June 6, 2020

There is one thing in this world that you must never forget to do.  If you forget everything else and not this, there’s nothing to worry about; but if you remember everything else and forget this, then you will have done nothing in your life.

It’s as if a king has sent you to some country to do a task, and you perform a hundred other services, but not the one he sent you to do.  So human beings come to this world to do particular work.  That work is the purpose, and each is specific to the person.  If you don’t do it, it’s as though a priceless Indian sword were used to slice rotten meat.  It’s a golden bowl being used to cook turnips, when one filing from the bowl could buy a hundred suitable pots.  It’s a knife of the finest tempering nailed into a wall to hang things on.

You say, "But look, I'm using the dagger. It's not lying idle." Do you hear how ludicrous that sounds? For a penny, an iron nail could be bought to serve the purpose. You say, "But I spend my energies on lofty enterprises. I study jurisprudence and philosophy and logic and astronomy and medicine and all the rest." But consider why you do those things. They are all branches of yourself.   

Remember the deep root of your being, the presence of your lord.  Give your life to the one who already owns your breath and your moments.  If you don't you will be exactly like the man who takes a precious dagger and hammers it into his kitchen wall for a peg to hold his dipper gourd.  You'll be wasting valuable keenness and foolishly ignoring your dignity and your purpose.  - Rumi

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Our ZHS on-line schedule:  

• Mondays: 7-8:30pm - zazen, short service, lecture/discussion
• Tuesdays-Fridays: 5:30-6:10pm - zazen, offering of merit/bows
• Saturdays: 8:00-10:15am - zazen, short service, tea, discussion/study
• For more information:  www.zenheartsangha.org)  

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Special bows for today: 

• Please offer bows for Dottie Kelly, Misha's family member, who died of lung disease on May 20th
• Please offer bows for Annette Merrill, Misha's cousin, who died on May 13th from lung cancer
• Please offer bows for Donald Kennedy, former president of Stanford University, who died from COVID-19
• Please continue to offer bows for Nick Battaglia, Camille Spar's father, who died Aprill 13th 
• Please continue to offer bows for the family of Alison Templeton, a PS parent, who died on April 1st 
• Please continue to offer bows of well-being for:   
• Beverly Klemme whose beloved horse Saphire died May 26th
• Rev. Les Kaye, Misha’s Zen teacher, who is recovering at home undergoing chemotherapy

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Wonderful links shared by sangha members and friends:

• Zen Heart Sangha website: resources about COVID-19: www.zenheartsangha.org
• From our dharma sister, Camille: an important commentary on race, riots and society to help us understand from Trevor Noah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c
• From our dharma brother, Stephen: Maui surfers paddling out to create a circle of aloha in support of George Floyd and his family: https://www.kitv.com/story/42197703/maui-surfers-hold-paddle-out-in-honor-of-george-floyd?fbclid=IwAR1BHWD5nekMFW4bXRQrOhx2vNgydZoXdv7zrz1TxCPOdEdLyfVh4mDF0rs
• From our dharma sister, Kathleen: Daily haiku from Cornell https://haiku.mannlib.cornell.edu/    
• From our dharma sister, Camille: https://www.boredpanda.com/stupid-funny-newspaper-headlines/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic 
• From our dharma sister, Camille: a modern fairy tale about the pandemic:  
• https://www.facebook.com/826415330774102/posts/2904759752939639/?vh=e&d=n
• From our dharma sister, Lucille, for a little humor on 'What You Should and Should Not Do:   https://youtu.be/wVs5AyjzwRM  
• Anti-racism resources for white people: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/preview?pru=AAABco-l62s*wWgmhgauhStr-4WtSmpVLQ
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Many thanks to those of you who are sending me articles to share, links to helpful information, and for making comments…it is a gift beyond measure. Please know that you can either leave a comment on the blog itself, or send something directly to me and I will be happy to paste it in.