Dear Friends, It has been a while since I have reached out to you in this way. As part of my service on the DUP Board of North America, I am chair of the newsletter committee, writing several pieces as well as taking many of the pictures for the issue which went out in September. I hope you got a chance to read our report from the Parliament of the World's Religions.
As many of you know, Deborah and I are in the midst of an epic journey. It began on September 9, when we left the United States to join the Beyond Initiative Turkey Caravan.
The first week of the Caravan was a Dance Leader Training Camp for aspiring Dance Leaders of the Middle East. The Dance experience was on another level, as we shared sacred space with people from all corners of the world. Many, that is most in attendance were what I would call young, in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The youthful energy added such exuberance! I believe all of us present were touched deeply. The WhatsApp group created to aid in our communications still bubbles daily as people stay connected.
Rock formations of Cappadocia
For the second week, we traveled to the ancient city of Cappadocia and then on to Konya, the site of Rumi's tomb. There were free outdoor concerts every evening as part of the annual Sacred Music Festival. We also danced each day, and a number of us stayed a few extra days and continued to dance together each morning. I cannot stress enough the value of this experience. I encourage everyone who can to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to broaden their horizons as our beautiful practice spreads around the world.
Nepal
I am writing to you from the mountains of Nepal, where we have spent the last 5 weeks hiking the mountains in various regions of the country.
A Buddhist monastery is being built on a faraway hill.
It has been a glorious experience to be in a culture where almost every person you pass by greets you with "Namaste," which means, "I honor the place in you where we are all one."
Such sweet, friendly, and gentle people
Dunbar Square, Bhaktapur, Nepal
In addition to the incredible natural beauty that Nepal has in abundance, it is also the birthplace of Buddha, and a land overflowing with stupas and Hindu temples, with sacred shrines at every turn. To be among these centuries-old ornately carved structures is to deepen our understanding of the sacred phrases that we sing and chant in so many of our dances. You feel it in the heart of each person you meet. Over and over we were told, "You are like family now."
From our hotel room, we could see 5 of the highest peaks in the world.
The depth of our time here has made us wonder if there might be people who would be interested in joining us next year for a dance pilgrimage to explore sacred sites and nature’s beauty. We would craft an itinerary that would offer a choice of activities that could accommodate people at every level. It would be our great joy to share what we have experienced here with some of you. Contact us if you would be interested.
Namaste Y'all,
Douglas
Hippie Buddhists
When The Farm Community first started, there was a strong alignment with Buddhism, especially the clean, Zen Buddhism of Japan, with its uncluttered approach to spiritual practice.
Suzuki Roshi, a monk empowered with the task of establishing a Zen practice in the West, spoke of quieting the Monkey Mind so that we might feel and become aware of the Big Mind, connecting with the greater sense of peace within us and that connects us to the All. Many of us had copies of his book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, a phrase which meant that we can approach every moment anew, making the necessary changes in ourselves without waiting, in the here and now.
It is said that Buddhism is not a religion, but a science, a system for finding our path to a life of happiness, joy, and fulfillment. This course is clearly defined and can be pursued and attained by anyone willing to follow the basic guidelines of the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path:
-
right view
-
right aspiration
-
right speech
-
right action
-
right livelihood
-
right effort
-
right mindfulness
-
right concentration.
The Eightfold Path is not presented in any particular order, and does not follow a series of steps. Rather each forms the spoke of a wheel, symbolized by the Wheel of Dharma which is one of the principal symbols of Buddhism. No single spoke is first or last. All support each other with each one of us at the center of the Wheel of Life.
From a monastery at a Tibetan settlement camp in Nepal.
It is said, that when Buddha first achieved enlightenment, no one was interested in what he had to say. Only the deer gathered with him at the bodhi tree to receive the teachings. For this reason, all Tibetan Buddhist monasteries have two deer with the Dharma Wheel of the Eightfold Path.
At the Buddhist Peace Pagoda in Pokhara, Nepal
1. Right View
The meaning of Right View is to be aware that our actions have consequences. Because the law of cause and effect exists, what we refer to by the Sanskrit word Karma, we benefit from living in a way that minimizes harm to ourselves, to others, and to the world at large. When we truly accept and practice of Right View, we are more mindful of everything we say and do.
The intention here is that when our mind is clear, we can see beyond the present moment and realize that what we do in the here and now manifests in the future. Both good and bad, positive and negative, what we create is directly related to how aware we are of the consequences of our actions.
We might refer to this as a Universal Truth, because this concept is expressed in many religions, faiths, and practices, from "Do unto Others as You would have them do unto You," to "What goes around, comes around."
2. Right Intention
Right intention is the commitment to put forth the best of who we are in everything we do. When we begin with honest intentions, we can maintain an open heart and face the world with a clear conscience. To also allow this in each other, starting from a place of acknowledgment of another person’s goodwill.
3. Right Speech
What we say matters and makes a difference. It seems obvious that lies are words with no truth behind them, that have no energy or produce negative energy, and we intuitively know it is wrong to lie. We can further understand that gossiping and talking badly about someone is not helpful and hurts ourselves as well as the other person. Do our words create unity or are they divisive?
It has been a long tradition in our community to examine what we say through these filters: Is what I have to say helpful? Necessary? Kind?
4. Right Action
Actions are when we move beyond thought and intention and are about the things we actually do. There is even more power behind our actions, the physical manifestation of our thoughts and words.
5. Right Livelihood
The concept of Right Livelihood, doing work that is seamless with our ideals, resonated strongly with many of us when forming the community. So much of our energy each day is consumed by our work that it serves us best when our daily tasks are in alignment with our values.
This begins with being honest, and giving our work the benefit of our energy. We can give 100% of ourselves to what we do and not hold back. We can take this even further when our work involves service to others. Finding Right Livelihood is a key element to achieving satisfaction in life.
6. Right Effort
Right Effort means that we are doing more than going through the motions. Instead, we are consciously aware of our intentions. In this way, our actions are a reflection of our commitment to Right Effort, until they become behaviors forming the core of who we are.
7. Right Mindfulness
All of our thoughts, actions, and intentions, rely on a foundation of Mindfulness. This implies a focus, paying attention to the essence behind our intentions as we create our reality.
8. Right Concentration
Right Concentration as expressed as one of the core teachings from The Farm can be stated as Attention is Energy. Where you place your attention is what will come back to you multiplied.
It was an auspicious day! Deborah and I hiked up to the overlook near our hotel in the mountains of Nepal and came across two monks. One told me he left Tibet 15 years ago and went Dharmsala, India to study Buddhism. They had hiked from a monastery for 2 1/2 hours to reach the same overlook.
The two monks were also kind to let us meditate with them as they offered puja, prayers for peace, and an end to the violence and suffering in the world. We discussed the sad situation with Israel and the people of Palestine, and the war in Ukraine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson? Lao Tzu? Gautama Buddha?
The quote below has been expressed in many forms.
This version is attributed to a translation of Buddha’s teachings:
“We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
“We are what we think about all day long.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
And as expressed by Mahatma Gandhi:
