Volume 24.4 Winter 2017-18 Plum Mountain News Dear members and friends, a 49th day memorial for him the evening of April 8. As I write this there is a bit of snow on the ground and a blast of cold air from the north. I just heard a few days ago that U nfortunately, there is Eido Shimano, who was instrumental in minimal oversight by the building Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-Ji, Maha Sangha in the USA. has died in Japan of pneumonia. He was In Japan, whenever a 85 years old. We first met in Japan at priest has sufficiently Ryutaku-Ji in 1981 and I actively trained embarrassed the hierarchy with him from 1996 to 2010. He named they are removed from me as a Dharma office. Here in the USA, at Rohatsu Sesshin 2017 Heir in the Rinzai least in Rinzai Zen circles, lineage 10 years we don’t even have the luxury of this It is great to see so many of us contribute and ago and I will be much oversight. Eido’s flaws repeatedly get involved in the progressive good works of forever grateful for and inexcusably harmed the Sangha he this organization. Just last Tuesday, Feb. 20th, the inspiration he led. I wish I had not been caught by my Carolyn and I and a few hundred other FAN shared about the own admiration and idealization of him. members from around the state were in a n c i e n t Z e n Compassion and kindness were not Olympia to talk to our legislators about a slew masters. Despite missing in him, but in my view his own of important issues from gun control to the great harm he narcissism prevented him from housing for the homeless. I sat in at the caused to many in exemplifying the appropriate balance hearing of the House Judiciary Committee to his own sangha needed between wisdom and abolish the death penalty, an issue on which I and indirectly to compassion. It does fall to those who have been working with many others for me, who believed desire to foster Rinzai Zen to make major years. The bill has already passed the State his denials, he was course corrections. Spiritual malpractice Senate and now has a chance to come to the one of the greatest is a good term for Shimano’s actions. House floor for a vote. Chobo-Ji’s 100 Meals catalysts of growth Patriarchy must not go unquestioned and Program to make vegetarian meals for the in my life. Hence, I unexamined. Still I find room in my heart homeless, directed by Sally Zenka and Sensei have very conflicted feelings about him. for the Rinzai Zen tradition. However, a Dee Seishun Endelman, has temporarily been much better balance between what is suspended, but I hope it will resume soon. called wisdom and compassion must be Our efforts to reduce our temple’s carbon Eido Shimano has proved to be an developed for Rinzai Zen to survive or be footprint with new solar panels on our roof enigma to me, which echoes what he said relevant. We are working here at Chobo- has earned us $550 in City Light credit since about his own teacher, Soen Nakagawa Ji to foster a Rinzai Zen practice that September. Chobo-Ji has now become a Roshi. I once believed he was nurtures kindness, compassion and to Neighborhood Emergency Hub through the sufficiently humbled and reformed by his direct action in the world we live. leadership of Edward Kyosei Beatty and other past egregious behavior, but I was wrong. sangha members. Chobo-Ji has endorsed the He was never able to sufficiently Real Rent to the Duwamish Tribe movement combust and compost his own suffering There was a whole table of Chobo-Ji to help support the ancestors on who’s land and the suffering he caused others; members at the Faith Action Network th our temple sits. We continue to work on our therefore, he remained caught by his Annual Dinner on November 19 , 2017. own inner preparedness to handle difficult sexual addiction and narcissistic conversations and situations through our personality. We are all mixed bags, and it NVC workshops, Ongo NVC Work Group is tragic when one’s baggage dominates and our newly revamped Ethics and one’s life and it’s even more tragic when Restorative Practice Policy. our own inner mess repeatedly harms others. And yet, this does not negate the good we have done. Please read Rev. We had thirty-one people at our 2017 Seiho’s essay on his relationship to Eido Rohatsu, Dec. 2 – 10. You can find pictures of Shimano later in this issue. We will hold this event towards the end of the 2017 Sangha Continued on next page… Page 1 Volume 24.4 Winter 2017-18 Photos slide show; we had people from six Coming up in March there will be a Zen different states and two countries in rd attendance. It was a very powerful sesshin, Post Workshop March 3 and I will be and despite the fact that about a third of us traveling to lead a mini-sesshin in got sick from either a virus or perhaps food Wenatchee, where I will be conferring poisoning towards the end of our time Sensei status for Sharon Meho Petit after 16 together, it was one of our deeper Rohatsus. years of Zen practice. I’ll be leading Rev. Sendo Howells served as our Shika additional mini-sesshins in Walla Walla and (host/manager) and she did a marvelous job San Diego in April. We will celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday the morning of Sunday, keeping us organized. Sensei Josen served th as Fusu; without her financial organizing April 8 during our April Zazenkai, and our everything would come to a halt. Rev. sesshin, Shika, Jikijitsu and Fusu, which is a Annual Meeting will follow these events at Kanko Kritee shared her wisdom in her lot! If you would like to listen to my teishos 11:45 AM. You can find a more complete Dharma Talk on “Ryutetsuma: The Old from that time (recorded by Samuel calendar on the back page. Please stay Female Buffalo” on fifth day. Rev. Tendo Koelewijn) where I draw inspiration from warm and know that I’m looking forward to Kirkpatrick was a fine Dai Tenzo (Chief the Mumonkan, Hekiganroku, Rinzairoku training with you as the new shoots begin to Cook), and was assisted admirably by Eddie and Hidden Lamp collection of koans, spring up. Take care. Daichi Salazar. Rev. Seiho Morris served follow this dropbox link or email me and I will send it to you. After my time in skillfully as Jikijitsu (time keeper), but got With gassho, called away when his son fell and broke his Germany, Carolyn and I spent a week in Sicily exploring ancient Greek temples, knee. Our Jiki assistant, Gavin Ozan Genjo Mackay smoothly transitioned to this post Norman works of art and my own heritage, in Seiho’s absence. Lynn Sogetsu as my great-grandmother on my father’s Hernandez knocked it out of the park as our side was born there. We even stopped at a Densu (Chant Leader). Our Jisha, Rev. small seaside resort village named Restorative Practices Gendo Testa and his assistants Chris Marinello. Doelling and George Gibbs kept us warm update by Sally Zenka Metcalf and awake with plenty of tea and coffee. I n January, Marcia Christen, our Rev. Rinzan Pechovnik was my Inji (Abbot Restorative Practices advisor, lead a Assistant), and gave a fine Dharma Talk on gathering of eleven Chobo-Ji folks in part second day. Sensei Scott Ishin Stolnack held two of the basic Non Violent up the background needs and left no trace. Communication (NVC) training begun in The last day we had three participants to our September workshop. January Jukai (Precept and Dharma Name participants were intrigued with building Ceremony); more about that later in this upon investigations into feelings and needs; issue. and boldly took on the other two essential NVC skills: observations and requests. We had a fine Toya, year-end party to They sound a lot easier than they are! This gave us the full groundwork for connected break all rules (we didn’t break so many), We just concluded our winter three-day Dec. 30th, and a communication through self-awareness Odayaka Sesshin with 20 participants. (self-empathy), empathy (listening), and very well Rinzan was Shika, Daichi was Tenzo, attended New speaking authentically. It also deepened our George Kyoki was Jisha, Kyosei was Inji, understanding of the way the NVC form Y e a r ’ s D a y Ozan was Jiki and Densu! The sesshin was Celebration and supports compassion, shared power, and the smooth, grounded and strong. We had a awareness of interdependence. potluck to ring large contingent from Stone Blossom in the new year Sangha, and Qi Gong instruction from Kim with the Ivy. Along with the workshops, a committed intention to bust group of ten Ongo Group attendees and two our collective additional Ongo Buddy Practice friends delusions and go In addition to what has already been who aren’t able to attend the Thursday s t r a i g h t o n mentioned, in this issue of Plum Mountain evening meeting times are just now serving all News you will read about the new finishing the twelve lessons in the Ongo creatures great calligraphy in the zendo (a gift from Sensei Book. What’s next for this group? That’s up and small, animate and inanimate.