Dear dharma sister, brothers, and friends,
I trust that today finds you healthy and supported by your
daily meditation practice.
Yesterday brought new mandates from Governor Gavin Newsom
asking that everyone over 65 self-isolate because that is the population that
is currently most at risk outside of those having a compromised immune
system. I know that includes many of our
own sangha and to you I offer special bows for continued well-being.
Our local and national situation is changing rapidly, and the next few
weeks are going to challenge us in unexpected ways. Victor Frankl once wrote, “When we
are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change
ourselves.” That is actually a perfect
definition of Zen practice or any spiritual practice worthy of the name. It is often not easy to change a situation,
especially ones due to natural disasters or plagues, but we always have the
choice to change ourselves. As the poet Rumi wrote so many centuries ago: Yesterday I was clever...so I wanted to change
the world. Today I am wise....so I am changing myself.
While we cannot change the spread of this virus or the fearful
responses of others, we can change how we respond. Our meditation practice gives us the
opportunity to breathe deeply, allowing our anxieties to settle with each
breath. Remember the image of the muddy
water: when we stand still, the mud
begins to settle, the water becomes clearer, and then we will begin to see the
way to step forward.
May your day be blessed,
Misha Shungen
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