[Discussion-AZC] fire

[Barbara Kohn]

Dear Sangha, Apparently "island of green in a great black wasteland"  
that is Tassajara, is safe for now.  Our friends along
the Tassajara Rd., and Jamesburg aren't out of the woods as yet.  I  
mourn the great green of those woods that have been
destroyed.  When we chanted for the monks  at Tassajara the other  
day, I was so greatful that people like Colin are always
willing to be there to take care of the monastery, the actual  
physical manifestation that is right there in front of us - that tells
us, "do this now".  Each fire danger in the monastery's 40 years and  
each flood brought out the camaraderie, hard work,
and courage that are available to each of us.  My monkey mind was  
going a mile a minute with thoughts of "maybe this will be the
awful time that  the monastery won't be saved".  Thanks to Colin and  
the other stalwart folks as well as the firefighters, it looks
as if again we'll continue to have Tassajara to hold us and offer us  
her lessons.
Chanting for safety and health, and to remember the sentient and  
insentient who die in these world wide waves of disaster is one way  
to remind ourselves and  perhaps, as a result, touch others.  So if  
you wish, chant En Mei for safety and health and Dai Hi Shin for   
commeration and compassion. Or say in your own  words, your hope for  
the world, and the specific wishes for our friends, teachers,  
places.  It seems most
important that each of us stop our ego centered habit processes for a  
few moments each day and put our energy into a
more universal wish.  Join me in your own ways as we wish the best  
for our close and distant friends and all beings.

PS,  JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO SEND THIS COLIN CALLED FROM TASSAJARA.   
He says they are tired, have soar throats,
are good.  The day the fire came through it looked like "hell", it  
moved through and on and they lost very little.  As a group
they had done great preparation over the three weeks and the 5 who  
went back in kept working on the buildings they could
save and preparing themselves to be ready to fight the fires as they  
arrived.  And they did that.  The phone is still working
and I expressed our love and appreciation to all of them and our  
special feelings for him.  So once again the first Zen monastery
in the west is well and there is lots to be done to deal with the  
damage.  The road in is still blocked with landslides, so they
are not leaving for a few days anyway.

Gassho, Barbara