On Saturday I was invited to give a short training on Multicultural Diversity for a non-profit youth and teen athletics development group in Miami Gardens, The Global Team Foundation. As the participants arrived and introduced themselves I found myself in a room with 20 of the most fantastic entrepreneurs and leaders in the community. These men and women are focused on two things—the young athletes who they are working with on areas of leadership and character development and developing their businesses into viable organizations that can help, inspire, provide jobs, and income to themselves and their community.
I was awed by the time and energy they spend each day on making Miami Gardens a fantastic community in which to live, grow, and succeed. We talked about the differences and similarities of ourselves and our youth and our community and how in appreciating our diversity we help our community live in peace, prosperity, and love.
Through their efforts they are developing the character of the young athletes, which is not an easy thing to do when you watch the news and see how some of the so called “role models” in professional sports are not living an ethical life. These mentors are there on a regular basis showing them the other side of sports, and life, and learning. They are role models as parents, entrepreneurs, teachers, coaches, and spiritual leaders. They are developing the leaders of the future.
At the end of my presentation we read this beautiful poem below by Emmet Fox, author, minister, and supporter of the founders of AA. It is through their love that miracles are occurring every day. Please check out their website and if you can support them I am sure they will be grateful for the help of your time, talent, and treasure.
Be the difference you want to see in the world!
LOVE
There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer;
no disease that enough love will not heal;
no door that enough love will not open;
no gulf that enough love will not bridge;
no wall that enough love will not throw down;
no sin that enough love will not redeem.It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble,
how hopeless the outlook,
how muddled the tangle,
how great the mistake,
a sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.If only you could love enough you would be the happiest
and most powerful being in the world.
-Emmet Fox
In gassho,
Shokai
Beyond Prayer Part 13…Awakening Together
Posted in BUddhism, Christianity, Uncategorized, tagged Awakening Together, Buddhism, compassion, Kazuaki Tanahashi, love, Mark Epstein MD, meditation, Moon in a dewdrop writings of zen master dogen, peace, sitting, Sutra, Thoughts Without a Thinker, wisdom, Yoda, Zen Buddhism, Zen Chants Thirty-Five Essential Texts with Commentaryy, Zen Master Dogen on November 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Today is the right and perfect day to “awaken.” The perfect day to discover the power within you to live a life of peace, love, and compassion. Wisdom is beyond knowledge and only in the quiet of the inner heart can we find it and allow it to work in our lives for good. It is important to understand that knowledge is simply information that we have gained during our life time at school, at work, at home, and at play—it is not wisdom.
The author of Thoughts without a Thinker, Mark Epstein, M.D., says there are “two essential currents of the life energy: wisdom and compassion. These are the two qualities of the enlightened mind, the two forces that are cultivated with the realization of enlightenment (page 83).”[2] The perfection of wisdom is in you already and by sitting in the silence you can awaken that which is already in you—as you.
We are all sleeping giants waiting to discover our true selves. Through zazen (sitting), prayer, meditation, and mindfulness this awakening can occur. It may only last for a second or it may last for a life time, but it is there ready to be discovered, acknowledged, and used.
Wisdom can help us cope with life, looking within our minds won’t help because wisdom is not “in” the mind. To discover it, regardless of where it is, simply take the time each day to sit in the silence and open yourself to it. When you do you’ll discover that there is enough room within you for the wisdom to appear. Zen Master Dogen writes: Now, the realm of all buddhas is inconceivable. It cannot be reached by consciousness. Much less can those who have no trust, who lack wisdom know it. Only those who have right trust and great capacity can enter this realm (page 148).” [3]
This short sutra recited daily can help you open your self to the wisdom of the universe that is everywhere present, helpful, compassionate, and powerful. Let us awaken together today and “May the force [of wisdom] be with you.” Yoda
In gassho,
Shokai
[1] Tanahashi, K. Zen Chants Thirty-Five Essential Texts with Commentary. Shambhala Publications: Boston MA
[2] Epstein, M. MD (1995) Thoughts Without a Thinker Basic Books HarperCollins Publishers, Inc: NY, NY
[3] Tanahashi, K. (1985) Moon in a Dewdrop Writings of Zen Master Dogen. North Point Press: NY, NY
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