Had To Do Better in Our Thoughts

 Day 4 

I woke up at 3:45am to pee.  The stars were amazing.  It was a warm night, I wore only one layer.  I was down at the Can by 6am.  I put laundry into the washer, it was a full load.  After setting the washer going I sat in the car and did morning ceremony.  Then I continued to sit in the car and fell asleep.  I got out of my car when everyone else started to show up for breakfast.  I began making chili, salsa etc.. for our Mexican lunch.  

One of the staff came to discuss the issue of how we all speak Chinese and we are sitting gender separate, that someone new to the crew may feel left out.  So we changed, we mixed things up.  It’s good to communicate.  We get so caught up in catching up trying to get things done as soon as possible that we miss some basic things at times, some basic human touch things.  We are so used to being around people who speak multiple languages that we just mix it all in and forget that not everyone is so.    

We also discovered Henry’s wife Myra is a very shy and sweet, but amazing artist and a great chef.  She made me a heart shape chocolate chip pancake.

After lunch I felt super exhausted, I was in need of a nap.  But I had to move my tent out of my yearly site and into a new one, which I didn’t mind, I just want it quiet wherever I am so I can sleep.  I didn’t get to nap, I just had time to lay down for a bit and take a break from standing on my feet. 

Tonight after dinner we all went up and sat in meditation for forty five minutes.  I got a lot of mosquito bites in the mediation hall.  My ankle managed to survive the criss cross sit.  It was all I could manage with the injury.     

Marion, Orlan, Connie and her brother Michael showed up during mediation.  Connie showed up with her guitar. 

Today a tent broke in transport from the Can up to the campground area.  Any abstract energy tension in this case is manifested in real time and reflected on the tangible external world.  This alarm rang like a big bell throughout the land.  All of us as Buddhist nonviolent practitioners knew better and as staff with responsibilities, we were too well experienced and trained to be in denial.  People reflected on such a manifestation.  It was a sound of alarm for this community and we all knew and had to pay attention and do better in our own thoughts and harmony in working with each other.   I am glad no one physically got hurt today.      

Two staff apologized on behalf of the group for the lack of professional work performance up to date and have yet to pick up the slack on the work load.  I feel blessed to be with people with honest amazing hearts full of integrity.  

The work week is hard work.  You have to love hard work to be happy here.  You do what others don’t want to do.  You do what others can’t do.  You are selected and invited to work week for the strengths you can contribute.  We meet once a year.  People show up in which ever condition they are in and we as a group must adjust each year on the spot to fill in.  It means some people are able to sneak in three hour breaks and naps while others work 15 hour day.  And if you are doing the 15 hour day, it’s your test to not let negativity rise in regards to fellow crew or the retreat itself.  That’s just how it is.  It’s never boring.    It’s what you agree to when you sign up.  

Joyful Giving and Joyful Receiving

I went to Teance, Yadolla was there and I took over the tea bar while he went upstairs to rearrange the talk space.  I enjoyed helping out.  I can imagine it is a very long day for them and the hosting of this event is voluntary and very gracious of them.  Yadolla asked me to help with tea during the talk.  I brought Belgium chocolate to share with everyone.  People rush to get here from work and for some, they did not have time for dinner.  I always find myself joyful from Teance evenings.  Yadolla handed me a bag of tea of which I declined and then decided to ccept.  The joy in his giving was joyful to receive.  It was a sweet evening. 

"Holding It In and Letting Go Are Two Different Things"

Today my sister Helen and her neighbors held a yard sale to raise funds for Tsunami relief efforts. It was such a lovely thing to do. My bike sold for $25.

We went to café Au Coco Le after lunch, Gwhyneth wanted to thank everybody for their efforts at the benefit concert for the Tsunami disaster relief work. We had tea, hot chocolate and hung out. I saw Rinaldi on the way over and hopped into his car to go to the lending library with him. I have only passed by the lending library and have never been inside. It was fun to see how it all worked. I loved the tool lending library. Rinaldi dropped me off at the café to meet up with everyone.

I stopped by the flower shop with Michelle and discovered how much she enjoyed flowers and taking pictures. When we got back, Gwhyneth was playing the piano and my favorite pieces. I sat quietly like everyone else and enjoyed the experience.




Toure and John said they were robbed on Tuesday, a break in and lost their computers Xbox etc… It was a clean job and there was no signs of break in.














At 5pm Michelle and I wanted to go to Cheeseboard but it was too late, the baker had closed. So we went for a walk in the neighborhood to look at Berkeley gardens. It was a cold walk with rays of sunlight peeking through here and there. I found many delightful flowers, beautiful camellias, daffodils, poppies, and many orchids, this really made my day.

Wisterias were in amazing bloom at the corner of Grant and Bancroft. I have always wondered what was inside this building. Both of us hovered over the building. DeAnna, owner of the house for 20 plus years drove up the house watched us watching and invited us in. I told her the chi in the house felt great and the health of the wisterias reflected it, and I felt there was a strong fairy energy. The inside of the structure has really good chi too. She is a dancer and an physical therapist. Her office has church healing energy, very calm, safe, relaxed vibration, a really good place. The husband did all the remodeling inside. The daughter is a senior and is a dancer. They are all healers, builders, creators, and the house reflects this. At one point in parting at the corner door, I mentioned my thoughts in passing this house in the past decade, that a feeling of drugs and a political edge was what shuns me away from walking on this side of the road. She validated my intuition. She gave me a historical run down on this building. There was once a meat market store in this building, it was a front for dealing drugs, and then there were the political activist office station here etc.. The wind picked up and we rushed back to BBM at 6:23pm.

We saw Laura who invited us over to check out her new snowboarding gear. She invited us to join her for instant noodle dinner of which we declined.















We headed back to BBM and at 7pm decided to get pizza at Cheeseboard. It turned out everyone came and my car was full. It was a good thing this old car did not have to roll far with all this weight, my car almost stalled. You can smell the pizza a block away. The line stretched to the grocery store, no worries, this line moves fast even though it’s super long. We ended up sitting on the bench in between inside and outside of the shop where the window was. For some reason we didn’t talk at all, the chemistry was strange. We made it back to BBM at 7:47pm.

People raised the question of how the Sunday walking recitation is not Shr Fu’s Dharma, of which Rev. Heng Sure replied, “Is reciting the Buddha’s name Shr Fur’s own Dharma?”

Andrew asked a question on road rage, Rev. Heng Sure clarified, “Holding it in and letting go are different things.”

I was so tired today, I am super surprised I even lasted through the evening. I bolted for the door as soon as I could, and then Toure flagged me down to confirm they needed a ride home.

Piano Salon Benefit For Japan Relief

Today was the benefit concert to raise funds for Tsunami relief. This benefit brought in $10,500 to aid in relief efforts.

I brought strawberries for the after benefit mingle. Toure, Michelle, John and I piped in Nutella and dusted with powdered sugar. They were really yummy. I helped to plate other foods that came in for reception.

When the benefit began I was able to score a seat up in the balcony next to Griffin’s family. I sat against the bar to have an aerial look over the keyboard and the fingers, that’s where all the action is. I was glad “May She Safely Graze” was played and “Itsuno Nanade Demo” . This was the first time I was able to be a guest and sit through an entire program as others put together the reception, what a nice change.

During the reception, it was lovely to chat and greet friends Charles, PK etc….

I saw Tone, and we chatted about the past. He said he used to come here just to lift weights and nothing else. That he really cherished those times. Now that he is done with school, he comes to the lectures, I am so glad to see him.

Clean up was fun but super exhausting, very labor intensive. I was tired and so was everyone else.

Another Late Night

Fifteen people showed up for the benefit concert work crew organizational meeting.  The meeting ended at 9:30pm.  Toure and John were both hungry so we went to Telegraph to eat, they both ordered fried rice.  I passed on food because I knew if I ate I would have to stay up until 3am to digest the food and I really didn’t want to.  It was fun to hang out and chat about an array of things. 

Getting Ready for Chinese New Year at the Monastery

Lots of happiness in cleaning.







What are you selling Toure?

Halloween at the Monastery

Fun times at the monastery!  Thanks to Nam and his family who put lots of thought and energy into decorating, activities design, and yummy tasty goodies!