Tassajara Fires: 11 July 2008

Ewam!

I met Mel when the Zen center was just one redwood shingled house, and he was driving a cab to sustain the center and himself. What a wonderful expansion of the pure truth planted here by Suzuki Roshi. When I first came to Berkeley in 2003, from the east coast, running for my life from an abusive soon to be ex husband, I was invited to sleep on the library floor for a night or two while I collected my bearings. Complete tenderness and unreserved loving attention to my being and soul was and is shown to me at this Center of Buddhas glorious path. I was given the personal and physical space and trust that my inner call could come up and lead me if I was just given the time with safety and caring to listen to my reason for being in this here and now.

My full gratitude can never be expressed in words. Unlike other centers in the bay area, who would want me to pull myself up before entering into their fold, the Zen center took me as I am, as I was and with that respect which I used as my stairs, was able to step up by jerks and leaps.

The Zen centers are a safe place to go in health and sorrow to support clarity from the inside out. Green Gulch is a paradise within this California paradise and Tassajara is the core of grace in action. I ask you all to read this letter from the center and send your heart warmed thoughts to cool the burning. If you are able to send other help please do so, knowing that change is constant. Support in the face of change is what we all want by being part of a family, a community, a nation and the world as Earth in the Solar System in a grand Galaxy out spinning in a sea of galaxies as far as our instruments allow.

Statement from Abbot Ryushin Paul Haller on the Fire at Tassajara

Written by Abbot Ryushin Paul Haller

photo by Renshin Bunce As the forest fire encroaches into Tassajara valley, a new reality appears: danger is nearby and our hopes and fears rise up accordingly. Of course the safety and well-being of our staff and co-abbot who remained behind are our first concern and we’ll do everything to ensure their safety. Through them and their actions, our wish for the well-being of Tassajara is expressed and in return we are making every effort we can to support them. This is a tangible expression of our vow to practice with and for the sake of all beings. And we know and deeply appreciate the support of the countless practitioners who have joined us in this heartfelt vow.Even though we have prepared as thoroughly as we could for this fire, we can’t know what the outcome will be. All things are impermanent. Buildings, trees, even mountains and rivers are subject to change. Whatever happens, we will continue to start the day with zazen, service and then congregate at the work circle, as we have done for the past forty years. Each morning we renew our vow to meet the request of this day, not just to promote the well-being of Tassajara, but to contribute to the well-being of the Los Padres National Forest, Big Sur, Esalen Institute, all the people and forest affected by fire in the US and all beings suffering hardships everywhere. May we all continually receive the benevolence of practice and realize the Buddha Way.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 July 2008 )

Letter from Zen Center President

Written by Robert Thomas, President

Photo by Shundo Haye On behalf of all of us in the Zen Center sangha I would like to thank everyone who has so kindly sent in letters, cards and emails wishing for the safety and well-being of the community and Tassajara in particular. We deeply appreciate your support at this time of danger and uncertainty.I do not over-dramatize things by saying that the situation with the fires threatening Tassajara has the potential to be devastating for Zen Center. I also hope that everyone knows that at this very moment we are doing everything we can to save Tassajara and support those who have stayed there. This is now our practice. Yesterday, with the hot weather and warm winds, the fire danger became much more serious. Last night the majority of people at Tassajara evacuated and five people chose to stay behind and protect Tassajara. They are Co-Abbot Steve Stucky, Tassajara Director David Zimmerman, Mako Voelkel, Graham Ross and Colin Gipson. All are Zen Center priests and among the most senior residents of Tassajara. Their primary emphasis right now is trying to keep the buildings wet while at the same time avoiding all unnecessary risk and exercising utmost safety and care. We all feel that at the present time, with the road compromised by fire, that Tassajara is the safest place for these five people to be. Many sangha-e! readers may remember that in both 1999 and 1977, the last two times that forest fires threatened Tassajara, we had crews stay and work alongside the firefighters to defend the structures. We are still hoping that the forest service will be able to protect the road access and send firefighters in to protect Tassajara. Over the last few days, I have been repeatedly encouraged by the many people who have told me stories of being at Tassajara during previous forest fires. Those conversations almost always end with a “we can do it!” and a hug, and sometimes a tear. It is this love for Tassajara and a deep connection to the practice that will carry us through, moment by moment, no matter what happens. On other fronts, we continue to do our best to support the evacuated Zen students who now find themselves at City Center or Green Gulch or with friends and family in the area. Our reservations office is working overtime trying to relocate the cancelled workshops to Green Gulch Farm as well as other possible venues, a time-consuming process which requires working intimately with hundreds of guests and workshop leaders. We thank the wonderful folks at Mayacamas Ranch who have stepped forward to offer their generous support in this effort. While the future of Tassajara and the impact on Zen Center is unknown at this hour, I am confident that all of us, each in our own way, each from our own place, will do whatever we can to save Tassajara and sustain the Zen Center to survive this crisis. As of today we have not decided to cancel the entire summer guest season, but with each day the possibility increases. Please use our website to stay in touch with the situation as it evolves. Lastly, a number of people have generously sent in donations or have declined to receive the return of their guest stay deposits. To all of you, we extend our sincere gratitude and deep bows. To the many others who have long appreciated the beneficial healing and spiritual power of Tassajara, we hope that you will hold the soothing water, the large rocks, the trees and grasses and ducks and lizards and birds and snakes and people of Tassajara in your thoughts. I also hope that you will take some time now to consider how you might be able to help. It’s times like this when all of us need to sit down and stand up together. Thank you.

Last Updated ( Friday, 11 July 2008 )

Notice: Tassajara Closed through July 30

Written by sangha-e! staff

For more information on the fire near Tassajara, please click here to read more. The Tassajara pages are being updated regularly and offer you additional resources to stay abreast of the ever-changing situation.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 July 2008 )

Well-Being Chant for Tassajara, its Caretakers, and All Beings Effected by the Fires

Written by Sangha-e Staff

Excerpts from Blanche Hartman’s Wednesday night lecture, July 2, 2008 City Center Photographer unknown Chanting is… “Putting our heart into our intention, our compassionate intention, and putting it out in the world has an effect on the world. It isn’t that we get what we want. We create compassion in the world when we call on our own compassion in this way. So for me, chanting for friends who are ill or for the safety of our monastery mobilizes my compassion and puts it out there. I think we can all do that. And it’s very satisfying to me. What can I do when I can’t do anything? This is something I can do. I can’t go down to Tassajara and fight the fire. I can’t go operate on my friends who are ill and remove the cancer. But I can put my heart in my deep concern for their well-being and this is not doing nothing. This is doing something.” Blanche began her lecture with a Well-Being Service, which included chanting the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo twenty-one times: Kan ze on Na mu Butsu Yo Butsu u in Yo Butsu u en Bup po so en Jo raku ga jo Cho nen Kan ze on Bo nen Kan ze on Nen nen ju shin ki Nen nen fu ri shin Following the chant was this dedication: “May all Awakened Beings extend with true compassion their Luminous Mirror Wisdom. With full awareness we have chanted the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo for protecting life. Humbly we invoke the Regarder of the Cries of the World, that she may extend her compassionate aid to: The myriad forms of sentient life which make Tassajara their home, And our kind benefactors the Cal Fire Strike Teams, and the Fenner Cannon Fire Crew. “What we pray is that the Three Treasures may watch over Tassajara Zenshinji and our dharma brothers and sisters who are staying there to take care of it and protect this Buddha Field from calamity, “May we continue to have calm practice in the face of adversity, May the merit of this practice pervade everywhere, And may we together with all sentient beings realize the Buddha Way…” Following the chant, Blanche asked: “What is this? What are we doing when we do a chant like this? What are we calling on when we call on the great compassionate mind of Avalokiteshvara? I think this is an expression of our faith and devotion and it’s a calling forth of the great compassionate mind of each one of us and turning our intention and attention toward whoever we’re dedicating it to. It’s calling up our compassionate mind. Avalokiteshvara is just the combination of all of the compassionate minds of all of us together [and that’s what] make[s] Avalokiteshvara appear in the world.” “When we really focus our intention and attention in all sincerity, it has an effect on the world,” said Blanche.

Last Updated ( Friday, 11 July 2008 )