I Feel a Change Coming On … But More on That Later

Last updated on: July 13, 2010 at 1:36 pm by Dosho Port

I Feel a Change Coming On … But More on That Later 2010-07-13T13:36:00-06:00 Dosho Port

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m back from a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, my first in that vast, beautiful and relatively uninhabited land. Above is the sun setting over Lake Superior a few days ago, taken from a 10-mile stretch of sand beach (rare on Lake Superior) near the Porcupine Mountains. I definitely plan to return and hope to spend some time in one of the remote cabins in the Porcupines doing retreat.

But today I’m getting my bag packed for the Zen teachers’ conference that starts tomorrow night. In the past, the most rewarding aspect of these events has been spending time with old friends and I’m happy that a bunch of my favorites will be there this year.

Frankly, there’ll also be at least one who fits the “difficult person” category so I’ll have some challenges too, I’m sure.

Zen teachers, don’t you know, are ordinary people – or at least I am – and so we/I have the normal range of silliness – like the categories of favorites and difficult people. Denying the facts don’t change them. Accepting the facts leads to interesting questions about how to relate.

In addition to hanging out, there will be an agenda: ethical issues (of which there are a bunch, past and present); gender issues; transmission (including a presentation by Victor Sogen Hori, who I haven’t met but is a “favorite” scholar); and dana vs. fund raising.

These are the issues that this group often discusses and the need and interest in continuing the conversations is significant, I think, in that it points to the issues’ central role in the transplanting of Zen from Asia to the West and their unresolved position at present. Or maybe “variously resolved” is more fitting.

Personally, though, I’m most interested in picking people’s brains and experiences about two issues. First, what will Zen become in the post-peak oil period, including the likely dramatic changes in climate and economic underpinnings of our society, including present Zen institutions. What does Zen have to offer to people in such a world and how can we prepare now to be in the position to offer just that?

My book project has taken a radical turn in this direction and I’m very curious about how others see it.

Btw, James Ford over at Monkey Mind wrote compellingly about the climate issue recently. Click here.

The second and related issue is how we can transmit to the next generation, not just to other baby-boomers. What are the bright spots in the current Zen scene and what about them can be generalized? I want to reread Jiryu’s blog about this beforehand because there were lots of good ideas there. If you missed that click here.

I’ll report back early next week and (tease alert!) I have an announcement to make about some upcoming offerings and a change in direction in what I teach and how I teach it.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

July 7, 2010

Dying With Heat and Cold

Next Post

July 21, 2010 What's New With Me Me Me

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 August 2021 June 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 December 2016 October 2016 June 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who saw a vision of a ladder reaching heaven?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Adam Isaac Joseph Jacob