September 9, 2020

 Submitted by Alisa Tu - 

Zen practice has opened my mind/heart to poetry and the power of words to "leap clear" and suddenly the whole world is broken open to the beauty and dharma of it all.

This poem was a part of an interactive performance of poetry that my friends (non-Zen folks) put together last year. It was recited by Eliza Thomas (Peninsula clay teacher) in the middle of a room full of attendees in my mom's studio. She was walking around the room talking to us, looking at each of us to help us hear the words. The event is called Barefoot in Black (you can find it on Facebook) and was a pleasure to produce, collaborate and experience. We Zen practitioners are barefoot in black, the title of the poem is familiar too, the dharma is everywhere and in everything, beautiful and broken. : )

~Alisa

 

The Way It Is

 Over and over we break open, 

we break and we break and we open.  

 For a while, we try to fix the vessel – 

as if to be broken is bad.

As if with glue and tape and a steady hand we might bring things to perfect again.  

As if they were ever perfect.  

As if to be broken is not also perfect.  

As if to be open is not the path toward joy.

 

The vase that’s been shattered and cracked will never hold water.  

Eventually it will leak.  

And at some point, perhaps, 

we decide that we’re done with picking our flowers anyway, 

and no longer need a place to contain them.

We watch them grow just as wildflowers do – 

unfenced, unmanaged, blossoming only when they’re ready

– and my god, how beautiful they are amidst the mounting pile of shards        

- Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

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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
• M-F: 7-7:30am - zazen
• 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 Takiko Kawakami, Fumiko Arao's mother who died 9/2/2020
• Please offer bows for Jacob Blake, shot and paralyzed in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and for the protesters shot and killed in Portland, OR last weekend
• Please continue to offer bows of well-being for:   
• Phyllis Merrill, Misha's mother, who is dying
• 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, Misha:  incredible graphics and information about COVID-19  https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/covid-19-coronavirus-infographic-datapack/
• From our dharma brother, Bill:  Buddhism in women's prisons:   https://tricycle.org/magazine/buddhism-in-womens-prisons/

• From our dharma sister, Nancy:  Spirituality and interconnectedness through time   https://www.brainpickings.org/2018/04/19/lynn-margulis-talking-on-the-water/
• 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
• If you would like to leave a comment on this blog: Here is a quick video on how to--it's from 2017, but should work:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T4RflO5Wgg
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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.