Workshop planning

Today is more journal than photography. I made the image of my table before Betsy arrived so I could give my full attention to the workshop we were about to plan together. We’ll offer a full-day workshop for a group of Buddhists in June, viewing our engagement in the world as our “practice.” 

Some who come to Eastern spiritual practices think that “practice” means Sitting Meditation. Betsy and I want to talk about practice as what we do with the rest of our time. I showed her the words tattooed on my arm, a Buddhist text translated into English by a teacher with whom she and Sue have both studied: “My actions are the ground on which I stand.” 

Actions are looking out the window, making photographs, cooking, childcare, elder care, interacting with people who add up our purchases in the grocery store, and standing up for justice. Rallies and protests. She wants us to offer the question, “What is breaking your heart right now?”

Gaza comes immediately to mind. War. Refugees and deportations, people who intentionally harm others. This endangered planet. All the things. How do we hold it? How can we help? We were so much in tune by the end of two hours that we were finishing each other’s sentences. Our plan? Improvise. See what the people in the workshop bring to us. Engage.