Dear Friends,
Summertime is officially upon us, and very soon we will be able to meet again in person at Bay Shore Church. This is simultaneously exciting and somewhat surreal! Dogen Zenji once said, “When you find the place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point.” Throughout the pandemic and our lengthy hiatus from our physical meeting place, we continued our meditation practice together. This is no small thing. Dogen’s words remind us that wherever we are, whatever the circumstances, the ground of realization is always right under our feet and right in front of our eyes. Now, we embrace yet another transition, a time of reopening and connecting anew, a time of integrating all that has subtly changed and considering thoughtfully what this means as we enter a new chapter together.
Our online offerings resulted in the wonderful opportunity to reconnect with Sangha members who had moved away and to welcome new friends from across the U.S. and Canada. With this in mind, we have decided to combine our meditation halls—both physical and digital—into a shared space. We will offer online streaming during our regular Sunday and Monday in person meetings. Meetings on Wednesdays and Fridays will remain online only for now. This transition will involve some trial and error and adjustment as we strive to provide the best offering possible to serve and support the Sangha. Sangha is typically described as a community of Dharma practitioners who come together to support one another and to promote harmony. While this is a beautiful aspect of Sangha, in practice, Sangha can also be the place and space where we can all face what is uncomfortable together! Though we all appear differently in this world, we share common roots. The art of meditation and practice of present, mindful awareness draws us deeply into our shared inheritance. In the midst of obvious differences, we are indisputably united.
In the coming months we will be planning day-long and multi-day retreats to complement our regular meetings. We all look forward to the COVID-19 pandemic becoming a historical event. We are not there yet, especially in certain regions of the world, but my hope is that the negative impact upon people and communities is swiftly diminished and eventually completely relieved. Though we are slowly returning to normal, we cannot step into the same river twice. As a Sangha– thanks to the enormous efforts of founder Dr. Byrd, board members past and present, teachers, and many committed Dharma practitioners over the years– we have and continue to endure. We face an uncertain future with curiosity and optimism. Whatever life brings, we somehow always find our way forward together!
I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for your continued presence and practice. I look forward to continuing our journey into the second half of 2021. As always, I welcome you reaching out to me directly at jokai@longbeachmeditation.org. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Bows,
Jokai