The Lamas' Talk Following the Connecticut Murders

On Dec 20, 2012, at 8:35 PM, "KSC - Southern Sangha" 
<ksc_south@kscashland.org> wrote:
Dear Sangha Friends, We have been asked to correspond with our 
meditation community about recent sad events in Connecticut. This is a 
brief summary of our remarks at the Calm Abiding meditation yesterday 
in Ashland. As funerals begin this week, and the political world works 
and struggles to do something effective, there will be lots to reflect 
upon for a while yet. We hope this is helpful.  This is a time of deep 
and varied emotion. As Buddhists, we continue to be aware of emotions 
and make the best choices we can about the time, place, and necessity 
of expressing them. In addition, we continue to be aware of the 
backdrop of fear behind our varied and perhaps wildly swinging 
emotions, to be willing to look at fear, sit with fear, work with fear, 
accept that fear is a part of us.  We fear for our children, for our 
society’s institutions, for a lack of permanent safety. We are fearful 
of disagreement, of violence, of difference. The “other” may embody our 
fears. Our path is to practice openness --- openness to our fallibility 
and our vulnerability, as well as to our kindness, compassion and 
everyday insights. This openness is critical at a time when shutting 
down may be the greatest temptation. The practice of openness to 
ourselves and others is how we return to a sense of trusting our world, 
knowing and accepting it in all its impermanent horror and 
magnificence.  Our desire to “do” something will need to be grounded in 
skillful action. Naturally, arising out of this event, we will wish to 
protect children. To carry out this excellent wish, we can take the 
skills of mindfulness that we cultivate on the path, and bring them 
more and more into everyday life. Knowing where children are, what they 
are doing, who is around them – all of this is mindful awareness that 
we can utilize in a worldly context.  From that mindful awareness, 
words and actions may appear to be necessary. If it is not an 
emergency, we ask ourselves to do a bit of thoughtful analysis: What is 
best to do in this situation? Am I the best one to do it? Can I work 
with others to do what is needed? These are ways we determine the best 
course of action at any time, and our path strengthens this analysis 
into everyday insight into what is needed and an accurate sense of our 
part in that. For meditators, we recommend doing any heartfelt practice 
you know. It is important to strengthen our best qualities! Calm 
Abiding asks us to look with tranquility upon each thought, feeling, 
and moment of stillness. This is a wonderful antidote to our own and 
the world’s intense emotionality and opinions.  Tonglen asks us to care 
for ourselves, our loved ones, all the strangers and even our (or 
anyone’s) enemies, with even-handed concern for our/their difficulties. 
At a time when there seems to be someone we can blame for this event, 
or maybe many who could be held accountable for the circumstances of 
this event, tonglen will bring us back to center, our own sturdy, open 
heart, with its all-encompassing abilities. The Chenrezig or Green Tara 
meditation will strengthen our compassionate natures and Tara, in 
particular, will help us work with our own and others’ fears. As we 
approach the new year, we can continue to utilize the path to create a 
better world. We hope these suggestions will be helpful in that regard. 
We wish each of you a fine new year. Lama Yeshe and Lama Pema Kagyu 
Sukha Choling109 Clear Creek Drive,Ashland, OR 
97520www.kscAshland.org541.552.1769  

BODDHISATTVA NIGHT, December 16

A bodhisattva is one who vows never to abandon sentient beings and aspires to bring about the benefit of others, even their own. The purpose of this event was to help children and adults see that the bodhisattva ideal is in some way present in many of the world's religious traditions and is a key method in our own tradition for overcoming the causes of suffering.   This theme was explored through storytelling. Children were encouraged to participate, including dancing to songs!