Mountains And Waters Alliance February 4, 2025 – Metamorphosis.
This morning I remembered the butterfly story. Before becoming a butterfly, a being lives as a caterpillar for a few...
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MWA – Return of the Light
Shodo
December 24, 2024
Writing just after winter solstice, I'm aware of the winter light slowly growing - and I call to the light...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance year-end report and donation request
Shodo
November 29, 2024
Dear Friends, I write to you after a year of growth and transformation supported by your love and care for...
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This day called Thanskgiving
Dear Friends, This is a harvest festival. Around the world, societies celebrate a year of enough food and safety and...
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Committed – Mountains and Waters Alliance Nov 2, 2024
Shodo
November 2, 2024
Beloveds, The United States has an election in just a few days, and we don’t know what will happen. Predictions...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – October 2024 – Facing today’s world
I'm thinking about how we prepare spiritually for the U.S. election (if we're involved) and all the rest of what's...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – October 2024 – Fall events and news
Shodo
October 21, 2024
Online study group Wednesday October 23, 6:30 pm Central Time, through Oct 30, Nov 6, 13, and 20. Focus will...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – September Updates and Job Posting
Shodo
September 1, 2024
This is a brief update plus announcement of a part-time job opportunity with Mountains and Waters Alliance. UPCOMING The Zen...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – staying steady
Since I last wrote, the United States has changed. The Democrats have a new presidential candidate, a vice-presidential candidate (my...
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MWA – Reflections, and July and August schedule
Shodo
July 6, 2024
It’s a magnificent summer day and I can’t bear to be indoors at the computer. So I’m sitting on a...
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MWA – Notes from the heart, plus schedule updates – June 2024
Shodo
May 28, 2024
"Not knowing is most intimate." Life continues to be uncertain. It seems more so than usual these days - with...
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Zen talk May 11, plus classes, retreats, and a biochar workshop
Shodo
May 10, 2024
Dear friends, Forgive me for not writing more deeply. I’ve been distracted by the Middle East and the response in...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – schedule update
Shodo
March 28, 2024
Dear Folks, We have rescheduled the online Zen study group to Mondays. If this allows you to come, we'd love...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – spring 2024 notes
Shodo
March 18, 2024
Dear all, Here are a few notices as we head into spring. I'm still in recovery from shoulder surgery, keeping...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – upcoming events for March 2024
Shodo
February 27, 2024
Dear Friends, This is just a brief summary of coming events, with registration links. The schedule has been reduced slightly...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance Feb 6, 2024: Quick updates and a statement on Gaza
Shodo
February 6, 2024
Dear Friends, I've had to modify my schedule because of some medical issues requiring minor surgery. Here's a reminder of...
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Happy New Year
Shodo
December 31, 2023
Dear sweet friends, It's the turning of the year. This past year has contained everything. Horrific attacks in Israel/Palestine/Gaza, and...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – quick note on upcoming class
Shodo
December 29, 2023
This is just a quick note about the upcoming study group, beginning January 3, Wednesday evening. If you would like...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – calendar for 2024
Dear Folks, You never know when evening sun will light up the sky. It happened tonight, and I offer it...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance 12/16/23 – Celebration
Dear Friends, I write to let you know that we’ve reached our fundraising goal. Thank you to those who have...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – a poem and a class announcement
Shodo
November 27, 2023
Gifts Poems Surrounded by the generosity of donors, I find myself wanting to offer gifts., which mostly means teaching, or...
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“Thank you for doing this on my behalf”
Shodo
November 14, 2023
Dear Friends, In 2006 I went on a pilgrimage that was funded by donations each of us solicited, and by...
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Dharma talks and events
This is upcoming events, especially Dharma talks. Two talks are coming up, both are available online. Sunday, November 5, 10:00...
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Finding peace and bringing peace
I write to you in peace, during war in the Middle East and an ongoing catastrophe in American government. Listening...
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Chanting for peace and healing
Shodo
October 17, 2023
What do do in times of war, hate, and brutality? Since Hamas invaded Israel I have been looking for something...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance September 2023–Fall Events and Earth Apprentice Training
Shodo
September 24, 2023
“Let the land tell you what to do,” said the advisor, and so I did. For at least two hours...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance Blog: Practicing with the News
Shodo
August 19, 2023
Practicing with the News As the disasters roll on, moderated by occasional happy surprises, I've wondered what to say here....
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“Casting Indra’s Net” study group begins September 6
Shodo
August 9, 2023
"To start repairing the world, and ourselves" writes Dan Harris about this book by Ayo Yetunde. theologian, spiritual counselor, and...
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August 12 invitation – blessing ceremony, meteor shower and more
Dear Friends, This post is about the August 12 day/night at the farm, involving afternoon work, potluck, ceremony, and stargazing/meteor...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – July 1, 2023
Shodo
June 30, 2023
Greetings from the land of summer! This newsletter includes a short event listing, plus some reflections on learnings from recent...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance: Summer Newsletter & online invitation
Hello and welcome. Here's catching up with a little of everything. Events: Online: Summer Wednesday nights will be in semi-vacation...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – land care retreat, notes, and a poem
Shodo
April 8, 2023
Dear Folks, Land Care Retreat April 14-16 Next weekend is the Land Care Retreat: arrive Friday evening, leave Sunday afternoon....
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Farm events and residence – Mountains and Waters Alliance – March 5 and later
Shodo
March 1, 2023
Here's a quick note to share some opportunities coming up. Workdays: Sunday, March 5, 12-5: coppicing black locusts. We planted...
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February Events at Mountains and Waters Alliance – corrected
Shodo
February 3, 2023
Dear Folks, this is embarrassing. The date is February 11, not February 4th. Forgive any confusion. This is correct! Introduction...
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Deep listening offerings
Shodo
February 3, 2023
In starting Mountains and Waters Alliance, I looked for a way for ordinary humans to enter the magical, liminal quality...
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Quick update – listening circle January 22
Shodo
January 16, 2023
The listening circle announced for Sunday afternoon, January 22, has been moved to a more convenient location, in Northfield MN...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance, January 2, 2023
Entering 2023: waxing moon first quarter, daylight growing, snow paused I greet you from the land of cold and snow,...
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Dharma talk January 21 at Hokyoji
Shodo
January 3, 2023
I'm giving a talk online at Hokyoji, a Zen practice center in Southern Minnesota. You can find information and access...
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Giving, upcoming classes and talks, and communications
Shodo
November 22, 2022
Giving: This is the season of fundraising appeals. I've been invisible, underground, working on the book, occasional talks, and leading...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance: a blessing at the Celtic new year
Shodo
October 31, 2022
I just want to send you a blessing, as the Celtic year shifts toward winter, and as we move toward...
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Please Vote. And Breathe.
Shodo
October 16, 2022
Voting is an exercise of political power. Self-expression has nothing to do with it. We vote all the time for...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance September news and thoughts
Shodo
September 7, 2022
Please forgive the long silence. I'm back and will try to be more regular. First, upcoming events: Sesshin, September 23-27...
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Appropriate response – and some ordinary news
The United States is falling apart. Forgive me for not writing sooner. A few months ago I started saying “This...
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Farm/garden day May 21
Dear Friends, Please forgive me for not commenting on the conditions of the world today. Sometimes writing is more than...
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Mountains and Waters – April announcements and notes
Events On April 10, 2022, I'm pleased to invite you to a dharma talk online at Hokyoji Zen Monastery. Hokyoji...
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Even In War
About two days ago, a shooting war began between Russia and Ukraine. Everyone knows who is right and wrong, except...
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Dharma talk January 23: Thich Nhat Hanh and teachings on self.
I had promised to talk about the Buddhist understanding of Self. But the great Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has...
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Mountains and Waters – December 31, 2021
Let's be quiet now, for a little bit – a few hours, or a few days or months or maybe...
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a gentle reminder in giving season
Shodo
November 18, 2021
It's donation day here in Minnesota, a little noisy, but we're staying calm and quiet. This note is simply to...
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Land event this weekend, and a recorded talk
Shodo
October 4, 2021
Dear Ones, If you would like to come and spend some time with the land this weekend (Oct 9 and/or...
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Ordinary life – Mountains and Waters Alliance, fall 2021
Shodo
September 20, 2021
“When the crowded Vietnamese refugee boats met with storms or pirates, if everyone panicked all would be lost. But if...
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Personal Action: response to the IPCC Climate Report
Shodo
August 14, 2021
The IPCC climate report triggered a lot of thoughts about how to get to action. 1: Getting to Political Will...
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Covid update on MWA Events
Shodo
August 5, 2021
Dear Friends, This is an update on the events calendar I sent out last month. It seems like a good...
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Work/Party Day at Mountains and Waters Farm July 10
Shodo
July 4, 2021
You're invited to a beautiful day in the country, with some good work and a feast at the end. The...
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Action from a distance
Shodo
June 27, 2021
I'm reaching out to ask for chanting and prayers for the protection of northern Minnesota. Here's the story: I went...
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Notes from the Treaty People Gathering
Shodo
June 16, 2021
Over 2000 people gathered in northern Minnesota June 5-8 to protect land, water, and treaty rights against Enbridge Energy's Line...
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Spring, peace, welcome
Spring has burst forth in the past two weeks. Everything in me welcomes it. So today just this, with Wendell...
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Minnesota, Life, Death, a Call for Support
Shodo
April 18, 2021
I wanted to post spring flowers and updates on the garden. But too much is happening here. I was following...
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MWA March 27, 2021 – Sorrow, shock, new life
As we weary of the pandemic and look forward to spring - forgive my rambling. And note the recording and...
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Spring practice period and events
Shodo
February 14, 2021
Dear Friends, In spite of Covid-19, we will offer some in-person options for this year. Things may change if the...
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On the insurrection – and the new Reichstag Fire
Yesterday armed white supremacists stormed the Capitol to stop the certification of electoral college votes. Washington police, well skilled in...
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“Not-knowing is most intimate”
The year called 2020 will probably be remembered for a long time for its hardship. May our descendants know it...
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Turning – the year and the world
As I write, we are already in the longest night. Winter solstice officially happens this year at 4:03 am, Central...
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Hold the Center
Dear Friends, These are tumultuous times. We may think we have come through the storm. We may think the storm...
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Initiation – on election day
Shodo
November 3, 2020
From Clarissa Pinkola Estes, and St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians: As you can dear souls, Hold the center and...
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A meditation for strong negative emotions
Here's something to do “When I sit zazen, feelings of anger and even rage come up. What can I do?”...
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The Gods Will Come – personal notes – And MWA October
Shodo
October 9, 2020
“Go ahead, light your candles, burn your incense, ring your bells and call out to the Gods but watch out,...
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Asking for Help
A Zen story: The monk asked the master, “How do we practice in difficult times?” The master replied “Welcome.” Suggested...
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The Five Remembrances and this time
We live in a time that calls for something larger and deeper than I can actually imagine. So I thought...
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Mountains and Waters – two new events this weekend
Shodo
July 17, 2020
Dear Friends, This is a quick note to let you know about some things happening that I haven't mentioned before....
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Zen practice opportunities at Mountains and Waters – summer 2020
Shodo
June 25, 2020
Opening up to practice on the land, during the time of pandemic: we're making a gentle start. The Land Care...
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Juneteenth: Sobriety, Respect, and Hope
Today is Juneteenth, the anniversary of the freeing of the last slaves in the U.S. South. The Emancipation Proclamation was...
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MWA newsletter June 1 2020 – The World Offers Itself
Shodo
June 1, 2020
“Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild...
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Upcoming events, and a short essay
Dear Friends, The problems with the online groups have been resolved. The links on the website now work for joining...
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MWA: Reading link for The Gift of Fearlessness this Sunday
Shodo
April 11, 2020
Dear Friends, The Sunday discussion group is settling into a lovely pattern and a comfortable size. New people are still...
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Navajo Nation requests prayers this weekend
Dear Friends, The Navajo Nation is experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19, and has asked for prayers this weekend, Easter weekend....
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Updated event information
Hello! I've updated the links for events "The Gift of Fearlessness" Sunday afternoons, and "Introduction to Zen" Wednesday evenings. For...
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Starting today online: “The gift of fearlessness” and “Introduction to Zen”
Shodo
March 22, 2020
Dear Friends, I'd like to invite you to either or both of two Zoom groups: The Gift of Fearlessness: Conversations...
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MWA newsletter: STOPPING
Dear Friends of Mountains and Waters Alliance: There is a pandemic. We do not know what is coming, or how...
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Two hundred twenty-seven water crossings
So alive. So warmly connected, deeply peaceful. I was a little in love with the group and especially the speakers...
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At the turning of the age
It may be that 2019 will be remembered as the year climate disaster became real for ordinary people in the...
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As the sun returns
It’s the dark time of the year, just five days until winter solstice and the beginning of the sun’s return....
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Climate, Collapse, and how we live
An invitation: One World in Dialogue and Zen Peacemakers invite us to a 24-hour worldwide meditation vigil on December 7...
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MWA October newsletter: reconstitute the world
Shodo
October 16, 2019
My heart is moved by all I cannot save: so much has been destroyed I have to cast my lot...
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to let go of things
“To let go of things does not mean to get rid of them. It means to accept that they go...
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Allow the grief of these times
It is only by consistently re-grounding ourselves to the Earth, silently in order to listen, that we can allow the...
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A special talk and other local events coming soon at Mountains and Waters
Shodo
August 13, 2019
This weekend: Sunday morning 8/18 at 10:15 - Beth Goldring, founder of Brahmavihara Cambodia, will give a talk at Northfield...
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MWA July newsletter –
Shodo
July 16, 2019
Abundance of Voices One: This is an odd thing: I listened to the Democratic primary debates, in spite of my...
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MWA June newsletter – summer solstice
First, on this summer solstice day, a poem from Gary Snyder. "After a Mohawk prayer," he says. Prayer for the...
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Monthly newsletters – and new news
Newsletters will be monthly! From now on, that is. Last week was supposed to be the monthly newsletter, but I...
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May newsletter: What do you love?
Shodo
May 14, 2019
what do you love? Not as an abstraction or an ideal What do you love enough to take action to...
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April newsletter: God bless the grass
Shodo
April 15, 2019
There’s a thing about dancing: it’s an act of life, it expresses being alive in body as well as in...
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Dancing at the Gates
I spent the weekend at Winyan Awanyankapi,“Protecting the Lifegivers” - a conference about missing and murdered indigenous women. While there...
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Declare Climate Emergency
Shodo
April 1, 2019
It’s spring. Things are moving and melting. We like this, sometimes. I spent half of Friday outside in the garden,...
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Braiding Sweetgrass
At the last potluck group, we listened to this talk by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It prompted deep and intimate talking,...
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Maple sugaring, work days, new upcoming events.
Shodo
March 11, 2019
As spring approaches, the wish to share this space with people becomes stronger. So I'm writing about a bunch of...
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Newsletter and a link to “Deep Adaptation” article
Shodo
March 9, 2019
Dear Friends of Mountains and Waters, This is a repeat of last week's blog post, which seems to have disappeared....
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“Why America Failed”
Last night the potluck group listened to Morris Berman on “Why America Failed.” Halfway through I was wondering why I...
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News and more
Shodo
February 10, 2019
Dear Friends, Here are just a few notes from the middle of snow country, snow season. I've updated the journal...
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Play is how we become ourselves
To know play, remember. For me, the memory goes back to the house where I lived from ages three to...
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Happenings and thoughts
Shodo
January 21, 2019
Dear Friends of Mountains and Waters, Here are a few announcements and some thoughts. Calendar Announcements: February 1, 7 pm:...
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Letting the Way find us – Part 3
There was a Japanese monk, once in the 1800’s, who wanted to visit Tibet, which was completely closed to foreigners....
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Mindfulness
So here’s the thing: will you be here for your life, or will you miss it? Do you remember, perhaps,...
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Land and Water Protection – today’s news January 8 2019
Shodo
January 8, 2019
As I prepared to post the study group piece on mindfulness, I learned that the Canadian police have invaded the...
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a blessing for the new year
Shodo
January 1, 2019
As we enter the new year, as the sun begins to return in the northern hemisphere, as we do not...
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What if our religion was each other?
"what if our religion was each other, if our practice was our life, if prayer, our words. what if the...
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The Gods Will Come.
Shodo
December 3, 2018
“Go ahead, light your candles, burn your incense, ring your bells and call out to the Gods but watch out,...
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Notes from Mountains and Waters Alliance, late fall
Shodo
November 26, 2018
Greetings! Here are a few announcements and a report from the past year. Announcements: The potluck group has gotten big...
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Challenging new reading – Paul Kingsnorth and Morris Berman
Paul Kingsnorth's essay Dark Ecology begins with a contemplation of the scythe so lovely that I want to run outside...
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Moving into leadership
On Saturday, Thich Nhat Hanh returned to his root temple in Vietnam – the place where he entered the Way....
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Voting, Fascism, and Resistance
Shodo
October 31, 2018
We live in difficult times. I started to list the events of the week, and gave up - there were...
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Letting the Way find us (part 2)
Shodo
October 22, 2018
Years ago, a teacher at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, said to me “We each have to find our own way.”...
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Letting the Way Find Us – October 19 and 22
Shodo
October 22, 2018
From my childhood I remember going on walks in the woods with my father. He would take me and my...
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What’s true?
Shodo
October 8, 2018
I was asked "So what is true?" These things came up immediately, in this order. I remember who said each...
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Grief, loss, and tornadoes
Loss has my attention today. I was out walking the land with a dear friend that has never been here...
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RETURNING AND EMBRACING
Shodo
September 14, 2018
I spent a month on retreat; here are notes from the first few days. Below is simple stuff including event...
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RETREAT NOTES – PART 1, Black Hills – and PART 2, Colorado, and PART 3, Black Hills again
Shodo
September 14, 2018
Today I’ll write about the first few days, when I drove through South Dakota, Nebraska, and stayed in the Black...
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Recommended reading
Shodo
August 31, 2018
I have posted a number of links to articles or talks here for your reading or listening. What they have...
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Welcome to the new website! Fall 2018
Shodo
August 30, 2018
Mountains and Waters Alliance has a new website! Please take a look around – it is now much easier to...
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The Realization
Shodo
July 2, 2018
Suddenly I noticed that for most of my life, my attention was on me. On who I was, on being...
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The End of the World as We Know It?
Shodo
July 2, 2018
WE LIVE IN DIFFICULT TIMES. How shall we meet them? Last week there was an onslaught of events that lead...
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MWA Newsletter June 10: Offering
Shodo
June 10, 2018
OFFERING The essential nature of life is offering. Some people, and some cultures, still know this. Modern Americans, not so...
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MWA newsletter May 31, 2018
Shodo
May 31, 2018
We look forward to a summer solstice celebration, Sunday June 17, in the spirit of gratitude for the gifts of...
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ON ZEN, RELIGION, CHANTING, AND WEARING THE ROBES
Shodo
May 27, 2018
May 27, 2018 On Zen, religion, chanting, and wearing the robes Six weeks ago I noticed that chanting the Dai...
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May 11, 2018: Zen, practice, and 70
Shodo
May 11, 2018
May 11, 2018: Zen, practice, and 70 Last Monday I returned from 10 days of Zen - first, teaching in...
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Apologizing for not writing
Shodo
May 11, 2018
Apologizing for not writing I want to be thoughtful, give this page my best. Because I'm overcommitted, this results in...
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What I wrote three weeks ago
Shodo
April 20, 2018
And here finally is what I wrote three weeks ago, 4-20-2018: In a facebook conversation, I found a new expression...
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Nettle Pesto – Recipe
Shodo
April 15, 2018
Nettle Pesto - Recipe ½ pound raw stinging nettles or wood nettles (about 5 cups) 2-3 medium garlic cloves (or...
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The arrogance of youth and health
Shodo
April 14, 2018
April 14, 2018 pm: The arrogance of youth and health I’m preparing to teach a class at the Northfield Buddhist...
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War, murder, and life
Shodo
April 14, 2018
April 14, 2018: War, murder, and life Maribel Barajas Cortes, 25, a Green Party candidate in Mexico, was murdered. Since...
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P.S. Study group entry – What do you love?
I just wanted to invite you to look at the new writing. These will be about once a week, and...
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What do you love?
Shodo
April 9, 2018
What do you love? If you are reading here, you probably are aware of climate change, species extinction, long-term racism,...
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Journal 2018-04-07 – Settler Privilege
Shodo
April 7, 2018
Journal 2018-04-07 http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/decolonize/white-allies-lets-be-honest-about-decolonization This note on what settler privilege means – yes, that includes me – and then some more...
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MWA April newsletter: A thousand true fans
Shodo
April 7, 2018
Mountains and Waters Alliance newsletter: April 7, 2018 The newsletter will include an essay, upcoming events, and major future events....
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Journal 2018-04-06 – Nobody owns the land
Shodo
April 6, 2018
Journal 2018-04-06 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbCar3aGadc&feature=youtu.be John Trudell on European tribes and what happened How to forgive myself and my ancestors for becoming...
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Journal 2018-04-05 – the very source of the universe
Shodo
April 5, 2018
Journal 2018-04-05 This morning, chanting the Dai Hi Shin Dharani, I brought my mind back from wandering to give full...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance newsletter: March 12, 2018
We’ll begin with a few event announcements, then continue with guidance – this time, an introductory essay. Events Retreats in...
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Buddhism and Life
Shodo
March 12, 2018
Buddhism and Life For me, Buddhist practice is about living as part of the earth, fully sustained and embraced in...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – commentary and our news
We live in difficult times. Words fail. 2018 has seen seven significant school shootings in 55 days. For the moment,...
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Year-end letter from Mountains and Waters Alliance
Yesterday morning I was moved to offer prayers for calming the wildfires. What took me so long, I don’t know....
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Buddhist women's conference
Dear Friends, The Sakyadhita Conference was over a month ago. Please forgive my silence. I’ve been sick, during and after...
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Update from Sakyadhita Conference
I’m at the Sakyadhita Conference, just checking in after the first two days. We began the conference with a series...
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Mountains and Waters Alliance newsletter: "The mind of war"
The mind of war I noticed, suddenly, that I am at war with the way things are. Last summer, I...
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Your support asked – by April 30
Shodo
April 21, 2017
Dear Friends, I have the opportunity to present a workshop titled “Asking all beings for help with climate change” at...
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Appropriate Response – and an event
We are in a new world. We don’t yet know what will come out of it. At first I watched...
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A Ceremony for Inauguration Day
Shodo
January 20, 2017
I'm sharing a ceremony, written by Zen teacher Ed Brown, meant to be performed before or during the inauguration itself....
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Mountains and Waters Alliance – Winter Solstice greetings and report
As the world changes, as despair threatens, the vision of Mountains and Waters Alliance is being deeply tested and clarified....
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Mni Wiconi – Water is Life! (report from Standing Rock)
Shodo
December 14, 2016
Five days at Standing Rock were like five days in another world. I arrived after the first blizzard, survived the...
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Standing Rock, pipelines, water protectors
Shodo
October 4, 2016
Supporting Land and Water Protectors Everywhere I have just added a page with information on the movement to protect water...
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Embracing Reality
Shodo
September 24, 2016
The deep vow is to free all beings: the first of Zen's four vows. The manifestation, in this particular body,...
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The time that is given us
Shodo
July 22, 2016
The time that is given us: Two nights ago I was lying under the moon, casually talking with Lynn about...
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Strawberry meditation
Shodo
June 25, 2016
You have to slow down and be gentle with the plants.
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The mission – and some thoughts
Shodo
June 7, 2016
Our work is to heal the mind of separation, the cause of our time’s unthinkable violence, and to ally with...
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Thoughts. And a true date for the flower workshop
Shodo
May 22, 2016
A few notes, just before going into sesshin: Brahmavihara Cambodia: I'm reading the financial report from my friend Beth Goldring,...
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Nettles and singing flowers
Shodo
May 20, 2016
Last Wednesday I took 6 half-pound batches of nettles to my local food coop, packaged in plastic boxes recycled from...
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Day-long workshop making flower essences – Saturday May 21 – and gentle meditation retreat May 22-25
Shodo
May 12, 2016
We're offering a workshop on making flower essences, followed by a four-day gentle meditation retreat, Sunday to Wednesday, as our...
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Just this, from birth to death
Just This Last night I took a walk and scattered seeds in the forest. To walk through the woods is...
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Playing in the Woods and other spring retreats – Living with the Earth full schedule
Shodo
April 21, 2016
Living With the Earth spring 2016 events (Our first event, the chanting workshop with Myo-O Habermas-Scher, was a lovely time...
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April events and a few notes
Shodo
April 4, 2016
"Living with the Earth” 40-day intensive: Guest Teacher events Sunday, April 17: Valley Sounds, Mountain Colors: a chanting workshop,...
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Living With the Earth is not a Metaphor
Shodo
March 29, 2016
Winter has blended into early spring, warming and cooling unpredictably. Tapping maple trees started a month early, but the repeated...
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The entire world is the true human body
Shodo
March 5, 2016
“The entire world of the ten directions is nothing but the true human body.” These words by Dogen were the...
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Maple Sugar, Climate Change, Dreams
Shodo
February 25, 2016
Sugaring: It's been warm here. The plan for February's work weekend was to clean up the sugaring equipment, and do...
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Earth-based Zen practice – an invitation
Shodo
February 18, 2016
You are invited to come here this spring for earth-based Zen practice - see the poster below and then ask...
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From my heart. Also news and upcoming events.
Shodo
February 6, 2016
It's been hard to write. There's an idea that I must put on my public persona in order to write...
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The light returns
Shodo
December 24, 2015
Past the longest night, moving into the full moon and toward the new year, I wonder how to greet you,...
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Winter in my Heart
Shodo
November 20, 2015
Cold weather has finally arrived here; our long perfect summer is over. But there's another shift that I'm feeling more...
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The Earth Spirit of This Place
Shodo
November 2, 2015
The Earth Spirit of This Place: Mornings here include 50 minutes of sitting meditation plus about 10 minutes of chanting...
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Buckthorn, Maple, and Land Care
Shodo
October 25, 2015
Today's volunteer day was about removing buckthorn, in the sunny pleasant daylight following a heavy rain. A mass of shrubbery...
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Fall colors are bright now…
Shodo
October 22, 2015
Fall colors are bright now, days are sunny, nights clear, and still above freezing. If there is a climate change...
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Thanks and more
Shodo
October 14, 2015
The fundraising appeal has brought us to a total of $2016 in donations toward the solar panels. People I don't...
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Can You Help Us Now?
Shodo
October 8, 2015
Dear Friends, If you are willing and able to donate any money to Mountains and Waters, I ask you to...
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The most useful thing
Shodo
October 3, 2015
The most useful thing I woke up this morning with the thought: “Is this the most useful thing I can...
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Mountains and Waters – blog updates especially volunteering
Shodo
September 24, 2015
Well, first, we have a Facebook page. Second, I added a volunteer page which includes both dates of workdays (Oct...
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Vairochana – Mountains and Waters – September
Shodo
September 18, 2015
Fall is in the air. This year I'm in no rush: Summer has been magnificent and I could personally handle...
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In the middle of the world's changes, Mountains and Waters
Shodo
September 10, 2015
The world is changing, we're on the edge of fall now, and after 6 weeks of silence it's hard to...
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Mid Summer
Shodo
July 17, 2015
First the begging (an old monastic tradition), second the photos and farm stuff, and last some thoughts. I sent out...
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Living with the Earth, Living with the News
Shodo
July 2, 2015
Strawberries started about a week ago, sweet and delicious. Rabbits found them a few days later. Yesterday we started to...
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Vairochana Farm becomes Mountains and Waters
Shodo
June 3, 2015
Dear Friends of Vairochana Farm: Things are happening here. I've talked about the plantings and all - but inspiration has...
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Pictures from planting
Shodo
May 17, 2015
April 25-28 was prep for orchard planting April 27 was the day of the big machines On May 5 half...
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Quick update – garden and orchard
Shodo
May 9, 2015
Hi. I'm just catching up before today's workers arrive. The orchard plants didn't come – actually, half of them came....
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Vairochana Farm – Planting, Zen, and Spring
Shodo
April 30, 2015
Dear Friends, It's been a very busy month. Spring is finally here, and we are planting away. Your presence is...
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Slowing down, outside
Shodo
April 1, 2015
Dear Friends, Spring is finally here. Outside barefoot today – back to normal tomorrow, but the forecast is pleasant. This...
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Spring, snow, and sap
Shodo
March 22, 2015
This weather – cold nights – means there will be more sugaring, probably a couple weeks or more. The sap...
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Sap, visitors, work
Shodo
March 19, 2015
At last writing I had tapped some trees, walnut and box elder. The maples are really far away and I...
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Spring, maple sugar, change
Shodo
March 9, 2015
Today it is warm outside, warm enough to just stand there and breathe and enjoy, and tonight it is still...
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Reflections on process
Shodo
March 2, 2015
It's a little warmer today. Sunny. The days seem very long – light by 6 am and still very light...
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Vairochana Farm Apprentice and Volunteer Schedule spring 2015
Shodo
February 13, 2015
Hi everybody, Here is a rough schedule of farm apprentice events for the spring, with extra opportunities interspersed (like this)....
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POSTINGS: Farm manager, apprentice program, and chicken houses for rent
Shodo
February 9, 2015
Dear Friends, I'm putting this information here so it's all in one place. If you are interested in any of...
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It's just like this today…
Shodo
February 4, 2015
It's just like this today... The water heater is indeed broken, and at 20+ years old it makes no sense...
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Reflections: Moving forward, in context
Shodo
January 24, 2015
It's been a quiet period: information coming in, little going out, gestating. It's included consulting with experts on development, organization,...
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2014 Report, plans, and your help requested
Shodo
December 22, 2014
Dear Friends, Here is a summary of the farm this year, and a request for money to help us continue...
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Rohatsu sesshin and what else happened here
Shodo
December 10, 2014
As I do every year, I joined the annual commemoration of Buddha's enlightenment, Rohatsu sesshin, by sitting seven days of...
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Gratitude and more
Shodo
December 1, 2014
On the verge of entering Rohatsu sesshin – the annual, traditional seven-day retreat remembering Buddha's enlightenment – I have a...
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Moving into Winter
Shodo
November 21, 2014
Greetings! Since my last writing, the birds have flocked. Now it's all about cold and snow. We can see through...
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October – fall is here
Shodo
October 18, 2014
It's fall here; the colors are in full swing and you can see through the trees – all the way...
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Permaculture and Summer
Shodo
September 7, 2014
Permaculture and Summer Hi all. I've spent the last 2 weeks learning like mad, mostly permaculture and farming topics, and...
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September 1-2 work opportunity
Shodo
August 26, 2014
The bridge looks beautiful, but the area to the right of it is washing out more with every rain. I...
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The Goats Are Here! and thoughts
Shodo
July 28, 2014
Seven goats arrived Thursday morning, to spend a few months eating brush and giving me a chance to figure out...
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Summer at the farm and in life
Personal thoughts:I came home after 2 weeks in a Zen priest training, and today is my first day. It's hot,...
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Quick update and 2014 Zen practice opportunities
Shodo
April 28, 2014
In the middle of moving to the farm, I notice that I haven't been updating. I'll add a photo or...
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Vairochana Farm – summer 2014
Shodo
March 25, 2014
I have made an offer on a 17-acre farm and if all goes well we will close in late April....
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Vairochana Farm: Zen, permaculture, activism
Shodo
April 1, 2013
I'm looking for people of good will and strong energy to help me build Vairochana Farm, a small permaculture farm...
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