Rev. Danny Fisher

Just a Buddhist Minister Trying to Benefit Beings
March 16, 2010

UWest’s Chaplaincy Students Raise Money for Buddhist Global Relief’s Efforts in Haiti

I am very pleased and proud to report that last month our chaplaincy students at University of the West held a memorial service for the victims of the earthquakes in Haiti, and also raised funds for the efforts of Buddhist Global Relief there.

The students put together a beautiful service–the centerpiece of which was the recitation of a new poem by Gillian Clarke by members of the UWest community, including Religious Studies professor Bruce Long and psychology professor Amy Demyan.

In addition, they raised over $350 to send to Buddhist Global Relief in order to aid the people of Haiti.  (The Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi spoke to me about BGR and their work for Haiti in a past Shambhala Sun Space post.)

I was delighted to receive a kind note today from Bhikkhu Bodhi (pictured), expressing BGR’s gratitude for the efforts of our students.

For my part, I’m mighty proud of their great compassion and hard work.  Way to go, M.Div. students!  Now let’s figure out what we do next to be of service to not only the people of Haiti, but all sentient beings.

I leave you with Clarke’s poem and two pictures of the service…

Lament

For the earth that shivered its skin like an old horse
For the shout of the sun, of the earth as it broke its heart
For the white palace that fell into itself like snow
For the hospital, for its rows of white graves
For the cathedral that folded on emptiness
calling God’s name as it went
For its psalms of sorrow, the prayers of the living and dead
For each house crushed with its cots and cushions and cups
cooking pots pressed between pages of stone
For the small lung of air that kept someone alive
For the rescuer’s hand reaching into the void
For the slip of a life from its grip
For the smile of daylight on a woman’s face
For her daughter dead in the dark
For the baby born in the rubble
For tomorrow’s whistling workmen
with their hods of bricks
For scaffolding and walls rising from the grave
over rosaries of bones

Gillian Clarke, National Poet of Wales
January 2010

Photo by Jason Kosareff.

Photo by Jason Kosareff.

March 16, 2010

A Gift of Dharma for 3.15.10

Re-reading an old piece of his today inspired me to yet again quote the Vidyādhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (1939-1987), whom I first quoted and wrote a little bio for here.  This is today’s quote:

There are so many confused people and psychotics in the world, and it is your duty, our duty, to help them. How you do that depends on what profession you are engaged in. You may be involved with child care. You may be involved with the fine arts or with making movies. You may be involved with gardening and raising plants in a nursery. The point is to help others through any means you can, through your particular profession, whatever it may be.

In order to help somebody, first raise your head and shoulders. Then, don’t try to convert people to your dogma, but just encourage them. Whatever profession they have—whether they are dairy farmers, lawyers, or cab drivers—first, raise your consciousness, and then talk to them on their own terms. Don’t try to make them join the Shambhala club or the Buddhist scene or anything like that. Just let them be in their own way. Have a drink, have dinner, make a date with them—just keep it simple.

The main point is definitely not to get them to join your organization. That is the least of the points. The main point is to help others be good human beings in their own way. We are not into converting people. They may convert themselves, but we just keep in touch with them. Usually, in any organization, people cannot keep themselves from drawing others into their scene or their trip, so to speak. That is not our plan. Our plan is to make sure that individuals, whoever we meet, have a good life. At the same time, you should keep in contact with people, in whatever way you can. That’s very important, not because we’re into converting others, but because we are into communicating.

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March 16, 2010

His Holiness the Karmapa Announces the First North American Kagyu Monlam

This from MahaSangha News:

His Holiness Karmapa has dedicated his leadership and responsibility to engaging people from around the world to come together and pray for universal peace. As an extension of the Kagyu Monlam held annually in Bodhgaya, India the first North American Kagyu Monlam provides people of the world an opportunity to generate loving-kindness and compassion through aspirational prayers.

“Kagyu Monlam is an avenue whereby we can spread, at times of great need, the genuine spirit of love and compassion to all the people of the world, like a great ripple, first in Bodhgaya, then in Bihar, and so on. As we continuously offer these prayers for world peace, it is our intention and our wish that peace and happiness extend to all.” — His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

The first North American Kagyu Monlam will be hosted by Karma Triyana Dharmachkra, the North American seat of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, on July 13th – 17th, 2010 and presided over by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche.

The Monlam will be streamed live and more details will be forthcoming. Please check here for more information and registration details.

March 16, 2010

“Sit Down, Rise Up”

For more, check out Rod Meade Sperry’s Shambhala Sun Space post about the ID Project’s “Sit Down, Rise Up” meditation marathon here.

March 16, 2010

Moving Dharma

"Moving Dharma Dance Lab Arboretum Performance, May 2009." Image via Moving Dharma.

Our friend Sumi Loundon Kim writes to tell us about Harrison Blum and Moving Dharma:

Moving Dharma strives to wed the moving body with the awakening mind by harnessing the potential of kinesthetic learning and embodied spirituality through the tools of creative movement structures, breakdancing fundamentals, improvisational dance, and small group choreography. Workshops and jams invite engagement.  Performance encourages reflection.

Much of the work is an exploration of Buddhist wisdom.  From impermanence amidst interdependence to compassion within emptiness, Moving Dharma takes the Dharma from the text and the cushion on to the dance floor.  In other forums, movement has engaged insight into group-specific trainings, from urban agriculture to African American history to corporate executive coaching.

For more, visit http://www.movingdharma.org.

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