#12 Grimmwauld Place

Dear Sangha,
12 Grimmwauld Place.
Those with an eye to see, know it is there. A place of refuge for the Order of the
Phoenix. It is a place that appears suddenly, out of nowhere. Ordinary laws of
space and time do not apply. Sirius Black gave his love and his life in offering this
refuge. Generous.
We have been talking recently of altering the courtyard space. In part to be able
to offer Dokusan with some privacy. I spoke with Scott the other day. He likes the
idea of a simple platform over our Zen garden. He is also interested in changing
the heat for the Zendo to radiant heat in the floor. This will save on heating costs
long term.
I asked Scott about our CPOP finances, and reviewed the donations to
Eighthwave Community. I found that only 3 members of the Sangha have made
any financial contribution in 2022. We cannot sustain ourselves at this level of
support.
Most often, I find that people arrive at the Zendo at the stroke of 6:30 for sitting,
assuming that everything will be ready for them. The same with Zoom Dokusan.
I truly ask “What is happening?”
Shakymuni offered profound teachings on generosity. As a guide, I prefer to point,
and allow other’s relationship to the pointing to bring the teaching. I can see that
I have not been pointing well!
I will be more direct, spill my guts, as it were. There is something hidden in
generosity. When giving is undertaken without thought of giver-receiver, without
thought of addition or subtraction, without thought of benefit or loss, the very
fabric of time and space dissolve. The time that we didn’t think we had, suddenly
appears, like 12 Grimmwauld Place. The money or material goods that we
thought we lacked, suddenly change, like 12 Grimmwauld Place. And it is not
magic. It is the very fabric of reality being revealed in generosity. The very same
generosity that the cosmos offers to each of us, through each of us.

There is another factor that may be contributing. We are a bit of a hierarchical
group. It may be necessary to develop a different organizational structure.
Allowing the Sangha members to determine the direction we’d like to follow, may
well change our group dynamics.
I am telling you what I have experienced in generosity. And truly asking each of us
what direction we wish to pursue.
8 Deep Bows,
Zenho
p.s. On another topic. Io has been generously inviting me to participate in Ecstatic
Dance on Tuesday evenings. She does not have any flexibility as to the evening
this can be offered. I am going to take her up on this offer. Therefore, I will have
to change my availability for Dream Koan. This week, Dream koan will be at usual
time on Tuesday 7PM. Starting next week, I will offer it on Wednesday 7PM. I
hope to see you there.
Zenho

Here’s our poem for this week from Noah:

I wander through a field 

I’ve returned to before 

the field where I tasted the texture of the robin playing in the 

breeze 

but the trees all look the same today 

and alone I walk ahead 

and only realize that I just want to lie down on the patchy grass path 

when I trip on a root and fall

-Noah Seltzer

SCHEDULE 9/4-9/11

MONDAY, 6:30AM: ZAZEN AT THE TEA HOUSE

TUESDAY, 7PM, DREAM KOAN AT THE TEA HOUSE OR ZOOM

WEDNESDAY, 6:30AM: ZAZEN AT THE TEA HOUSE OR ZOOM

THURSDAY, 6:30AM: SADHANA AT THE TEA HOUSE OR ZOOM

         DOKUSAN WITH ISSAN SENSEI

FRIDAY, 6:30AM: ZAZEN AT THE TEA HOUSE

         DOKUSAN WITH ZENHO SENSEI