So much light comes through the practice of holding steady and looking deeply. Light that can help us at a time like this. Since we have been all aswirl in the current events and violence in our nation and held by the pandemic in an odd sort of Zen retreat, we can appreciate how this life of practice serves us well in these especially challenging times. We can use the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, for instance, to steady us no matter what our concerns and help us be present right now. Beginning with the body. Remembering to check in with the body when you are riled by some new bit of media news. You can recognize how much of the body sensations and thoughts that come up are pleasant or unpleasant or neutral. Notice also the quality of your energy, whether you’re contracted, tight, restless, smoldering, expansive. And finally the mental formations, thoughts, impulses, beliefs, plans, fears, anything that makes up the mental environment, so real and urgent. Using the breath and immediacy of awareness, we can become calm as individuals so that we can show up in the community in a way that creates no further harm. But there’s much to be aware of.
We are reprinting below a letter from the sangha at San Francisco Zen Center that states so well the importance of not glossing over longstanding conditions of racism in our country and the violence that is perpetuated to this day in our governing systems, so long and still unaddressed. As People of the Way, we all must take a close look at how we interdependently support the status quo.
🙏 Mushin
Letter from the San Francisco Zen Center
The impact of the January 6 siege on Congress by a mob incited by the President of the United States continues to reverberate throughout the nation. San Francisco Zen Center condemns the violence that was perpetrated, mourns the loss of lives, and bears witness to the alarm, dismay, and anguish arising from the attack. Disagreements and protests are valid aspects of a free and open dialogue in a democracy; violence and intimidation are not.
These recent attempts to subvert our democracy have been shocking and heartbreaking. They also highlight the stark contrast between the treatment of the predominantly White rioters and the protesters who assembled in support of Black lives over this past year. The roots of this inequity are found in the history of racism and injustice in the U.S., and are directly tied to the hatred and white supremacy that fueled last week’s insurrection.
We call upon our leaders to hold those responsible for the events of January 6 fully accountable. And we further call upon ourselves and our nation to understand, atone for, and redress the four centuries of emotional, economic, and physical harm done to Black, Indigenous, Brown, Asian and other marginalized people.
In the opening verses of the Dhammapada, Shakyamuni Buddha taught, “Hatred does not end through hatred. By non-hate alone does it end. This is an ancient truth.”Buddhist teachings support us to develop the courage and resilience to meet each moment with a clear mind and a compassionate heart, without being consumed by anger or despair.
Maintaining a steadfast and upright practice is the path of liberation–not just for ourselves but for all beings–and a way for us to heal in this time of great mental and physical dis-ease. As a community, together we can explore how to work skillfully with strong emotions, offer deep presence to each other in the midst of our pain, and discover how practice and sangha are a refuge.
May we ceaselessly work together to create and maintain an awakened and compassionate society and system of governance for the benefit of all beings.
With bows,
San Francisco Zen Center Leadership