Dear Friends,

As we emerge from winter, we welcome warmer days, sunshine, and new growth. As Leo Tolstoy wrote in Anna Karenina, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” At Long Beach Meditation (LBM) these plans and projects continue to take shape in the digital space for the time being. We are encouraged that progress is well underway with respect to the increasing availability of vaccines but have not yet set a firm date for returning to in-person classes. Even so, it is wonderful to see that this time draws nearer each day! We look forward to returning to our physical home at Bay Shore Church at some point later this year. At present, we maintain our meditation practice online, and though we may be feeling some Zoom fatigue, it is encouraging to see that participation remains high. Online meetings and events are now firmly established as an effective way of engaging and practicing with people from far and wide. When we return to in-person meetings we will be exploring ways to strengthen our online offerings in parallel. In the meantime, by popular request, we will be offering day-long online retreats in the coming months. In May, we will be launching a fundraising drive, and in early June, a multi-day online retreat. Details for these events will follow soon.

While plans and projects do abound, serious difficulties continue to unfold in our communities and our country. As we experience ongoing expressions of social, economic, and political challenge, we are called to respond. We cannot grasp or return to any sense of what may be been considered “normality” prior the COVID-19 pandemic, yet it is possible to engage opportunities for positive change now. The way forward is always right here. We live in a time of deepening division and heightened dualism. Our bodies and our minds reflect and express the disruptions of our shared life. In the midst of this, our steadfast practice of present awareness and meditation is evermore essential. It is a powerful antidote to any force which seeks to separate us from one another. Our human propensity to allow forms of fragmentation and fear to take root in our hearts must be acknowledged. During long periods of isolation and lockdown we have no doubt encountered the very best of ourselves, the very worst of ourselves, and everything in-between. Together we are finding ways to use the intensity of this time to reveal and engage what matters most.

As human beings we are all subject to our share of the human condition. In the Bodhisattva tradition, The Three Pure Precepts form the foundation for ethical behavior—first, Cease from Harm, second, Do Good, finally, Do Good for Others. Direct and profound in nature, as we navigate the unknown terrain ahead, these three precepts serve as a faithful guide. How do we cease from harm? Our willingness to examine the creation of “other” in our minds and hearts is a good place to begin. Our practice of meditation is an invaluable vehicle for dissolving this illusory sense of division. Do we know ourselves as one body, as one mind, expressed in myriad changing forms? As we embrace this understanding experientially, we are able to Do Good, meeting the challenges of our days with the kindness and empathy born of non-separation. As we broaden our sphere of self our field of activity grows without limit! Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.” The third of the pure precepts, Do Good for Others, is actualized as we take full responsibility for our common life. This includes the whole world and everybody in it.

I would like to extend my gratitude for your continued presence and practice. I wish you, your families, and our communities peace and good health as we continue our journey together. Please always feel welcome and encouraged to reach out to me directly at jokai@longbeachmeditation.org. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Bows,
Jokai

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