Gasshō

I often mess up a quote I attribute to Ram Dass, which goes something like this: Life is so difficult/scary that we must hold hands to get through it. Now, I’ve been quoting that for probably twenty-five years or so, which has resulted in several things. 1) It never occurred to me that Ram Dass didn’t say that. 2) Before Google there was no way to find out without a whole lot of re-reading that would likely produce no results. 3) It didn’t really matter the specifics of the quote, just the gist, and besides it was unlikely anyone else could do better at verifying the thing. Well, those days of blissful ignorance are over! Now lots of folks can hop on line and find out just exactly what he did say. So, since I was going to quote him again, doing the research to get his words right just seemed the decent thing to do. Yikes! I can’t find anything remotely like that attributed to Ram Dass anywhere. One of the most powerful teachings in my own practice and I can’t find it said by anyone! My hope is that you too will get the power of the teaching and that one of you can let me know who said it and when. Otherwise I’m going to stop saying it was Ram Dass and just claim it!

I write for several reasons. I want to:
solicit your opinion
tell you about some fun things
ask a favor and
offer some possibilities.

Several years ago Penny, a long-time student of Zen, began drawings for a series of stories that would present some basic Buddhist philosophies and practices for children. The central character was to be “The Little Monk.” We weren’t sure just then what we would do with the tales, perhaps collect them into a book of short stories, but the time seemed right for the project so Penny proceeded. With no immediate plan for publication, the stories went on a shelf, awaiting further inspiration about their future, and there they remained until Alex began to draw the “The Voices” cartoon series. Suddenly it became obvious that The Little Monk stories could find their audience just as The Voices have, via the internet. (Please follow this link to the first story and watch for announcements about future episodes.) We hope that you and the young people in your life will enjoy the Little Monk’s adventures and that you will let us know how they are received.

Long before the world’s economic woes brought the tightening of family budgets, parents were expressing concern about their children’s obsession with material possessions and the pressure toward unconscious consumerism that has been so much the focus of our modern culture. Out of those conversations grew the idea of “Moms and Kids for Kids.”  (Since that time I got my first volunteer—a Dad—so the program is officially, “Parents and Kids for Kids.”) This project would challenge parents and their children to come up with an activity they could do together that would generate funds to assist less financially advantaged children. Originally we had thought to partner children in this country or other developed nations with children in Kantolomba (still an idea we like a lot), but soon realized it could be disadvantaged children anywhere. (One little girl is painting rocks and offering them for a donation to the Africa Vulnerable Children Project.)

There are several things to recommend this program. Children with easy access to a lot of stuff have a chance to learn first hand that there are many, many children in the world who not only don’t have lots of stuff, they don’t get to eat regularly. And that information can come in a heart-opening rather than guilt producing way. When kids learn that other kids are hungry, the response is sympathy and a desire to know how to change the situation. This is ultimately more effective than the “eat your vegetables, people are starving in China” approach some of us grew up with. Children get to learn about giving, sharing, and service in fun, engaging, cooperative, and empowering ways. Rather than the “you shouldn’t be so selfish” message, kids can learn that it feels good to do something to help someone else. And it’s especially powerful for them when that someone they’re helping is someone they can really relate to—another child. We would like to “launch” this as a worldwide campaign and I’m seeking partners. If you’re a parent who would like to get involved in spreading this activity, please let me know. Just write to Parents and Kids for Kids at 4kids@livingcompassion.org, your messages will get to me, and we will make our plan.

Along those same lines of children, sharing, and a shrinking economy is a story I heard recently and want to pass along in preparation for the holiday gift-giving season. I learned about a family that participates in a “toy sharing” cooperative. The way it works is quite simple and rather ingenious. A “play group” of ten or so families owns collectively the toys for all the children. When the children get together they bring to the “play date” the toys they are currently enjoying. They all play together with all the toys, and when it’s time to leave each child gets to take a toy or two home to play with until the next gathering. Several obvious advantages: houses are less cluttered with toys, fewer toys are purchased, fewer toys are outgrown, less plastic goes into landfills, children don’t get tired of the toys since they rarely see them… Oh, and one other big advantage is that “mine” seems not to be so much of an issue since there’s no experience of personal possession. Seems worth a try!

As we’re getting more and more information that we are headed for some very rough times, we at the Zen Monastery Peace Center and Living Compassion have been talking about ways we might be able to make practice even more available as a support through these difficult times. We’ve thought of a few things and are hoping you can give us ideas you have. Let us know, if you would, what currently is most helpful for you and what might be changed, expanded, or added. All suggestions are welcome. We may not be able to do everything, but we would like the opportunity to give it our best effort.

And now to the favor: Please join the Onething Revolution, if you have not already done so. Add your Onething to the list, send in your “I’m gonna…” video, video some friends making their commitment, tell everyone you know about the Revolution, print cards and hand them out, forward the information to everyone in your circle who is concerned about the state of the world or just needs a little something to feel good about.

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