Our Man in Nirvana: Realizing Things Unseen

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

John Donne

In Memoriam: Roshi Daido Loori (1931-2009)

It has finally happened. I am one of those who scans the NY Times Obituary pages from time to time. Not obsessively. And not out of morbid curiosity, more an interest in people and their lives. People I had heard of or seen. Celebrities, Scientists, Politicians….

Over the weekend, someone featured in the column, an American Zen Teacher, was actually someone I had known. Met. Talked with. Heard speak & Teach in public. Read his Books. Sat across a table, sharing a cup of coffee & conversation.

Granted, I knew more of him than I actually knew him; having heard stories from his Friends & Students.

But to read his Obituary gave me pause. Reading those of others’ from time to time, reading of their lives, how they were notable enough to be so honored by inclusion in the NY Times, it was as if reading an old book; one of only little interest. Interesting, but Lifeless. Words.

But this one was different. Someone I had known. Not well, but known. Had his Voice & Laugh in my Ears & Heart.

I remembered a project I had thought of years ago, the 2nd time when I lived in New York. There is a “Potter’s Field” in New York. In fact, it is the largest in the World, containing over 800,000 bodies. (A potter’s field is a burial place for indigent or unknown people; where all the homeless & John/Jane Does find their Rest).

I had this idea pop in my I head: To go to the potter’s field to perform services for the people there. Since they are unknown, impoverished, chances are they went unmourned.

So, the passing of the Zen Teacher reconnected me with that idea.

And, as Fate would have it, I live less that 1 mile from Hart’s Island, the site of the NYC Potter’s Field.

Gonna carry the Zen Teacher with me (figuratively), when I travel across the water to the Potter’s Field to mourn the forgotten.

And perhaps, read the NY Times Obituaries a little more closely. For all those people known by someone else.

I have been away for a while. Absolutely absorbed by the job for which I re-relocated to New York. Gone so long that my previous blog had fallen off the listing.

I am coming up for air.

The business where I am currently consulting is 20 miles from where I am living. So, each morning, my collegue and I drive for 25ish minutes. Some mornings we have the first meeting of the day. Other times, I read something aloud while Paco drives. Some mornings we have nothing on the radio. Being a Silence junkie, I prefer to experience the landscape roll by in quietude. Some mornings it is the local Jazz station from New Joisey. Other mornings, a CD: Latin Jazz or Krishna Das. 

Every once and a while, Paco will get a new CD of interviews from The Integral Institute, Ken Wilber’s entity out of Boulder  http://in.integralinstitute.org). Yesterday’s new one had a discussion talking about Pure Consciousness; Awareness without the filter of ego. One of the speakers talked about “Evolutionary Obligation” which we all have, whether we are aware of it or not.

Each one of us, through Being Alive & Being who we are, is “obligated” to advance the Evolution of the Species & Planet.

Obligation: something by which a person is bound or obliged to do certain things, and which arises out of a sense of duty or results from custom, law, etc. / a favor, service or benefit for which gratitude is due / a debt of gratitude. Origin: 1250–1300; ME obligacioun < OF obligation < L obligātiōn- (s. ofobligātiō) a binding, equiv. to obligāt(us) bound

For most, obligation has a negative connotation. I was obligated to do X because of this and that. The words family obligation are used, often with an unpleasant or negative connotation; something which I must do, which I would rather not, but what can I do, right?

In Buddhism, there are guiding principles called Paramitas, which literally mean “that which has gone to the other shore”. They are traits or actions which take a person from one state of being to another, like a raft moving from island to island.

The first of these Paramitas, which is the foundation of all the others, is Dana or Generosity. If one acts in a generous manner, towards others as well as oneself, if there is no separation experienced between oneself and others, if nothing is held back in terms of kindness, this leads one to a state of being pure.

So, yes we have an obligation to do everything within our power–everything we do–to advance the Evolution of Humankind and all Beings and The Earth. Out of Gratitude for being Alive. Out of Generosity of Spirit. Pure Awareness.

So, Sisters & Brothers, do something today to advance Evolution, OK?

In the last week, I have:

Been in the Mojave Desert–90º during the day, 40ºsomething during the night. Sleeping outside under the stars. Fasting some. Seeing things–”there” and “not”. Met some really nice folks at a Drum Circle. Saw Falling Stars, Satellites and even the International Space Station. Roadtripped over 3 Mountain Ranges and three Valleys. No computer or cell phone for 3 days. Ate the best damn chile relleno on the Planet in Lone Pine – cooked by Oaxacan woman who has been cooking at the restaurant for 30 years.

Returned to Suburbia. To TV and Lean Cuisines. Spent time in the City. Trains & Busses. And walking. Seeing a Friend from Iowa, here visiting her Son, the aspiring actor. Righteous Lebanese food in Long Beach.

Traveled 2500 miles to land in NYC. Drove through rush hour traffic to a meeting at a Mental Hospital on Staten Island. Am now on City Island in the Bronx, which is actually more like New England than NYC. It is 41º and damp. Right now, the siren is sounding to alert drivers that the draw bridge is opening. It is beginning to snow.

In spite of the difficulty of returning to the States and 5 months of searching for work & gallery exposure (by counting my e-mails, I applied for over 90 jobs), Life keeps unfolding. I am in the Bronx for a protracted job interview. You know the old saying: “One door closes, another opens”. More like: “One door is stuck shut and no amount of pulling or prying is going to get it open” To quote Bullwinkle: “I gotta get me another hat”.

And, again, realizing that I have Friends. People who care about me and are willing to support me in my Life: I am a lucky bug.

Some words of others’:

To carry yourself forward and experience myriad things is delusion. That myriad things come forth and experience themselves is awakening.
To study the Buddha way is to study the Self. To study the Self is to forget the Self. To forget the Self is to be actualized by myriad things. When actualized by myriad things, your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of realization remains, and this no-trace continues endlessly. Eihei Dogen, Genjokoan, 1233

We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is your only ruler, sovereign. The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind…. Marcus Garvey, 1937

Life moves on, whether we act as cowards or heroes. Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such. Henry Miller

I guess I could be really pissed off about what happened to me, but it’s hard to stay mad, when there’s so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I’m seeing it all at once, and it’s too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that’s about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain. And I can’t feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m sure. But don’t worry… you will someday. Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), American Beauty, 1999

In Native American traditions, animals carry Medicine. In some, the Medicine for Hawk is Messenger.

The Hawk flies high, circling the winds, overlooking vast vistas. Seeing the big picture, 360º. Seeing both the large panorama and the smallest movement.

The day after I wrote my previous post, I was driving to my Mother’s house for dinner. Winding my way through the hills, on streets-not the freeway, 2 Hawks flew across my view. As I was meandering underneath overpasses, one flew from high, swooping fast to the hill above. It landed briefly, then flew away empty taloned. Not 5 minutes later, another flew over the road, into a valley, so that I could watch it for quite some time.

At this same time, Joe Cocker was singing, “It’s Alright” on the radio. 

I smiled. I relaxed. I felt my Spirit settle into my Body for the first time in a few days.

The Message. Unfolding. Sent. Received.

Today is The New Moon, the First of The New Year and therefore, The Lunar New Year: The Year of The Ox.

The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.

I encourage people I work with in Counseling/Life Coaching to set an intention on each New Moon. One thought, idea, Mantra/phrase or Aspiration. A chance to plant a seed for the coming 28 days until the Full Moon. A mini-resolution for each Lunar Cycle.

In the Zen Tradition, there is an Atonement Ceremony which occurs each New Moon and Full Moon. A chance to Reflect and set an intention for the following 2 weeks.

Check in with your Intention on a daily basis. Review again at the Full Moon on Valentine’s Day. How did the Intention do? How was your Resolve? Did you make the Change you wished to Become?

And, if you can, get thee to a Chinese Bakery to have a Moon Cake…. I was introduced to them a few Years ago by a Malaysian Friend in NYC. Eating them is Good Luck and sets Good Intentions for the New Year.

Best of Luck and Best Wishes for the New Year.