As I continue to reflect upon the week I spent at the Upaya Zen Center ,I remember with great clarity how each and every encounter with the residents at Upaya resonated with exquisite respect and appreciation for the subtle interactions that occur in every moment between human beings.I am certain that this aura of auspicious dignity can be directly traced to the presence and teachings of Roshi Joan Halifax.This week was also influenced by the studies of Dr. Dan Siegel who is dedicating his life to the careful study of how we can embody an empathic life stance with each other in our modern society.Dan spoke of many touching stories, while presenting at Upaya.One of his stories was of a personal nature that occurred while at Upaya.I can attest to its validity as I was up on my way to a yoga practice one morning at 4:30 am.Dan was up also on his way to a river path during an empathic encounter with a meadow mouse,which in metaphor was the embodiment of his teachings to us.So this is the encounter of Dan and the meadow mouse one early summer morning at Upaya;
It was still dark out,the sun had not risen yet, I was carrying a flashlight to see my way on the short stone path to the zendo.the air was cool and moist,the birds barely began their morning chants,the susurrus of small deliberate nocturnal critters in the low dry bush was audible. Dan was on his way to let the mouse free and I was on my way to practice my daily yoga.There in the path walking quietly in contemplation was Dan .He was holding a glass cup.He said he was walking to the river path to let this mouse go.That was all he said as he walked away into the shadows of the early dawn. Later that day,Dan spoke to us of his encounter with the meadow mouse.He said,he woke up to go to the bathroom and suddenly he noticed a little mouse scurrying past his feet.When he returned to his bed he could not sleep well as he was thinking about the little mouse.In his retelling of the encounter ,it sounded like he was thinking of the mouse,but moreover , he thought of how would this little critter scurrying,scratching about effect his fellow human friends that he now lived amongst and felt a responsibility to.It seemed that Dan was engaged in an internal dialogue with himself as to what would be the most empathic, compassionate,responsible stance towards his roommates and a dignified life respecting response to this meadow mouse.Dan after all, is not a mouse catcher by trade and had limited resources and experience in catching this mouse.On Dan's return to the bathroom a second time,miraculously the mouse reappeared and squiggled under the door to make certain eye contact with Dan.The experience was described as something beyond words ,as if some like minded mental awareness , a co-created mind experience had evolved between mouse and man in that moment.This apparently aided Dan in constructing a practical , humane solution to this enigmatic interlude.It was a solution that was generated by empathy to his fellow man/woman so as not to disturb or frighten their peaceful slumber, but also protected the life and being state of the mouse.So, Dan let the mouse crawl into a bathroom drinking glass and covered the top with a tissue box and then took a walk to a nearby river path to let this mouse to safety.On his path to the river,he passed me by in his state of contemplative revelry, what he may call "mindsight".In his discussing of the meadow mouse later in the day,he still seemed troubled,whether he had done right towards the mouse and would a house mouse survive in the wild.Such were and are the contemplations of the the mind that embodies empathy towards all sentient beings.
There were countless examples from the subtle to the complex at Upaya where the nuanced details of human compassionate interaction always took precedence.These are examples of the extreme attention to detail that does occur when the mind is awake,alert,and aware.These are examples of how greater self knowledge can and does lead to awareness of the other, seeing another more clearly and to kindness;
There was this intuitive sense of being completely present when eye contact was made for however brief the moment was between random human beings,as if to say for this brief moment is the only moment in time that we may ever share with each other, that what we perceive and know of each other right now and that is all that matters now.
When a new person came to the table at a meal, there were a few seconds of silence, some space made for the presence of this new person.Sometimes others would stand or bow their head or get up to pull out a chair for the new person ,all in honor of the auspicious presence of a new human encounter.
After a ten minute period of silence during meals,there was a radiant full bright sensation of gratitude for the individuals that prepared the meals, the evolving aromatic gustatory and olfactory sensations that slowly arose were notable and palpable .When conversation eventually arose it was with greater intention and purpose from a place in the heart that was unique for the presence of this specific encounter in the present with this
unique person.
Here is the prayer that was said before meals that embodies the spirit that is taught at Upaya:
"Earth,water,fire,air,space combine to make this food.Numberless beings gave their lives and labors that we may eat.May we be nourished and nourish life".
Om......
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