Student Reading Week 3 SWP Naropa ko shin Reads!

Week 3 SWP   Reading

Thanks you Bear Mountain

For taking the pain of the fires

The difficultly of the smoke

We are grateful for you, the grown growth, the trees, the flowers, the weeds and all the nsecys and animals

Thank you for be there for our sense of beauty

Help us to be more respectful of U and all of the earth

Thank you Bear  Mountain, deep bows of peace for U and all beings..

I am sure we all have a friend that we talk to all the time. For me it was Rick, retired injured Iron worker, union guy, compassionate friend to the earth and his friends.  We would talk daily, he would listen, and I would listen sometimes that is all that was necessary.

Rick died April 7 after one month of known illness…He asked me to lead his memorial celebration, he asked  my wife to do the native cumching ceremony I can smell the cedar, the tobacco and the sweet grass as the area  we were in and the universe were cleansed by the spirit of the universe…

Rick was from a Canadian native tribe, he and his friend gave me my animal name, Spurgeon, a large cold water creature. Fish….this poem is for my best friend still…

When the Tree falls

It is said, when the tree falls

You face the other way, in honor of its death

and its gift to you

of course before you cut, you are silent for a moment

in a way asking for permission to use this tree for your home or fire…

yes, a native, first peoples understanding of honoring the earth, the universe.

Rick and I and our forest buddies seldom cut a live tree

Unless it was injured by a storm

But now you know what kind of human being my brother Rick was…

We mourn his passing to the next world

I miss him dearly

There is hardly a place I turn here in the woods that he has not touched around m y home.

The earth is not ours

It belongs to all beings and ours to care for and nurture

Rick was an earth man, a justice and peace creature

A Bodhisattva, holding back on his journey, to make sure we all make it. 

Thanks Rick, I have told the trees of your passing, the deer, and the creatures who live here with us.

The sand hills were quiet for a while when I let them know the big truck,

The wonder dog and the forest man would not be here as they knew him anymore.

But they know you are really still here, caring for all!  Miss ya, but happy landings, a good journey in the next world, thanks!

Page 46of my book The Inner passage:

 

A reflection in the black stone, just a picture you say
No I was not in Nam, but I served those who came back in bags and
their loved ones
Yes, my name is not here, but all our names are…
Our names will be on the stone for Iraq, Afghanistan, Congo, Sudan,
Palestine, slavery, Native people, Japanese internment, and on and on…
What does it mean to build peace, for all people…think about it, chant
for it, pray to whomever you pray…
I remember a “Nam” funeral; the man who came back in a bag was one
of ten siblings… His sisters and brothers sat by ages with the young parents
at each end, the bookcases of time and love,
The Marines came up so slowly, stood at attention and saluted their
comrade, so slowly and then returned to their seats…
I thought this would never end, then the taps at the grave, it stays with
you for hours and days, no recording then, the real thing…
The question is always, it seems, did he die in vain, what bull shit, the
issue is he died; he is not here to care for and play with his nine siblings
For another war that should not have been fought…when will we
learn…? When will we learn?

PLEASE STAND FOR THE SINGING OF THE LAST HYMN THANKS ALLEN GINSBERG FOR THIS ONE

New Stanzas for Amazing Grace

Composed at the request of Ed Sanders for his production of The New Amazing Grace, performed Nov. 20, 1994, at the Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church in –the-Bowery.  Written by Allen Ginsberg from DEATH AND FAME, Last Poems, 1993-1997, Harper Perennial, 1999 Allen Ginsberg Trust

I dreamed I dwelled in a homeless place

where I was lost alone.

Folk looked right through me into space,

and passed with eyes of stone

O homeless hand on many a street,

Accept this change from me.

A friendly smile or word is sweet,

as fearless charity

Woe workingman who hears the cry

and cannot spare a dime.

Nor look into a homeless eye

afraid to give the time.

So rich or poor no gold to talk

A smile on your face

The homeless ones where you may walk

Receive amazing grace

I dreamed I dwelled in a homeless place

where I was lost alone.

Folk looked right through me into space,

and passed with eyes of stone

Bear Mt. smoke then flames then rain

not sure what emotion comes up
when on looks at the beautiful rugged mountains around Naropa
when first smoke and then a few moments later flames
thousands of trees, organisms, animals endangered
homes, trails, people
fear, anxious, helpless!

The rains come, but not yet finished
at 4am this morning the incense of the fires filled my room
now the sun shines and the temperature rises

More of the same

what would happen if we decided to CARE of the earth
rather than just ourselves.

Kanai the Baul singer sings for you and me:

"You and I are bound together,

In the six-petalled lotus of the heart.

There is honey in this flower, the nectar of the moon,

As sweet as Kama's dart.

Through the garden of emotion, a raging river flows.

On its banks we're bound together,

In the six-petalled lotus of the heart."

We are bound together by the honey of this universe

Why do we continue to separate, divide, judge and say no?

Why do we box it up rather than let it flows like an endless river…?

Next time the sun sets, remember it is "cow dust" time, and the stars and the moon will feed you…and the sun will rise again, in the moment,  bless your soul...

don't forget to feed your camel....

Jack kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics in 3rd week: Symbiosis

The third week at Naropa is on its way. Smoke, ashes, lightening, evacuations outside of Boulder, losses and the spirit of Symbiosis!  Bringing together, discovering our interconnected ness....I am in Anna Waldman's workshop and we are producing a CD in the Studio, poetry, music, drums, strange sounds....all warrior poets!

The first reading from Anna Walkman and Lisa Birman's book Civil Dis-obedience: Poetics and Politics in Action. by Peter Marshall  Symbosis will blow your mind....I will scan it soon and put it on here.

All for now, a day of writing and tomorrow to the studio with my colleges. Peace from Naropa!

Faith and Freedom in Wisconsin

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Faith and Freedom in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin recall elections are over, and Scott Walker was successful in retaining his position as governor. Some may not realize, though, that the lieutenant governor was also up for recall and was also successful in keeping her position.

Rebecca Kleefisch (b. 1975), a former television news anchor, was elected the lieutenant governor of Wisconsin in November 2010. She attends the evangelical Crosspoint Community Church in Oconomowoc, WI, and in June of last year she was one of many U.S. political leaders I heard speak at the Faith & Freedom (F&F) Coalition Conference in Washington, D.C.

Early this month, the F&F Coalition launched a voter education campaign in Wisconsin utilizing a sophisticated mix of 100,000 voter guides distributed in churches as well as “virtual voter guides” sent by email and text message, mail pieces, GOTV phone banks, over 25,000 door knocks, and social media. The campaign was expected to total over 600,000 voter contacts statewide and in key State Senate districts.

According to the F&F Coalition’s June 1 press release, “Evangelicals, faithful Roman Catholics, and Tea Party voters have been targeted to receive ‘virtual voter guides’ via email and on their mobile phones with banner ads and text messages.” Their goal, of course, was the re-election of Walker and Kleefisch.

The Faith & Freedom Coalition Conference will be held again this week (June 14-16) at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown D.C. As I wrote on this blog last year, the head of the F&F Coalition is Ralph Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition. The F&F Coalition is also ostensibly a Christian organization. This week’s speakers include Christian spokesmen such as Richard Land, Tony Perkins, and Jonathan Falwell.

But this week’s F&F Coalition conference also includes some politicians you may have heard of: Mitt Romney, Mitch McConnell, and Marco Rubio among many others. The marriage of conservative Christianity in the U.S. and the Republican Party seems to be quite healthy still.

Just two days ago (on June 8), the F&F Coalition announced, “Fresh off of her win in the Wisconsin recall election, Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch is confirmed to be a keynote speaker at the Patriots Awards Gala Banquet in Washington, DC on Saturday, June 16th!” (That banquet is the climax of the three-day conference; registrants can attend the banquet for an additional $99.)

So, this is the Faith & Freedom Coalition that helped decide the Wisconsin election in favor of the incumbent governor and lieutenant governor. The faith they propound is an ultra-conservative form of Christianity. The freedom they espouse is particularly that of (nearly) laissez-faire capitalism, which greatly benefits the wealthy people in society.

The faith of the F&F Coalition stands in opposition to many other people of faith, though, such as my Wisconsin friend Bob Hanson, who worked for the defeat of Walker and Kleefisch. And the freedom sought by the Coalition stands, for example, in direct opposition to the freedom of public labor unions being able to engage in collective bargaining.

Bob recommends the Wisconsin Council of Churches (WCC), whose motto is, “We pray and work together for the unity and renewal of the church and the healing and reconciliation of the world.” Last month the WCC issued “The Call for a Seasonof Civility in Wisconsin,” a fine statement signed by many pastors and faith leaders across the state. Lieutenant Governor’s pastor was not among them.

I am grateful that Christian faith and freedom in Wisconsin is much broader, and much more in keeping with the teachings of Jesus Christ, than that exhibited by the Faith & Freedom Coalition.

{Bob Hanson (b. 1940) is an ordained Lutheran minister and now also a Buddhist practitioner. We became friends many years ago in Fukuoka, Japan, where he was also served for a time as a missionary. For those of you who would like to read more of what Bob wrote about the situation in Wisconsin, please see the following (edited) e-mail received from him on June 7.}

We had our weekly breakfast on Thursday after Election Day. It goes without saying that the people who sought the recall of Scott Walker are disappointed, sad, and a bit angry. But the people of Wisconsin are resilient, strong folks.

As the reality of the night became clear, I headed for the meditation chair for some quiet time and some letting go. It was helpful. I have been reflecting and here are some things that have come to mind.

1. The spirit of the demonstrations, the signing of more than a million people to bring on the recall itself was wonderful and necessary.

2. Many of us voted for K. Faulk in the primary elections. She would have been stronger than Tom  for many reasons: she is a woman, and she would have articulated the issues and the vision more clearly. Tom just attacked Walker.

3, Now that we (Democrats that is) did take over the leadership of the State Senate, I have been wondering if the unions rushed us into the recall instead of focusing on the State Assembly and Senate. Sure would have saved money.

4. When we saw the money, 8 to 1, Walker had mostly from out of state (the Koch Brothers are big here, Walker has given them some State industry here already), we knew it would be almost impossible to win.

5. Finally, I am telling myself, this is a democracy, roughed up, falling apart, but for a period of time it was really awake, active. The only sad part is Walker and his minions have divided the state, communities, families and this has rolled over into some congregations, I am sure. But groups like the WI Council of Churches, the Faith Based Organizing groups, and religious leaders have been encouraging civil conversations.

 Please visit this site and see the fine, fine statement on civility signed by a vast majority of religious leaders in Wisconsin.

Parker Palmer’s new book, The Healing of Democracy will be one thing used and there will be training in the fall to bring this into congregations across the state. I know, even though I am not leading a congregation now, I am going to the training.

Hope this helps, Leroy. Of course in many ways, the right wing church and the scared clergy of others, including the Lutherans around here, by saying nothing supported Walker and his tactics. There was no encouragement for conversation, listening, so that we could become more unified as communities, even though we might not vote the same way.

There is need for a lot of healing here, and I feel for myself as well. I guess we find ourselves between “it was a waste of time, the bastards would have won anyways” and “this is and was a defining moment for us and in a sense we all won, the system works even in its brokenness.” I do not like being in that tension, but where else should people of spiritual practice be, whatever the name you give your practice? We let the ego go, turn to our neighbor, embrace and live out our lives in compassion and wonder.

Posted by LKS at 5:43 AM