Farm, MWA Newsletter, Zen, -  Jun 01, 2026

Mountains and Waters Alliance: events June 5, June 13-14, plus notes

Dear Friends,

Please notice these events coming soon. I would love to have you join us. 

June 5, this Friday, 10 am, Pike Island: I’m joining friends Joe Brewer and Penny Heiple, founders of The Design School for Regenerating Earth,  https://earthregenerators.org/the-design-school/.  They’re on the Mississippi Basin Pilgrimage, visiting river confluences, meeting local people where possible, listening to the land. I invited them to Pike Island at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, because I know it as a sacred and powerful place from spending many hours there in my thirties. It’s also a place of painful Dakota history, commemorated in the visitor center and memorial grounds.

If you are considering joining us at Pike Island, please join the WhatsApp group, https://chat.whatsapp.com/IvNM9bYPTwO9Y7gS5Ven3f?mode=gi_t. You might also join the general pilgrimage group, particularly if you’re closer to other locations including Milwaukee, Madison, the Mississippi Headwaters, and further west.

As host for Pike Island, I’ll arrive early Friday, check things out, and be at the visitor center before 10 am to greet everyone. My intention is that we walk to the point of the island where the rivers meet, share some words, do some ceremony, and leave with blessings. We will be planning it on the spot; feel free to bring your own creativity.

Logistics: Enter the park through the ranger station, which will be open at 9. Each car will pay $7.00 unless you have a Minnesota park pass. (You may be able to borrow a free pass from your local library.)  Set your GPS for the Thomas Savage Visitor Center, 2 miles inside the park. Joe and Penny will arrive 10-11 am, and we’ll walk to the island and to the confluence. We’ll have two or three hours together.

June 13: community potluck, welcoming my permaculture friends, Dex and Kelly from Indiana, who are thinking of moving to southern Minnesota. Details soon, I’ll be sending notices to appropriate groups.

June 13-14: Land care weekend. If you’re able and willing to put in some time in garden or woods, please let me know. the garden and land restoration.  Please register if interested, or inquire. No charge, food provided, training provided, camping and/or housing offered if you would like to stay overnight. Families welcome. Come for any part or all. Letting me know is really helpful.

Ongoing:

• I spend about 2 hours daily working with the garden or the land, contact me if you’d like to join. Because of the heat, this is usually mornings.
• I’m sitting morning zazen with my old temple, Sanshin Zen Community, which is 5:10-6:00 weekday mornings. You’re invited to join us. https://www.sanshinji.org/virtual-practice.html
• The Wednesday evening study group is currently monthly. If you’re interested, contact me. We’ll probably reorganize in September, and we’re talking about our next topic.

Here are summer events; I’ll send full details mid-June, but feel free to ask any time.  

• July 3, Milwaukee: a day of Zen sitting; possibility of conversations in afternoon
• July 3, I will be looking for a place to stay and visit, probably in Chicago, after clarifying how long to spend in Milwaukee.
• July 4-10 Visit Cleveland, OH, family time.
• July 10-11: talk and workshop at Crooked River Zen, Cleveland, OH. Registration.
• July 12: Sunday morning Dharma talk at Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, Chicago.
• July 19: Sunday morning talk at Minnesota Zen Center, Minneapolis.
• August 8: Land workday with Clean River Partners. No charge, lunch provided, registration requested. Most likely activities: making biochar plus clearing invasives, getting land ready for plantings next spring.
• Fall: more meditation events and land events. December 1-8: Rohatsu sesshin: sitting quietly for a week.

Just a note: now that I’m out of retreat, I plan to write more often, and to systematically include both Buddhist teachings and some commentary on engaged Buddhism in the world as it is. I find myself devoted to working with the land, a key source of joy. The book can still be gotten, preferably from your local bookstore. 

Love to all,

Shodo