Farm, MWA Newsletter, Observing The World, -  Aug 13, 2024

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 Minnesota governor), and enthusiasm abounds. It’s a relief.

Buddhist practice is to keep going, whatever seems to be happening.

Also war, killing, starvation and sickness continue in Gaza; Israeli media report literal torture within Israeli prisons, but U.S. mainstream media says nothing. In Bethlehem, Combatants for Peace resists illegal settlers taking their homes – and some foreigners join them in the old tradition called accompaniment – but this time they’re shooting Americans too. https://www.dropsitenews.com/

Some voters imagine that Harris/Walz will do it differently, others don’t. Some refuse to participate in an election with no peaceful alternative, others plan to organize after the election. I don’t know how many just don’t care.

Buddhist practice is to keep going, whatever seems to be happening.

Climate catastrophe is in our faces – floods, droughts, wildfires – and it’s getting a tiny bit more attention, but most people aren’t yet ready to consider giving up their conveniences. Even when driven from their homes by floods, storms, or fires, they try to resume normalcy as much as possible.

What does practice mean, in such a situation?

I ask because I don’t know the answer. Today, even though I have a list of what practice means to me now, I’m leaving this space blank.

What does practice mean to you, now?

 

UPDATES

We just keep going here. We continue at the slower pace required by Shodo’s medical situation, still expecting full recovery. Summer retreats included a weekend Earth Apprentice retreat, in which we spent time with the white pine grove and developed a plan to turn an old shed into a small, screened zendo.

Summer classes included our regular weekly class plus a joint class at Zen Center North Shore (Massachusetts) co-taught with Joan Amaral and Catherine Gammon, both dharma sisters from Shodo’s time at San Francisco Zen Center.

Summer is in full abundance, flowers and green plants, the first tomatoes, more flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING

August sesshin will be August 16-18, almost here.

September (dates unknown) there will be a trip for wild ricing with the Honor the Earth camp at Palisade, Minnesota. October 19-20 Shodo leads a retreat in Atlanta, and Rohatsu sesshin will be here December 1-8.

Work days or weekends are not yet scheduled, but things happen along the way.

 

ALWAYS

We have two rooms available for residents, short or long term, please ask. (You will need outside income.)

 

I’ll tell you when the book finds a publisher.