Journal, MWA Newsletter, -  Oct 27, 2025

 Mountains and Waters Alliance: Travel notes and upcoming events

Dear Friends,

I’m having an amazing time traveling with the book tour. Thought I would share it with you all. At the end are some plans. (I didn’t include last names except public figures, just because this is public.)

The book tour is being amazing.

• I started late September in Rochester, MN, with the Women and Spirituality Conference, led an outdoor ritual with a rather small group, and they loved it. I sold a bunch of books, became friends with the woman who shared a sales table with me, and figured out that sitting all day in a crowded room with fragrances is not a good plan. Next year I will tentatively plan to just do a presentation, and not have sales. And I met lovely humans, and was encouraged by community.
• Madison, WI, Zen center, was a lovely time, I gave a good talk, people bought books, and I have friends there now.
• Milwaukee, WI, party at the home of Zen friend Devin, because Milwaukee Zen Center was busy hosting a big conference the week before. Bunch of people, great conversation, etc. Reirin Gumbel, teacher at Zen Center, came, and invited me to give a talk on Saturday, and I was thinking about changing my plans to do it. But after spending the night there, my incense-free sleeping space was not, and I left to recover, leaving in good relations.
• Chicago, 3 days with Wendy and her husband/partner, in an amazingly tiny apartment, mostly rest and meeting fascinating people. Then a talk at Zen Life & Meditation, where I learned we were very much in accord (Robert Althouse, Bernie Glassman lineage, if anyone recognizes this stuff).
• Cleveland, OH – my sister, and a permaculture new connection, and lunch with someone mentioned in Milwaukee, who tells me he can actually produce an event – for next time.
• Rochester, NY – my niece, and my brother. Just good family connections.
• Vermont: I can’t even keep track. Two bookstore readings; the second was supposed to be a big deal but there were only four of us. The staff person is totally enthusiastic, and my friend Doug from the Compassionate Earth Walk drove me around, treated me to meals, and made my life easier.  Before that: Bread Loaf Mountain Zen – they work with homeless people – a great afternoon conversation, a few books sold, a comfortable place to stay. Barre Zen Center, a talk that included a short video and more good conversation, and gifts. There have been multiple gifts along the way, but the big quartz crystal is like a gift of magic, and a fisherman’s sweater that I’ve wished for since I had one 20 years ago. I’m feeling so well cared for. Brattleboro Zen Center, beautiful hosts, great Zen group, etc.
• I think this is when I stopped being totally fatigued and on the verge of falling asleep driving. Whether it was some internal change, or the result of being away from fragrance and incense for so long, I don’t know. It’s pretty much stayed okay – but today I want a nap pretty seriously. But it’s warm and sunny out with fall colors.
• Massachusetts – Wenham, Zen Center North Shore, my friend Joan Amaral, and three days. Mostly I joined their schedule, but gave a couple of talks, we worked in the garden of my hosts (Jim and Billy), went for a walk in a beautiful wild place and did singing and community things – and collapsed. That was after an hour at the local No Kings rally, where lots of people came up and talked to us, and the energy was loud and enthusiastic. I was treated so much, I felt like royalty.
  • Friday evening after the potluck was designated a book reading. I asked other people to also read parts they liked. A few people did, and I read, and it was magical. Now I want to read the book, at least in sections, and send it to Resilience and maybe some other places.
• Amherst, MA, my old friend Jerry from 45 years ago, we just hung out and we took a beautiful walk.
• Then my old friend Luca’s place for a few days. Beautiful space, dharma conversation, more fall colors.
• Village Zendo in NYC found a place for me to stay, I took a bus in and out of town and learned a tiny bit of subway. I would NOT want to be disabled in NYC, it was hard enough. The sangha was a blessing. Sunday morning talk, will be on their website.
• Now I have a 3-day break in the most beautiful place in the world. Well, maybe not, comparisons fail. But fall colors are flaming and the red bushes have just started.

What’s coming next

(Somehow I put the full schedule in here, even though it’s also on the page referenced)

• On Wednesday Oct 29 in Philadelphia, a talk for a Quaker environmental group, https://mountainsandwatersalliance.org/book-travels-teachings-2025/
• then to Reading where I we’re doing a Halloween ritual, October 31, evening – details still in process.
• My time off at Assateague Island – I finally have campsites confirmed for the entire time, believe I won’t actually freeze – I’ll be there for the full moon and a little beyond. The campground is amazingly full. I’d thought there was no hurry, but other  people have RVs and such, so I have to move a couple of times.
• Washington DC, staying at Dassanaya, another break time for quiet and meditation,  then giving a talk Nov 13 at All Beings Zen Sangha, https://www.allbeingszen.org/frequently-used-chants/all-beings-zen-sangha-2025-fall-practice-period/ (scroll down)
• Nov 15-16: Chapel Hill Zen Center, NC – some informal events plus a talk and booksigning Sunday morning. https://chzc.org/
• Nov 17-23, Atlanta, GA – Friday evening at Charis Books; Saturday morning 9-1 workshop at Red Clay Sangha. Plus two online events (college class and Zen Peacemakers) and relax and rest.
• Maybe Berea KY, maybe not. Definitely Bloomington, IN, old friends from when I lived there.
• 11/26-11/30: Thanksgiving with my permaculture friends Peter and Keith in Montague, MI, and a talk at The Book Nook, 2 pm.Saturday afternoon.
• Home as fast as possible. Probably a couple of visits in Chicago or Rochester MN, trying to get there about Dec 1. Then I have a talk Dec 7 in Rochester, an online talk Dec 14 in Michigan, and we’ll see. Family visits Cleveland late December, hopefully Green Gulch Farm in January, and I don’t know.

I don’t know what comes next. There are possibilities in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Southwest. I’m not eager to drive across the country again, so I’ll have to sort that out.

The conversations are amazing, and occasionally I find people who completely resonate with what I’m offering.

Notes

Meanwhile the U.S. slides into fascism, more open every day. A few people in government resist, including judges, including lots of state officials. Millions of ordinary Americans resist, creating public theater at protests, protecting immigrant neighbors, now figuring out how to find food as SNAP benefits are cut by the man who has plenty for Argentina, for genocide in Israel, for a ridiculous ballroom – and is a front for a dangerous cabal that is actually intelligent without a shred of morality. As Malcolm X said, “The chickens are coming home to roost.” The U.S. was founded on land theft, genocide, and slavery; we’ve had some times, and some decades, of doing better, but consequences are arising.

May this be the time of chrysalis, as the caterpillar is reborn as a butterfly by going through internal dissolution. And even though I don’t want my family and friends to be destroyed in that process, I can’t accept that it’s being borne by the people who did not create it – immigrant workers, children in Gaza, journalists and those who speak for justice, all of that.

If you have an election next week, please vote. Turnout will decide those results (especially if the votes are counted honestly). There are places to donate if you can – California’s Prop 50  (Please note that it only goes into effect if Texas and other states succeed in their corrupt and open gerrymandering to rig elections for MAGA victory) , David Hogg’s Leaders We Deserve PAC. Whoever you can and will.

And please nourish yourself, stay calm. Do what you can. It’s still a marathon, even though right now it’s also a sprint.

Love, Shodo

A few pictures here.