In the wake of the events of September
11, a number of Buddhist teachers and practitioners have
offered thoughts and prayers for guidance during this time.
Teacher Responses
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Letter from
Joanna Macy
September 23, 2001
Dear People,
The tragedy of September 11 brings grief
beyond the telling--an anguish compounded now by fear, as
war is proclaimed and its grim machinery set in motion.
With the suddenness of a door banging shut, our lives, our
country, and our world seem irreversibly changed. Yet, even
in the darkness, lights glimmer, as if from unsuspected
openings, beckoning us in new directions. Do you glimpse
them? Despite my rage and despair, these shining possibilities
make my heart leap with gratitude to be alive at this time.
My thankfulness list includes:
* The Work That Reconnects. Folks who have participated
in our intensives and workshops across the country have
been taking key elements--especially the Truth Mandala--into
their communities, to help people honor the sorrow, and
turn it to solidarity and common purpose, rather than
to hysteria, paralysis, or retaliation.
* The Dharma. Basic Buddhist teachings--from impermanence
to mindful awareness of breath, and dependent co-arising--shine
bright in the dark. They steady me, when I swing toward
panic and blame. I feel blessed by my proximity to the
Buddhist Peace Fellowship and the hearty wisdom of its
crew.
* Our listener-supported radio, KPFA, the untameable local
Pacifica station. A welcome alternative to the mainstream
media, it brings news and views that I can trust--and
need like oxygen.
* Excellent study guides for citizen groups. I've recently
discovered a number of very useful, step-by-step guides
on corporate rule and economic globalization. Great for
understanding the war system, these study guides offer
clear, stepwise curricula for learning together with neighbors,
friends, and colleagues. (See resources in Great Turning
section.)
* My neighbors and colleagues taking part in peace vigils
and teach-ins. Some go with my family and me to an Oakland
mosque, conveying our respect for local Muslims and their
faith, and our desire to shield them from harassment.
Another came today bringing seedlings to plant in my winter
garden, because crisis-related events have pre-empted
my time.
* My Congresswoman, Barbara Lee. Her courage, as the only
member of Congress (House and Senate) to refuse to grant
war powers to Bush, is an immeasurable source of inspiration
to me and countless others.
Now in the darkness upon us--both terrorist attacks and
a vain military response costing millions more innocent
lives and destroying entire ecosystems, while curtailing
human rights--the lights I see glimmering are not only
such blessings as those listed above (and we each can
make our own list). New directions for our work can be
glimpsed as well.
Let me try to convey... The heart of the work is local:
not massive demonstrations and protests (which can be
labeled extremist and violently squashed), so much as
groups of folks in every locality, linked in what I call
"rough weather networks." Here resilience and
trust are nurtured, and people watch out for each other.
Inspiration is drawn from Latin American
base communities and the Sarvodaya Movement's organizing
methods in Sri Lankan villages, as well as from Virginia
Hines' early model of SPINS (segmented poly-centric integrated
networks). Each local group is a node in the net (like the
holographic image of Indra's Net, in Mahayana Buddhism).
The goals and the glue that hold it together, in mutual
trust, are not solely political, for the node addresses
social and spiritual needs as well. The group may initially
form to take action on a particular local issue, or to practice
the Work That Reconnects, or to follow a study circle curriculum
on corporate rule. But as it matures, its life includes
and interweaves all of these elements: political, cognitive,
and spiritual; together they provide its cohesion and lasting
power. And for each of the elements, the resources are at
hand. No mammoth new organization or funding is required.
All that is needed is a shared hunger--and perhaps that
is precisely the gift we'll find in this dark time.
Yours, in gladness for our common work,
Joanna
See www.joannamacy.net
for more of Joanna Macy's writings and resources.
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