Dear Friends,
One of the gifts of the past year has been in finding ways to connect and be together, even when we must stay physically distanced. Many of you have joined us via Zoom during this time Sangha House has been closed. Others have found Zoom to be daunting and not as inspiring as meeting together in person. Initially, Zoom connecting really didn't scratch my itch for being in community; but over time, I found ways to check in with many of you either by phone, email, or Zoom. And the informal time before or after Tuesday night Zoom Sangha gatherings have also supported our connections and maintained our relationship, despite being physically apart.
The KM groups have reported enjoying the relaxed and easy fashion of not having to leave home and still come together to discuss their practice and how it supports their daily life. Book group has been as strong as ever. And all groups intend to continue offering the opportunity to meet via zoom upon request after Sangha House re-opens.
So, as we leave the winter months behind and enter the emerging spring and opportunities to slowly reengage in activities so sorely missed this past year, we look forward to re-opening Sangha House on a limited basis beginning in April. (Please watch Facebook and the IMFW website for updates.)
Even though Sangha House has been closed for one year, we continued to pay for insurance, heating, water, and electric bills. Generous donors have helped to upgrade our heating system as well as technological systems so we now have internet and can Zoom "in house" once we return to our beloved Sangha House.
For those of you new to IMFW, and to the Insight Meditation tradition, dana is a Pali word that means "generosity" or "freely given." The Buddha taught that generosity is the foundation of the Buddhist path-the beginning of spiritual awakening.
From the beginning, the Board of Directors had a vision that the Dharma would be accessible to everyone; so, they built a truly generous model that offers all teachings freely and provides financial assistance to attend retreats to all who might not otherwise be able to access them.
In most Sanghas throughout the world, Buddhist teachers rely on dana for their livelihood. We are fortunate at IMFW that our teachers have income from vocations and do not rely on dana from their students. So, continuing the ancient Buddhist tradition of dana, our teachers offer their teaching and meditation guidance freely.
And Sharon Salzberg reminds us that "the Buddha said that no true spiritual life is possible without a generous heart. Generosity allies itself with an inner feeling of abundance-the feeling that we have enough to share."
Gil Fronsdal writes this about dana: "The Buddha emphasized the joy of giving. Dana is not meant to be obligatory or done reluctantly. Rather, dana should be performed when the giver is 'delighted before, during, and after giving.'"
At its most basic level, dana in the Buddhist tradition means giving freely without expecting anything in return. The act of giving is purely out of compassion or goodwill, or the desire for someone else's well-being. Perhaps dana is more about how we are than what we do. Through generosity, we cultivate a generous spirit. Generosity of spirit will usually lead to generosity of action, but being a generous person is more important than any particular act of giving. After all, it is possible to give without its being a generous act.
Although giving for the purposes of helping others is an important part of the motivation and joy of giving, the Buddha considered giving for the purpose of attaining nibbana as the highest motivation. For this purpose, "one gives gifts to adorn and beautify the mind. Among these adornments are non-clinging, lovingkindness, and concern for the well-being of others."
Please consider offering a gift to IMFW to help sustain your practice and that of others.
With lovingkindness,
Tammy
tamaradyer6@gmail.com
|
