WATERFALL

2004 summer newsletter

Unconditional acceptance is one part of our practise. This is to be willing to engage and accept the place, moment and situation that we’re in. It is to practise letting go of the ways we get caught up within ourselves. If this was all there is to practise it would be very one-sided towards passivity. However, the other equal part of our practise is our action or manifestation in this place, moment and situation. It is to practise the increasing confidence in whom we truly are. The increasing confidence comes as we are willing to let go the way we used to be. It involves finding ourselves anew.

The more we feel at home in this moment the more this moment seems to be us. The sense of our skin being a boundary falls away. We are pregnant with this moment, all in this moment is our child. As we continue practise there arises the deepening insight and feeling that everyone is our friend, our brother and sister. We mature in the wisdom of the oneness or wholeness of all things.

In the same way parents respond to each child according to the needs of the child, we find an appropriate responses to everyone we come across. Unconditional acceptance of people involves the sharpness and clarity of just how they are. We can then naturally respond to their true or deeper needs.

Each of us finds we are stronger in acceptance or in action. Correspondingly each of us is weaker in the opposite. As we practise we come to see this in ourselves and so we get our own feedback on where to look, or rather what to emphasise, to keep our practise balanced and on track. With time we come to see that we already know what to do, yet the sangha and the world still reflects back how we are doing.

Zen practise is simply to let blossom our innate humanity. For some there is a desire and hunger to deeply solve the self, to be enlightened, to comprehend this, to mutually realize and practise ultimate reality. In fact, simply continuing to practise deeply and precisely brings us, after great effort, to this ultimate reality. Eshin

Birds in the Tree,

Children in the yard,

Sing the song of a summer evening. Mike

BIRTHRIGHT

On the last day of the last sesshin, the word “birthright” popped into my head. Birthright usually means that, as the firstborn to a particular family, one possesses certain rights, possessions or privileges.

The birthright I had in mind, however, was hardly this; but, rather, the natural state of being we manifest from the time of birth: crying when we are hungry, pooping without thought of time or place, smiling in complete connection with our mothers. No thought of comparison, trepidation, superiority, inferiority . . . Later, as time passes, all sorts of thinking patterns and habits arise and develop from our circumstances, taking hold and intervening between our immediate, natural self and our behaviour. Thus, in a sense, our birthright is taken from us, obscured by the mental clouds and self doubts put upon us.

When I first thought of all this, I was feeling anger toward my parents and my teachers and others who were always telling me as a child what a bright boy I was: “You’re the best in class.” Or warning me to be careful: “Don’t climb that ladder.” “Be careful with that tool.” “Don’t get too close to the cliff’s edge.” Don’t do this; don’t do that. Or, perhaps worst of all, “ Gary , you’re always acting.” Indeed.

But actually I had a relatively benign upbringing. When I think of all the truly horrible things inflicted on countless children throughout the world, it really makes me sad and angry. The anger and sadness subside, however, for in every moment each of us is truly born again. Not the “born again” popularized today in certain religions--giving one’s self over completely to some conceptual god or spirit. But, rather, the constant rebirth that occurs into our natural, greater self at every instant, allowing us, if we make the “effortless effort,” to arise and respond to the whoever and the whatever of that moment. That is our true birthright. And unlike possessions, wealth and prestige, this birthright is never lost. Gareth 

Centre News

Changes to the schedule are being considered. It’s thought that having the early Tuesday to Friday morning sits end at 7am , not 7:30am , would give more people the opportunity for morning sitting and enough time to get to work. Another change being considered is adding a mid-day sit, maybe on Thursday, which may be helpful for women with families.

Please phone or email if you think these changes will make it easier for you to participate.

Annual end of summer BBQ

5pm on Saturday August 28 th on the rooftop of Brent’s place

Please RSVP by August 22 nd by phone or email

You are welcome to bring a small desert and/or a drink

The May sesshin on Galiano Island saw eleven people sitting strongly. The main work project was removing the old deck. Many people are participating in helping responsibilities such as jikijitsu and tenzo. As well as making the sesshin smoother people are discovering that helping is a definite part of practise.

The August sesshin is starting in a week. The last sesshin of the year is in November.

Buddha’s Birthday ceremony and potluck lunch was on May 2 nd. A large group came to the main gathering of the year and shared food and each other.

Michelle and John on Bowen Island have started Zen workshops for newcomers, with Eshin leading them. So far about twenty people have come and a good percent are sitting regularly. Stuart, a regular in Vancouver although living on Bowen Island , is now participating with the group. Thoughts are turning towards a larger zendo which is urgently needed.

Victoria Zen Centre has started intensives and an introductory program. The intensives see morning, evening and weekend sitting for a week, allowing people to work during the day. The introductory program for newcomers runs over several weeks; details can be found on the Victoria ZC web site.

The Prince George Zen group has established two weekend zazen-kais a year. Eshin will be going in October to the next one.

Old teaspoons are needed. If you see some in a thrift store please grab them for the Zen Centre. We do not have many for the bowl sets and new ones seem so expensive.

The Zen Centre has some boxes of Eiju incense available for $15. Eiju is an excellent sandalwood incense for home use.

Sangha News

This spring and summer saw a number of unfortunate accidents. Louise had a ruptured appendix and, after a long time, has now recuperated from the surgery and seems to be doing well. Gareth’s ankle is healed and we hope to see his frequent presence at sesshins and one day sits again. Peggy is better after her thyroid operation and has started one day sits again. Branko returned to Vancouver and is on crutches for a while. Fortunately he will not need another hip operation. Warm wishes for his improvement. Lorena has returned to the zendo after a back operation and a long recovery. She is sitting strongly and frequently.

Myorei took part in two ikebana shows this spring. The first was in Vancouver and then later on Saltspring Island . She took the opportunity to visit her family in France before starting Floristry school this September.

Koshin and Soshin of the Puget Sound Zen Center are expecting their second child in November. There is talk of the two groups getting together for a zazen-kai but it may take a while to arrange.

People who have recently done sesshin with Roshi - Eshin and Toby in June; Janice, Michelle, Myorei and Eshin in July. Nikki from the Victoria Zen Centre has been studying at Mt Baldy Zen Center for close to a year.

Contributions

 The Centre asks for a contribution from its friends. This is a way to support the Zen Centre itself and to repay benefits from the Centre’s practise. A contribution of $20 per month is expected and many contribute $35 or $50 per month.

A great thank you for all the donations since the last newsletter from Adrian Dobre, Barbara Moyle, Brent Eichler, Bryson Young, Chris Massey, Chris Reuten, Dennis Goebel, Gordon Davidson, Greg Barkovich, Hoben Kim Hansen, Ian Hignell, Ivan Grabovac, Jacqui Galsby, Jeremy Dowling-Ryerson, Jerry Cyr, Jey Wyder, John Dumbrille, Judith Johnson, Kumiko Yasukawa, Lorena Orozco, Louise Newman, Michael Wong, Michelle Meyrink, Mike Henley, Myorei Corinne Zeraffa, Noah Quastel, Paul Albert, Paul Clarke, Peggy Scott, Pouyan Jafarizadeh, Stephen Wandling, Steve Weiner, Stuart Slind, Susan Tennant, Zachery Brown …… and the many anonymous donors. Thank you !!

Thanks also to people that have donated time and items to the centre. Giving of time is a big-hearted giving and giving of items requires thought and concern.

Thanks to Brad and Eshin for much help with the basement renovation. Also helping were Adrian, Chris, Gareth, Jerry, Josie, Mike and Myorei.

Thanks to Brad and Greg for old red bricks, Brad for sand for the garden path, Brent for tea until we got this year’s mint and lemon balm, Peter for front step anti-slip material, Paul A for bread, Chris R for coffee and Gareth for a digital camera.