Dear Friends,
The arrow of time flies forward. The seasons unfold before us in a seamless and timeless way. When I pause to reflect upon the age-old practice in which we are involved, it’s clear that meditation was certainly well established in 500 BCE and likely well before. An early Upanishad text clearly describes the straightforward principle of meditation: “Having become calm and concentrated, one perceives the Self within oneself.” What then is the Self? This inquiry is the bold exploration we undertake as Dharma practitioners. Though indisputably we grow older as time unfolds, there is clearly a deeper, broader aspect of Self nature which remains untouched by time. It is this aspect in which we take refuge when we meditate; it is this ultimate realization that is referred to as enlightenment. Whether our goal in meditation is to match the teachers of old, or a more modest aspiration, isn’t so important. What is vitally important is the sincerity of our offering. With honesty and authenticity we actualize wholehearted practice in action.
In our practice life together, we often revisit the familiar Three Jewels of Buddhism: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. At Long Beach Meditation (LBM) the Three Jewels are alive and well. With strong fundamentals in place, we are co-creating a distinctive and active Sangha, a practice community with strong local roots and a broad online presence. These days, I frequently hear that our collective practice is impacting lives for the better! These genuine expressions are so encouraging to receive. It is gratifying to be a part of LBM and to witness the sangha’s growth, warmth, and steady presence within the larger community as we expand our reach. Practice opportunities abound. Awareness cultivated on the cushion translates directly into service-focused activities. Your participation is paramount. As we move into the second half of the year, I thank you for all that you do to support our Sangha! I warmly invite you to attend our regular classes and programs and to take part in our volunteer events. Our Sangha has a generous spirit; there are so many ways to be involved. My hope is that we will continue to nurture this innate capacity of generosity, and to consider how we might offer the gift of dana to one another. Whatever form our generous giving takes, it always supports our devoted teachers, the community at large, and of course, each one of us.
The 13th century Zen Master Eihei Dogen once said, “If you want to be a person of suchness, practice suchness without delay.” If we do aspire to be more generous people, to cultivate wisdom and compassion, and to be in intimate connection with this all-inclusive reality, there is truly nothing standing in our way. My own teacher once said to me, “Find out how you want to live, and then live in that way.” We each have the innate capacity to live as fully realized human beings, awake, in this life now. To practice this boundless realization is the essence of the Bodhisattva Vow. When we live this Great Vow, the perceived boundaries between Self and Other do not entrap us and we are free to serve.
Our collective dharma practice is for the lasting benefit of all. As always, I welcome your reaching out to me directly at jokai@longbeachmeditation.org. Thank you for your many contributions and invaluable support.
Bows,
Jokai