by Michael Daitoku Palumbaro

One day five years ago, while his hand (I had hair then) and passion, gives up his/her getting a glass of water, said, "That's gotta come off." seat on the bus to an elderly Shuzen Sensei came up to To which I responded, "Yes, person or a handicapped me and said, "Start working Sensei." In December of that person, that's practice in Inside This Issue on a Rakusu." I said, "Yes, year, Oshin, Onshin, and I action too. Sensei." were ordained novice priests, Saying “Yes” As by Shuzen Sensei, and I be- Comments from Practice in Action 1 In February of 2009, Sensei gan the process of transition- Fr. Ben Regotti, Comments from Fr. had received a letter from a ing the women's group over Ben Regotti, OFM 1 woman incarcerated in the to Onshin, who still oversees OFM Chaplain Chaplain Federal Detention Center in the group. Daitoku is an exceptionally Grounds for Action: Philadelphia asking for some- gifted individual who has been Not Knowing Is Most 2 Intimate one to come there and teach More than 90 men have been sharing his wisdom regarding meditation. Sensei handed the practice of meditation with Wearing the Teach- through our little meditation me the letter and said, "Take ings: Sitting with 3 class and subsequently have male inmates here at FDC for Dying care of this." To which, I again been sentenced elsewhere. I nearly four and a half years. said, "Yes, Sensei." After Food Dana: Practice only have these men in the He has a very good rapport in Action 4 going through the clearance group pre-sentencing. It is a with inmates who can easily and orientation processes, I wonderful opportunity for me see him as a man of compas- Overview and Up- began doing prison ministry in to practice with these men, sion and sincerity with skill and coming Schedule 4 March of 2009. Shortly after and one lesson Shuzen a valuable tool to offer for their that, one of the psycholo- Sensei is teaching me is to wellbeing…Daitoku has, over gists on the 7th floor psych put the practice into action, by the years, worked with several unit, had heard that a Zen saying yes to the opportuni- different persons on staff here Buddhist practitioner was ties to practice that are at the Detention Center. We coming to see some of the are all and have always been A Note from brought to me as I continue to individuals there, and she try to live mindfully in this impressed with his persever- Shuzen Sensei asked Supervisory Chaplain, moment. ance and generosity. … He is Fr. Ben Regotti, OFM Cap if I the kind of person that staff in could come up to the psych Many practitioners will not both Chaplaincy and Psychol- unit to teach meditation there. “Cultivate no mind in have the opportunity to prac- ogy find to be effective as a Once again, I said, "Yes." tice with the incarcerated. “compassionate professional.” every activity...” Shortly thereafter, Shuzen However, if one, out of com- Sensei brushed my head with Page 2

Grounds for Action: Not Knowing is Most Intimate by Daniel Honki Kristie

Your experience may have been simi- action and spread out into oneness choosing” was, in effect, encourage- lar to mine: years ago, you heard and interconnectedness with every- ment to change my perception so about meditation. It interested you. thing. that poor pay and fried nerves no

You read a few books and grew con- My crisis deescalated. Zen practice longer bothered me. vinced it offered a way out of your helped. A few of the illusions that There may be truth to that. But I anxiety, your depression, your had been contributing to my sense needed to leave my job! I told myself, lostness, the narrowness of your ex- of lostness became weaker. I found “If there’s food, don’t starve to death perience. You tried to meditate on myself in a world that was suddenly just because eating is, technically, your own, but you didn’t manage to more immediate. What came to the the decision to reject non-eating.” I do it consistently, nor were you sure forefront were a set of practical, found a new job that paid better and you were doing it right. You told your- “ground level” problems. didn’t fry my nerves. I was happier. I self that one day you’d seek out a I needed to make difficult decisions began to see that it was my passivity formal practice. You put this off for about my future. I needed to act. that kept me in the miserable job for years. During those years, meditation But in that early stage practice, I so long. I was using the admonition was, to you, one of the possible solu- was worried about making deci- against “picking and choosing” to tions. It was a plan you, in dark or low sions. I wondered what, exactly, justify my passivity. moments, contemplated, thinking, was meant by Zen’s admonishment My understanding of “picking and “There’s comfort in the fact that medi- against “picking and choosing.” By choosing” now is different: I do my tation is out there, that it’s probably making a decision, wasn’t I picking best to remain open to the moment, the right thing for me, that I might take and choosing? Wasn’t I rejecting to avoid spending my energy coming it up one day, when I really need to...” the reality in front of me in favor of up with reasons why the moment is That day came. A crisis hit you hard an imagined idea about how the inadequate. But being open to the and at just the right angle. Frantically world should be? Wasn’t I attaching moment doesn’t mean martyring one- you sought out a formal practice and myself to that imagined idea in or- self to bad circumstances. a teacher. der to dedicate my energies to real- I have no idea what the grounds for I came to Zen because of such a cri- izing it? This seemed very un-Zen. action are. I have no idea on which sis. I won’t get into the specifics. It’s I’ve been practicing for four years, criteria we should base major life enough to say that the crisis made me in spurts. What I see, right now, is decisions. But I know that decisions want to cast myself off – I wanted to that my old understanding of are necessary. I was attending Soji’s disappear and at the same time be- “picking and choosing” was too study group when Shuzen Sensei come something bigger. I was cynical literal. Life often requires us to pick was assigning readings from John about the idea that the proper man- and choose. For too long I worked Welwood’s Toward a Psychology of agement of my day-to-day life or the a job that paid poorly and fried my Awakening. The lesson I took is that chase after what I believed to be my nerves. I should have left many it’s important to both sit in zazen and dreams would lead to any improve- times but didn’t. When I started deal with the problems in our lives. ment at all in my mood and outlook. I practicing Zen, I imagined that the Doing one is not enough. was eager to leave behind personal warning against “picking and PagePage 3 3

Wearing the Teachings: Sitting with Dying by Abby Jingo Lang

“Vast is the robe of liberation First I stop to talk with the nurses and clear no, some are noncommittal and A formless field of benefaction others are unable to respond – I use my I wear the Tathagata’s teaching ask how they are doing. Then I find Saving all sentient beings.” out who has just arrived on the unit, best judgment. With the exception of Verse of the Kesa who’s having a hard day and who has oxygen tanks to ease troubled breathing Each Wednesday morning I have to died since last week. People some- for some individuals, there are no ma- remember to take along two garments times ask me, “isn’t it depressing?” chines in the rooms although wall- that bookend my day – my Rakusu For reasons not entirely clear to me, I mounted TVs are ubiquitous. (I like to and an ordinary looking, navy-colored do not find it depressing at all. In fact, think I have saved someone from dying golf shirt. I usually put these items out at times of great personal stress, being to the soundtrack of a rerun of NCIS) In the night before because I can’t be a hospice volunteer has been a gift, most instances, I encounter very little trusted to remember them when I allowing me to leave self-absorption interest in the outside world. The men I leave for the zendo a little after 6:00 behind, if only for a few hours. visit usually don’t want to know what the am. Putting on my Rakusu at the weather is, what is considered breaking Center, I recite the Verse of the Kesa. Another question I get is “what do you news or even much about me. When Sometimes it seems a little grandi- actually do there?” To some people’s they do want to talk, however, it doesn’t ose…saving all sentient beings...but I surprise, I don’t lead meditation alt- take much prompting, just a few leading say it anyway. hough my Zen practice clearly informs questions. Mainly they tell me stories how I approach my actions at the bed- about where they grew up, about siblings I appreciate sitting at the Center in the side. I present myself as a friendly and even children they’ve lost touch early morning, before the busyness of visitor who keeps people company, with, and what matters to them in life. the workday. At the same time, I re- sitting beside them, talking or not talk- There are poignant moments and amus- sent getting up and out so early. Once ing. I am grateful for the training in ing ones, especially when I misread a I’m there, however, whether I sit alone contemplative care that I received from situation. One time as I sat quietly at a or with others, I’m glad I made the the New York Zen Center for Contem- bedside thinking I was bringing some effort. plative Care three years ago, but such comfort, the man turned to me and said, “what ARE you doing?” training is not a pre-requisite to be a After work on Wednesdays, I’m a hospice volunteer. People from all quick-change artist in the car. I put on walks of life serve wonderfully as hos- So, truth be known, I often think – “Oh, a golf shirt and rubber-soled shoes pice volunteers and I’d be happy to Wednesday, such a long day, I don’t feel required of all volunteers at the 9-bed share my experiences with anyone. like going – to sitting, to work, to the hos- hospice unit where I’m headed. On pice.” At the very same time, as I wear the drive there, I mentally try to leave On any given Wednesday, I usually my Rakusu in the morning and my golf work behind. When I arrive some 25 visit with six people, mostly elderly shirt in the late afternoon, I get a chance minutes later, I literally leave every- men. I knock before entering a room, to wear the teachings I am offered by thing behind except my car key and introduce myself if we haven’t met Shuzen Sensei and the shared practice I my reading glasses. I try to just bring before and ask if I can sit with them for enjoy with sangha members at Soji Zen my self. a while. Most give a clear yes, a few a Center. Now I just need to find the right garment for the rest of the day! Soji Zen Center Newsletter Page 4

Food Dana: Practice in Action Weekly Schedule Sunday Meditation & 9:30 AM by Roger Tetsugyu Jack Dharma Talk

Monday Meditation 7:30 PM The sangha gives back to the local community by donating food to the Upper Darby Food Bank. Sangha members bring Tuesday Yoga 7:00 PM non-perishable food to the Zen Center and then put the food in Wednesday Meditation 6:30 AM a specially marked bin. About once per month, I take the food Wednesday Study Group 7:00 PM to a drop off point for the food bank. Food is one our basic Thursday Meditation & 7:00 PM needs and giving food to the local community is a wonderful Dokusan way to take care of those around us. Saturday Iaido 9:00 AM

COMMIT TO PARTICIPATE!!!

• August 24th: Soji Zen Center’s First Yard Sale (8 am-noon)

• September 7th, 14th & 21st: The Basics: How to Meditate and Practice Zen (10 am—11:30 am)

• September 21st: One-Day Retreat (12 pm—5 pm)

• September 28th: The Art of the Japanese Tea Ceremony (10 am—noon)

• October 12th: Women in Zen Buddhism (10 am—noon)

• October 19th & 20th: Roshi Bernie Glassman—Workshop, Book Signing & Talk

• November 2nd: Holding Anger Mindfully (10 am—1:00 pm)

• December 26th—31st: Year-End Sesshin, Malvern Retreat House

Soji Zen Center is a contemporary Buddhist center providing instruction in Zen meditation, philosophy and contemplation techniques for training the mind. We are guided by our founding teacher, Sensei Jules Shuzen Harris.

Soji Zen Center is part of the White Plum lineage which brings together elements of Japanese Soto and Rinzai traditions of Zen Bud- dhism to teach intensive awareness sitting practice (Zazen) and koan study to beginners who want to learn about meditation, as well as to experienced practitioners of Zen Buddhism to strengthen their technique. Contact Information

Soji Zen Center 2325 W. Marshall Road Lansdowne, PA 19050

www.sojizencenter.com

Teacher: Sensei Shuzen Harris Editor: Abby Jingo Lang Assistant Editor: Hector Bokudo Gil de Rubio Contributing Editor Michael Daitoku Palumbaro Layout & Publisher: Brenda Jinshin Waters