Insight Meditation

I just read a review in the New York Times about a book describing the challenges faced by children born to parents who were radicals in the eighties. As I scanned the page noting the searches for meaning by different family members, I felt such an appreciation for the dharma and the blessing of walking its liberationist path. Although the mapping of the path is most detailed in mind /body descriptions it does extend to many acts of social inclusion. The Buddha included all classes in the sangha, all races; dark skinned and light and hesitantly (though Ruth Denison says this may be a distortion) women.

Some of us as queer/lesbian/bi/trans sangha know intimately how our particular expression is unique, beautiful and important. In this spirit we are answering the call to build more inclusion in our sangha. One of the phrases Ruth used to say at the end of a sitting as she would look at our faces is “Well I never promised you a rose garden.” And we are all ready to admit this is true. It is no rose garden. It is hard. It is messy, cumbersome and takes what seems like forever to make a decision. Do you remember how often your mind strayed when you first began to meditate. A Lot! We are learning. If this had been done in our primary, elementary and high schools we would know more. If this had been done in our work places we would know more. If this had been done in our spiritual communities we would know more.

So we are learning and learning. And how magnificent Nelson Mandela would say, to keep coming back to our vision of a heart and mind that is free and a community that supports this and reflects this, a community that is not unconsciously exclusive because we have failed to explore the places where we are habitually holding onto old notions of our selves as entitled; as white, or middle/upper class, as mid twenties to middle aged, as educated, as Christians, as non-veterans, as able bodied, or the corollary where are holding onto notions of insufficiency as people of color, queer/bi/trans, working class/poor, young/older, Jews/Buddhists/Muslims, uneducated, veterans and disabled. As we bring the light of awareness to the places we uncover the heart of love.

I feel so honored to find myself in your company and to be part of what is a heroic journey. I so look forward to working with you to build multicultural sanghas where ever we find ourselves. To facilitate this Sara Stearns and I are leading a retreat for our white sangha in New York on the weekend of September 24-26 and then Rhea Shapiro and I are leading a day in Portland on November 13. I will also be giving a talk at the Berkeley Lesbian Sangha on this subject on April 27at Epworth United Methodist Church on Hopkins St.

I am also really excited to lead a retreat with a wonderful teacher Jean Esther at Spirit Rock on May 16-23. I recently led a retreat in New Mexico for a week and it was a wonderful reminder of how deeply connected we find ourselves in a week of practice. I look forward to practicing with you there as well.

Blessings Arinna

Greetings Dear Friends:
This last month in particular I have been cocooned in bed in a medley of pain, opiates and dharma. I reflected this morning on time and how different it is when there are no outside activities that mark it’s passing such as going shopping, visiting friends or going to the bank. I have watched the departure of day into night, the moon’s traverse across the pine tree, half of it visible above the neighbors’ house, and into the lightness of day. I feel the sunshine warm me so that I undress and then dress as it passes into the afternoon and out of range of my windows. And yet there has been timelessness to these days and their unfolding. I can’t say it has always been noticed in clarity, it hasn’t mattered because even in the foggiest of minds returning to meet myself has carried me as if on a tide. A tide that has highlighted the beauty surrounding me: The flowers so sweetly and intimately dying in the vase opposite my bed, they are day lilies that have reached out and touched my wall in their orange blessings to make sure I have noticed their life and especially all those of you who have visited called, brought me food or helped me with chores. Your presence and generosity have beamed upon me who you are …each one of you…as beautiful. So I wish for us all, this New Year not bad backs! But surrender into moments of not doing and touches us of timelessness and beauty. Love Arinna