HAIKU- FEBRUARY 25

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Interfaith Dialogue

Spring melt overflows untended West-wall eavestroughs
dribbles down and through the walls.
The foundation rots.
                       
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LETTER TO THE CITIZEN - FEB 25

Editor,

As acts of inequality and brutality trade for front page space, I notice an increase in the laying of blame for all this at the foot of “religion”. Apart from having no clue what “religion” means anymore - is it leaders, ideas, rituals, customs, buildings, hierarchies? - I am sad that we continue to seek social justice and peace through banishments, cleansings and exclusion of various aspects of the rich panorama of human experience. My reading of history is that the very politics and movements we revile and will go to war to oppose are usually the ones who try to erect such blunt restrictions and exclusions based on race, colour, religion, gender or ethnic origin.

For my part, the last scrap of hope I cling to is the possibility that we will elevate our capacity to listen and understand, that compassion will find some way to guide our thoughts, politics and actions. The last thing we need is one more vain and mean-spirited attempt to social engineer our way through our predicaments. As in our natural world, so in our social world, accommodation and diversity hold more promise than engineered and exclusionary monoculture.

Rev. Innen Parchelo,
Director, Tendai Buddhism Canada
Renfrew, ON

RED MAPLE WEEK FEB 20

Greetings to all,

In an effort to reduce "inbox clutter" for everyone,  have changed the Red Maple Week to replace attachments with links.
        
1. THIS WEEK AT RED MAPLE

    1.1. Our next practices is:
     Saturday, February 25 will be Beginner’s Mind session.

    1.2. There will be no practice on Saturday, March 3, as we are leading a day-long retreat in Pembroke. This program, called Everyday Mindfulness is a free program, sponsored by the Whitewater Bromley Community Health Centre. It will be held at the Marguerite Centre from 9.000 - 4.00. Lunch is included and pre-registration is required.
For more information on the day-long program : http://bmindful.blogspot.com/
                                
2. MOKUGYO
                                    
This months’s Mokugyo newsletter is available at:  http://www.realperson.com/mokugyo.htm


3. INTERFAITH DIALOGUE

We have started our Christian-Buddhist Dialogue with the Pugwash, NS United Church. We hope you will find the conversation interesting.
Check it out at:
http://www.realperson.com/DIALOGUE/dialogue-welcome.htm

4. ENTERING THE DHARMA PATH

We will be holding another EDP introductory seminar following our regular Saturday sitting on Saturday, February 25, from 10.00-12.00. All are welcome.

5. ASK THE RELIGION EXPERTS

The column page is now up to date and you can view this week’s question, “Are people inherently sinful?” (and all the past 12 months-worth) here: http://www.realperson.com/ARE.htm


in the Dharma,
Innen, doshu     

NEW PEMBROKE PRACTICE TIMES

Hi Sangha and Friends,

1. BEGINNER'S MIND 

I am very pleased to announce that we will resume practice events in Pembroke again.

On the 2nd Saturday of each month, we will hold our regular Beginner's Mind session at the Marguerite Centre (Room to be announced). There will not be a Renfrew session that day, but Innen will offer a drive to those from Renfrew who want to attend

2. WALKING GROUP

Starting sometime in March we will begin a Walking in the Spirit session on a Sunday morning, likely 10.30-12.00. Details to be announced. This will be a instruction/practice session to learn and explore an assortment of walking practices with a contemplative purpose, including those within and outside the Buddhist tradition.

in the Dharma, 

Innen, doshu

REGRET, FORGIVENESS AND MAGIC - A REVIEW

Hi Sangha and Friends,

We watched Is Anyone There? for our February Buddha Cafe film, and as often is the case, this film haunted me long afterwards. The story is simple. Its 1987 in small town England and Clarence (Michael Caine) is a lonely and full-of-regrets aging magician who moves out of his camper van into a private retirement home. He takes a room across the hall from Edward, the 11 year old son of the couple who run the place. Edward resents the presence of all these old people, although, because they tend to have their last breaths there, they provide ample subjects for his investigations into what happens after death. Edward and Clarence develop a wonderful friendship and teach each other about life and death. Each helps the other come to terms with the struggles they each have at that time of their lives. All of this occurs against the backdrop of the marriage crisis unfolding between Edwards' parents.

Through the Edward/Clarence story we are confronted with the deep echoes of regret and shame which can haunt us as we progress through our lives. The drama reminds us of the complexity of our karma, the momentum of past actions which can arise as the consequence of desire-driven actions we take. Like Clarence, we find ourselves condemning ourselves for actions which brought others, and ultimately ourselves, pain, suffering and estrangement.

Edward's mother, a simple, determined and ever-gentle woman, illustrates a Kwan-yin-like compassion all through the film, especially in her heart-rending tenderness to the failing Clarence. She reminds us that things and people are not simply as we see them but can become the vehicles of freedom when they embody bodhisattva wisdom and compassion.

in the Dharma, 

Innen, doshu

HAIKU - FEB 6

Red squirrel scuttles across snow-crust,
Mouse tunnels along the frozen earth,
Yellow finch caresses the frosty air.