Category Archives: Teachings

Engaged Action

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Mother and daughter combo readying for a training ride.

This summer, five cyclists with a shared commitment to creating a sustainable future and extensive wilderness will bike from the southern border of the Yukon Territory in Canada 2,000 miles to Yellowstone National Park in the United States to raise awareness of the Yellowstone to Yukon project (Y2Y).
Quoted from Ride for the Wild – Bearing Witness

I’m drawing attention to this long distance bicycle ride for a number of reasons. Perhaps the main one is I know several of the riders, including the two pictured here, and many of them are practicing Buddhists within our Order. The cyclist’s route takes them through some of the most beautiful country on the planet. My correspondent would know this personally since she grew up in northern Canada where the group start out from in mid August.

While the young woman, the daughter, was here in Whitefish over the week-end we talked about the ride; about safety issues, the reasons for participating, the practicalities and the inevitable vulnerabilities. Six weeks on the road will be a test for all the participants. Several people, including the mum seen above, will join the group at various stages of the trip. I wish them well and will follow their progress.

As far as I am concerned, in terms Buddhist practice, there is just the doing that which is good and following through in a reflective and intelligent fashion. This small band have a mission and a project which they consider good to do. Go for it! Engage fully, and take every safety precaution you can.

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Just…

Don’t do anything,
don’t call it anything,
just sit and look at the wall.

I’m not able to attribute this quote at the moment.

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The Geography of Dakota

This is Dakota.
She is a dog,
always moving,
constantly changing.
She is soooo beautiful,
like all of us,
fundamentally.
Dakota is in Whitefish, Montana,
and I don’t care what anyone says!

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Appearing is constantly changing.

Thanks to Dakota’s people for strawberries an’ ice cream and charming company, as always.

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Telling Dreams

A woman of my acquaintance had been given a compilation of writings by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett. There wasn’t time to look at it that evening so the tome was left beside her bed, on a chair. That night, in her dreams, she was joined by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett who spoke wise words about meditation. Later she found the exact words in Rev. Master’s writings.

Such dreams are just dreams, nothing more. If they bring about a change of heart for the good or a sense of peace and resolution, that is good! However if they become another story to tell, then that’s what they become. A story, a beautiful dream.
However, sometimes it is good to speak (take Refuge) with a trusted friend, a senior religious, your spiritual director or wise-one of your aquaintence. To thus speak in confidence can allow the dream to fade, along with the teaching or comfort it might have brought. This is a wise way to help oneself.
Why? Because anything, even good stuff, can become a burden.

Illusions have no substance, however they can become weighty. Dreams come, dreams go.

BTW. I always ask before publishing emails, letters or snippets from conversations. In order to preserve privacy I do not publish full names, or in some cases omit them all together.

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For the Love of Lucy

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I hear that Lucy arranged herself just so.
Just as if she knew it was time to go.
And finding a position for her limbs, she passed.

The posting titled Animals and End of Life Issues, has stimulated quite a bit of feedback. The following letter is from a former congregation member in Edmonton and I know just how hard it was for her during and after the family dog Sandy died. So I was especially pleased to receive this letter. I believe it is not uncommon for this kind of resolution to come via a dream. Some dreams have a particular quality to them and can convey a teaching or, as in this case can console and help set grief and loss to rest.

Dear Reverend Master Mugo,
I caught up on your website and enjoyed your recent postings about animals. I especially appreciated the writing about Peter the cat and the kind act that the neighbor performed. I was holding onto a little regret and self-blame with Sandy’s death – it really hurt to think of the suffering she endured near the end. About a week ago, she appeared to me in a dream. I gave her a meal and she stepped up to place her paws in my hands- we were standing face to face. She was completely content and joyful and communicated the utmost gratitude towards me. It really helped me to start to let go of those feelings of regret and guilt.

On this note, could you please offer merit to Jasper the dog? When Chris was here last, we happened upon a dog that had just been hit by a car. It was in front of a neighbor’s house and the dog was just a pup. It was really admirable how Jasper’s person handled the unfortunate situation. I could tell that she was upset but she remained calm and was most worried about the woman who hit Jasper who was very shook up. She consoled the woman and tried to assure her that it was not her fault. I ran into my neighbor last night and she informed me that Jasper had been put to sleep. His leg was broken in two places. She thinks that Jasper was chasing a butterfly when he got in the way of the van driving by.

I last saw Lucy in Montana four years ago when this picture was taken with one of her loving companions. The list is long. Leo and Buddy come especially to mind this evening. Perhaps we will all meet in our dreams.

I’m in Whitefish Montana.

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