From the Guide

Gasshō,
 
What a year! Trite? Yep. But what else can we say that would be more descriptive? Sure, a lot happens in every year and looking back can produce a sense of, “Oh, yeah, that.” However, this year? What a year!
 
For me, the biggest “need to take that in” moment came with looking back at A Long View Farm. All that has happened there has happened in less than a year! Trees planted, both native conifers and fruit trees (more than 500 in all to date); the greenhouse built; the market garden raised beds fenced in; ditches dug to drain and organize an over-abundance of water; the pond corralled; enormous piles of wood chips incorporated into all sorts of tree, plant, and soil support; giant compost piles built from mountains of food waste; acres of native grasses scythed to create protective blankets around all who are doing their best to grow.
 
In Living Compassion Kantolomba all just keeps getting better and better. More than 400,000 meals were served in 2025. Imagine. 1,000 children and their caregivers eating healthy, filling meals every day. No more do we see the red hair that signals malnutrition. From 7-10 children dying before the age of 5 twenty years ago when we arrived, there’s rarely a child’s death. Children are born without the AIDS their parents likely have. Now, rather than being called ghosts because they live in a slum with no electricity, they have solar and internet and are learning the skills they’ll need to get on in this modern world. They’re passing exams at each level, even graduating college!
 
And, here in the world of “just plain old Awareness Practice,” it was quite a year as well. Another, yes, stunning Yearlong Retreat; the Stewards taking on every corner of Practice to make available three new e-books, Musings articles, History Postcards, e-mail classes, Open Air, Peace Quotes, Practice Everywhere reminders, Africa updates, Practice Corner articles, At-Home Yoga for Sangha, Reflective Listening Buddies, Commitment Buddies; and lest we think everything happened virtually, a There Is Nothing Wrong with You retreat here in Western Washington and our first in-person retreat at Vallombrosa Center since the pandemic.
 
My favorite quote of all time is George Bernard Shaw’s, “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” This is followed closely by his, “Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
 
Those two, for me, capture what this Sangha is—and does.
 
I know many of you are familiar with this story, and whether it’s the Suzuki Roshi encouragement not to lose our love of repetition or just in case someone missed the telling, here it is again. Thirty-five years or so ago I was at a Book Fair in San Francisco. Someone from another Zen Center came up to talk with me about our Practice. As I described it, including the Privileged Environment, not social, no special titles or outfits, etc., he smiled and said, “Well, I think you can plan on having a small, very mature Sangha.” How right he was! And, it is for that I remain most grateful.
 
Everything referenced above is because of this Sangha. Each and every person. It doesn’t matter whether someone is working fulltime at whatever they’re offering or simply supporting Practice in whatever way they can, it’s us. All of us.
 
And, of course, that “us” doesn’t stop with what we think of as us, the people we know, the ones we encounter in workshops or email classes or retreats. It’s the BIG US. Because if we were able to see the connections between all of us and all human beings, we would realize it takes everything that is in each moment to make everything that is, is. There’s no one and nothing left out. I’m going to stop myself before I get to the “everything is pink” conversation, but if that appeals to you at all, go with it!
 
So, all that’s left to say is, thank you. And, if you will indulge me, please walk to the nearest mirror, look into it and say thank you to that person you see looking back at you. Go ahead and tell them how grateful you are to be making this journey with them, how much you appreciate all they are and do.
 
In gasshō,
ch
 
P.S. It is all pink!
 
 
Snapshots from the Farm
 


We re-use! These terrariums are made from packaged food containers that would have gone to the landfill.


 
Steam coming from the compost pile heating the greenhouse
 
 

A field of sun chokes
 


Our beloved tent after the big wind
 


Taking dresses to the baby trees
 

 
Our first snow blankets the Farm



The sun sets on 2025!