Noah Levine’s teachings and his classic book, Heart of the Revolution, are sources of inspiration.

The resilience of the Sangha is a living and evolving testament to the potency of heart practices. This does not mean we turn away from suffering or deny the expression of righteous anger.

Jeff has discussed anger as a motivator for change. He recently shared that what distinguishes medicine from poison is - the dosage.

It does not take much anger to inspire change. When consumed by anger, we become outraged, intoxicated by a potent emotion. We are encouraged to avoid harmful reactions and instead respond to the associated pain with compassion.  

What is the appropriate response when we are the focus of hate?

How do we practice outside of our reliable communities, in situations where we don’t find wise friends to have our backs?

What can we do for our friends who are more vulnerable to tyranny; our elderly parents, our children, and our neighbors?

This is not advice; it is a list of suggestions that have worked for us, and we have listened to the wisdom of the Sangha…

 Put the pedal to the mettaL

• When fear and anxiety are amplified, practice lovingkindness, metta.
• Take five minutes each day to attend to your own heart and extend that to all beings everywhere.
• Remember that everything is constantly changing – impermanence is unceasing.
• Find a way to be creative. paint, sing, move your body, write, cook with passion, be funny.
• Identify the moments that bring more joy and really lean into making more time for humor, friends, sangha.
• If you are of the nature to be generous, donate time or money to a cause you care about.
• For sangha members who are already in service to others (and there are many), give yourself a little more grace and ask for help if you are burnt out.
• Make self-care a priority.
• Take a news fast if you are inclined. Avoid screens for an hour or a full day.
• Consider a meditation retreat, a day-long if you have the time and resources.
• If social justice or activism are your jams, bring your Mindfulness and Compassion skills to the action.

Never Give Up. The tyrants in our lives only succeed when we comply.

The sangha provides a container for growth and stumbles. Hopefully, each of us can identify wise friends who share appreciative joy when life is defined by successes and reliable support when everything feels like a ball of confusion.

Note: If you are experiencing distress, anxiety, or unbearable suffering, please reach out. Refuge Recovery is another wonderful resource for those impacted by all types of addiction. There are meetings every day of the week. It is an anonymous program that utilizes the principles of Buddhism to alleviate the suffering associated with addiction.

​            A group of us went out off the grid a ways, fire roads, four wheeling, looking for a crag to climb we heard about in central California, east of Big Sur in the mountain range there. The year prior a massive wild fire came through the area just a little west of there, (Fire monk’s fire at Tassajara). We found the crag and about a mile away there was little campground, just a few sites, fire pits, tables and an outhouse, no one out there. It was almost dark when we got in so we didn’t see the little ‘closed’ sign until the next morning, early, a ranger came through and told us to get out because it was closed. We explained about not seeing the sign and she said it was closed still because of the fires. We wanted to stay in the area for the weekend though, and she explained “this is national forest here, you own it, camp out wherever you want.”
            Although – if you want top build a fire, you’ll have to pay a little fee and sign this thing that says you know how to put out your camp fire. We sort of half read it, figured we know well enough how to put out our fires and signed, paid and went on our way.
            Killer! Pulled down this road to an area by a creek, dropped our tailgates and set it up right! Climbed all day, that night cooked up a rad dinner over our fire, then stoked it up and sat around it all night till it died down and so did we.
A few embers in the morning to stoke up just enough for eggs, then as we packed up to go back out and climb, we dumped out coffee and kicked the dirt over it that we had off to the side from where we dug the fire pit – no problem. It’s out; we’re off to have fun.
            So now just a little ways away, we start putting our packs together with all our climbing gear and down the trail a few hundred yards or so and we hear this honking and whistling. This ranger, calling us back, kinda pissed. They’re just like cops out there so, we jumped to attention. She said, “C’mon lets go back to your camp and see how you put out that camp fire”. We were like, “what?” but also knew we must be in trouble.
            We got back there, now with the ranger and sure enough that thing was smoking and steaming it up again! I felt like shit. Tons of forest fire fuel in every direction, my heart sunk. What happened was she went there, kicked off some of the dirt cover and exposed what was still smoldering under the surface. It was still hot, and if enough wind had come by to blow away the dirt on top, it would be enough wind to fuel those embers too. And what next but potential devastation?
            So – what happens when we just bury a fire?
            She explained, as the paper we signed did, the RIGHT way to put out a fire and hang around long enough to be sure you actually did. It takes a LOT of water. And when you pack in your own water, you can be stingy with it – but really we just weren’t prepared. 10 gallons of water – you only need like 2 to drink – the rest is for putting out your fire!
            I’ve buried my fires. Thought they were buried enough that no wind would ever blow off the dirt I covered them in. But when unaware, not feeling them to see if they were still warm, some wind came along and stirred it up when I wasn’t looking – the next thing I know, some little spark gets loose and the whole place is up in flames.
            Check on buried fires.

Dharma Punx SF stands against hate in all forms – racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and ableism.
 
Dharma Punx SF stands against the intentional harm of innocent civilians on any continent.
 
Just since the time we shifted to an online format, encapsulated from the rest of the world via Zoom, we lived through a global pandemic, horrific acts of brutality and racism in the US, a surge in authoritarianism around the world, attacks on women’s healthcare, and multiple domestic events and international wars. And that’s the shortlist. 
 
The Sangha is resilient.
 
The weekly Wednesday night sits are focused on exploring suffering and the end of suffering. Rarely do we discuss geopolitics, international conflicts, or politically charged events. We are informed by credible news sources and the voices in the room. The decision to focus primarily on the individual and the Sangha is not due to an unwillingness to address issues in our contested world. It is based on Dharma Punx SF’s mission statement which begins with the phrase, “Bring in the parts that don’t feel allowed out there…” This is an acknowledgement that we can create personal change now. 
 
There are Buddhist groups that promote activism. That is a personal choice. Several Sangha members are involved in social justice activism, making music, creating art, supporting businesses, and healing others.
 
The dedication of merit includes well wishes for all beings everywhere. This is not a passive wish or prayer. It is derived from the very action of gathering and meditating. We all interact with people and ideas daily and can choose how to respond.  When appropriate, compassion, empathy, and lovingkindness can lead. 
 
Forgiveness may be more challenging when conflicts or acts of hate are common or ongoing. We don’t abandon the practice in the midst of personal or global crises. The sangha is a living and changing entity, one of the three jewels. Gathering together in the wholesome pursuit of learning more about oneself and others is cherished practice.
 
“We don't set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people's hearts.” – Pema Chödrön.
 
We welcome everyone and understand that our personal work enables freedom from suffering. That includes minimizing greed, hatred, and delusion. We are confident that the transformation that comes from our practice has a positive impact on others. One person can make a difference in their community.
 
“Fear of something is at the root of hate for others and hate within will eventually destroy the hater. Keep your thoughts free from hate, and you need have no fear from those who hate you.” – George Washington Carver

“The weight of the world is love. Under the burden of solitude, under the burden of dissatisfaction.” – Allen Ginsberg.
 

I was invited to share my story of recovery from addiction recently at the 
Refuge Recovery Saturday Night Speaker meeting online.  
Finding freedom from addiction in 2014, there's a lot to be grateful for. Always encouraging full disclosure about our real lives here, I offer this written version of what I shared.
​If you or someone you know or love is in trouble with substance abuse, please reach out and connect with me or one of us in a program of recovery. All are welcome to attend any Refuge Recovery or 12-step meeting without obligation and free of charge. 

In this true story, one might see how we never know how or where a random act of kindness may land. An unintentional intervention into a traumatic childhood experience, a real-world example of equanimity and a glimpse into our conditioned perceptions. 
​ 

My friend, Lynn, a seventy-something accomplished ballerina of Ukrainian descent, lives alone with the company of her elderly foster dogs, one at a time until they pass on. She recently survived a stroke and among all the challenges that comes along with it, the difficult task of remaining adamant about her strict DNR and palliative-only care order. Lynn’s decades-long career as a social worker for child protective services in Oakland and as a volunteer educator to incest sex offenders in San Quinten maximum security prison should paint a picture of her resolute character.

Now include in your image a woman who you cannot imagine angry, and who looks you in the eyes with laser focus. She sees someone in there right through your mask and knows you can love and be loved. Lynn is the definition of a couple phrases I’ve come to appreciate; ‘you can be tough without being mean’ and ‘do no harm but take no shit’. The story you’re about to hear is a product of our regular coffee parties, where Lynn, my wife Emily and I sit together and tell tales from the road and inevitably bear our souls. Lynn is also a volunteer at the Humane Society, one of our country’s kindest institutions. She is one of a few qualified trainers in their youth education program. They host groups of kids, many from inner-city, marginalized, and underprivileged communities to spend a day learning how to safely be around pets, dogs mostly, and practice a few simple commands they learn. It’s a mutually beneficial setting. The homeless dogs get some people-time, and these kids get some unconditional love. There’s no language barrier there between them and the dogs (sign language), no racial or sexual construct, nor inter-relational hierarchy, no conditioned judgement from the dogs and the kids may even build some camaraderie as a team working together.

Now, as you might imagine, it’s not for everyone. And try as they might, the staff won’t get the buy-in from some. And that’s totally ok. Those kids are asked if they’d like to try some other jobs or watch over other parts of the facility, whatever. And some will just remain quietly against the wall on their own. Take Billy for example. Billy is about six, he’s very quiet. Compliant, although uninterested, melancholy, politely declining all offers to join in. He’s been there all day and perhaps missed his opportunity at lunch so by the afternoon, he really had to go... potty. He tugged on one of the few male staff member’s coats and inquired. The little boy’s room was now quite aways off. You see, the facility is sort of made up of these adjoining trailer units that had developed as needed over the years and sprawled out a bit in a somewhat unorthodox pattern.

So, after the staff member (we’ll call him Jim) checked in with a colleague to inform of their journey together, they headed off. Along the way, Jim explained to Billy that the restroom was also host to a duck. “Billy, do like ducks?” “uh-huh”, “well, when you go in there, you’re going to be in there with a duck, ok? He’s in the bathtub”. “…Oh.” “Also, I’d like to you to do a favor for me if that’s alright.” “ummmm…” “If you could just swirl the water in the tub for him for a minute before you leave, please. He really likes that.” “Uh…ok”. Jim held the door and Billy looked behind himself as he headed in. He’d been in there a while before Jim cracked the door to check in. And sure enough, Billy was gently moving the water for his new duck friend. They caught eyes and Billy asked if he could keep doing it. Jim gave him a little while longer but said they’d have to get back to the group. Upon their return, Jim asked if they could go back for the rest of the day and just be with the duck in the tub. After a little deliberation that’s just what happened. When they all got on the bus, Billy asked if he could come back and help with the duck again sometime. After they left, the staff got to talking.

Jim told his story about Billy and how he liked helping with the duck in the tub. Billy wasn’t aware that he was participating in the physical therapy rehabilitation tank that was set up for the duck, who had a broken flipper. The safe environment of the tub, and a little movement in the water gets him to flapping, with one good leg mostly, until the other is healed. Billy also wasn’t aware of the breakthrough trauma therapy he, himself was experiencing. A senior staff member knew Billy’s story. And upon hearing this said to Jim; “oh you didn’t see Billy’s legs”. “Billy has 4th degree burns to the entirety of his lower region and legs. His mother held him and his brother in a tub of scalding hot water to punish them when they were just two or three. His brother didn’t survive”.

Seeing that duck, alone in the tub, with his one good flipper, waiting to heal while trying to be a duck, had such a profoundly deep impact on me just hearing it, but as a kid living through such horror, I’ll never know. I think he must not even be able to put the two together like I am. Maybe to him it’s no big deal, he doesn’t see the metaphor, it’s just funny to see a duck in a tub. But as an adult, with a host of my own traumatic events logged in and a fair amount of time learning about modalities of “trauma informed care”, a most profound, unexpected and divinely accidental thing occurred here.

Of all the thoughts and emotions whisking around in my mind having heard this tale, were all the ways we mean well and miss the mark in compassionate care and open understanding because of our own fears of making matters worse with the “wrong interaction”. As Lynn told this story, and tears welled up, she could see right through me.

​She could see all the scenes of how becoming a man in recovery meant going in that room and swirling the water for the broken duck in the tub. And how I, how we, have all been the Duck. How some come to be Billy and how we never really know who Jim is going to be.

Somewhere along the line I met Jack Huynh, a friend and family member of our Dharma Community here in the Bay Area. Jack is a brilliant photographer, videographer and has the patience and determination it takes to put together a multi-media overview of modern Buddhism in the U.S. and the many forms it inhabits. Jack first interviewed me at my home in 2017, still in teacher training and about to be married. Then again in 2019 at the home of SomaDharma at 5051 Mission Street. After a division in our meditation community, yet before the division of the pandemic.
Please check out this work at beyondthecushion.com

Wow, it's been a LONG time since I've posted anything to this page. Which makes sense right? I mean nothing really significant happened in the last year and a half, did it? ...What? What did I miss?
OK. Look, as most of us have been, I bet, I've been somewhere between being overwhelmed with thoughts and inspiration and just being so damned exhausted from it all that just keeping my composer was a full-time effort.

So. In light of some things going on lately, I dug up this Dharma talk note I wrote a few years back. I'll write out a story or metaphorical stream of ideas from time to time. Then leave out writing down my own direct, relevant experiences or perspectives on practical Buddhism for spontaneous talking points. Thus the footnote at the end. It's in regard to an experience I had rebuilding a burned down home. The owner's of the terrifying fire had a new house to live in, but the neighbor's still had some lingering, phantom scents of smoke that continually reminded them of the unintentional harm caused by the event. One might be able to ascertain a metaphor for karmic consequence from even that snippet of the story.
Anyway. Here's my thoughts on a Campfire as our Sangha. ​Enjoy!
​
These sits where we come together in the interest and the service of awakening can be really sacred and beautiful. It’s more available, the beauty, if we're willing and able to allow ANY experience that comes out of this to be in that service.

We all came from so many directions today and from the infinite possibilities of experiences we had into being right here together for a little while. And from that, we may have come in with some expectations of what “will I get out of this”, what you expect to hear, who you expect to see, how will you be received and maybe how well you will receive what’s offered.
 
And while I am happy to share some of my perspectives and understandings of Dharma with you, I feel like my role, my obligation to you as a group facilitator tonight Is to value your time and attention by providing some area of focus and that it may be of some service to you, your direction, your perspective and insight. Shoring up or challenging them, or maybe testing your level of tolerance.
         What you take away is yours to keep and do with as you will (you and your Buddha nature), but the creation of it will be collective. Simply out of the nature and energy of the Sangha itself.

When I was growing up on the coast the big event was having a beach party at night with the big fire sometimes or at somebody’s Ranch inland. Now whoever hosted that party was usually responsible for the fire and being in construction, I had no shortage of access to fuel for the fire with scraps from the job, so many times I was elected to that position and that was cool. It felt good to have that responsibility and regard because the fire was the main focal point out there at night in the dark and cold.
         Everybody huddles around the fire. So it was cool to be the guy with the pickup truck full of wood. I’m always early to everything so I’d get there and unload it all, maybe have some hands pack it in close by and I wasn’t always the one that got to set it up to ignite later... everybody’s an expert when it comes to this.
 
So people start showing up around sunset and just before it gets dark somebody would get this thing going and you know how it is at first: big hot fire with the paper and kindling burning off. Of course we usually threw gasoline on there to make a show out of it. Some people like that kind of thing ...some don’t.
         You know it’s when (and how) the fire and gets established that it becomes communal... and through the course of the night has a lot to offer.
 
To the senses and the spirit: all sense doors engaged in the exciting sight of the fire, the crackling sound, the taste and smell of burning wood and smoke, the heat in your hands and face... and for me, just the miracle of fire itself tends to deepen my thoughts and makes me feel connected to a power greater than myself
 
To our tribe: we can see how we’re all centrally drawn to its warmth and energy and yet how it affects us all differently throughout the night as the fire changes with the direction of the wind or the fuel it’s burning. You know, there’s always someone who gets smoke in the face the whole time no matter where they moved, someone else usually gets so close they get burned or char some article of clothing, someone else always upwind and not really feeling it.
 
And then there’s all the contributors; some knuckle-head’s going to throw something on there that doesn’t belong and someone else will dowse it with a beer. There’s the experts, the chronic pokers, the hunter gatherers, the chefs, the daredevils, the elders and the children.
 
None of us are the fire itself.
But we can create it, maintain and nurture it... bring to and take away from it... and leave it to smolder out... taking away nothing but our experience.
The same goes for these sits, energetically everyone brings something into this room that becomes the fire. And everyone walks away without any part of it but their own direct experience from being around the fire like everyone else.
 
The Buddha spoke often about knowing our experience as externally, internally and both externally and internally. Extensively throughout the Satipatthana Sutta, our User’s Manual to mindfulness meditation in the Theravada tradition.
 
If we contemplate the element of fire literally and purely externally, we know what a delicate balance it is. An asset and liability as an element vital to our survival, yet when it is unconfined, can be devastating, merciless and deadly.
 
Living in California, we get an up close and intimate relationship to this nearly every year.  Folks in large numbers are still putting back the pieces of their losses as we enter into the next season. In my career as a homebuilder and working on many insurance losses over the years, including the San Bruno fire, I have some rather direct experience with this as well.
 
Figuratively speaking, if we can parallel ‘fire’ with ‘human passion’ whether in lust or in anger we can see a similar volatility.
**

This is not our fault, at least not the first part - it’s the conditions of our reality and the fundamental basis of the first and second noble truths. A) that there are causes and conditions that are not agreeable and b) because we cling to the idea that we can control the world we live  in by pushing away pain or clinging on to pleasure, the manifestations of these actions gets to become detrimental to our peace and well being.
 
Absorbing the wisdom of the 3rd and 4th truths; that we are capable of liberating ourselves from this process in this lifetime (3rd) and following the path to this realization or at least getting further from ignorance – through applying the virtues of wisdom, ethics and concentration, using the map of the territory we know as the eightfold path...this is our responsibility once we can see it.
 
**EICHLER STORY? (leads to compassion, equanimity, sangha)

Breath and body mindfulness meditations can take on many forms. Practicing clear comprehension of the posture, movements, breathing... calming, becoming steady. This happens through training our minds to narrowly focus attention as we choose, then learning how to negotiate what we intend with the mind through the actions of the body. That takes persistence and careful attention, making small corrections along the way, studying the results of those actions and trying not to get caught up in disappointment or attachment to outcome.
Just continue recollecting, aiming and observing. 
I've been shooting at targets a long time (never any living) and I don't keep score. The target is only one tiny piece of this activity. It shows only the millisecond in time that the arrow was released and the cause of the conditions that led up to it being in that spot. Archery as a meditation is my benefit.
Although it is much easier to collect your arrows of they're all in one place ;)
And always, always know what lies beyond your target!

Unlike life, where we're shooting arrows all over the place everyday. Never really knowing where they land, or who might get hit. Ever get hit by a stray arrow? Sure you have. And I bet you want someone to blame for it too! But that's not part of the deal. By taking birth, we signed up for the "getting-hit-by-stray-arrows' course.
The Buddha taught a parable about this. One of his students was going on and on, asking a million questions of him about all the unanswered mysteries of life and death. "Where do we come from? Where do we go? Are we something or or are we nothing?" He was really upset that the Buddha wouldn't directly address these things, since he seemingly had all the answers!
So the Buddha explains to him about life. He says, let's say you got hit with a poison arrow and before removing it, you demanded to know what the arrow was made of, what type of feathers it was fletched with, or whether it was it shot from a long-bow, a recurve or a compound? What was the political or religious principles of the shooter?
While concerning yourself with all these questions, you would surely die of your injury. He said, all we needed to know was what suffering is (getting shot by a poison arrow) and how to end it (promptly removing the arrow).
​This would be the way to liberation and thus, the questions rendered fruitless. 
The journey IS the destination, so enjoy the ride.

The story of Bamboo Pole Acrobats.
Emily and I wanted to share this message with you about how we can all care for the world right now by taking care of ourselves. By being diligently cautious and wise with our bodies and by trying to stay mentally/spiritually balanced.
It might feel like we’re “doing nothing” to help this situation by staying isolated, but as it turns out, it’s an incredibly generous and compassion action to take for the well being of many. Of course I’m referring to physical isolation here as advised by scientific and medical professionals. The flip side of this is that we’ve seen a massive outpouring of connection and service provided by means made possible through technology. That’s wonderful and essential. Please stay engaged in community anyway possible and reach through any discomfort to connect widely and be available for others to reach out to.
Emily and I are here too.
Thanks for watching, doing your part, deepening your practice and inner wisdom and looking after one another through looking after yourselves.
Please join us Wednesday nights at 7:30 to connect with your people. ✌🏼❤️🙏🏼

Well… It's been a full week into 2020 and it's been quite a year so far in world news events!
Certainly valid evidence that there is no shortage of greed, hatred and delusion and plenty of suffering to be had by many through the actions of the few. Our sincerest wishes are for ease and peace for all in these strange and difficult times and for wisdom and compassion to prevail. Though our own practices, to cultivate inner peace and through insightful, mindful outward expressions into the world we live in. 
Last week, Wednesday 1/1/20, we celebrated our Sangha and ourselves in surviving all that each of us had 100% successfully survived so far in our lives.
Taking a look back through the last four seasons we contemplated what was worthy of carrying forth and what was best let go of, as it no longer served us.
After I gave a talk, we took a bit of an imaginative journey in the form of a visual sort of guided meditation (a version of The Backpack Journey – available on the “Sounds” page here) and in reflection, set our intentions for the year ahead.
We also had the beautiful gift of individually hand-painted stationary by Emily to write down our visions and intentions to ourselves on. We then sealed the envelopes, addressed them to ourselves and piled them into the middle of the room. These letters will be mailed out in one year.
I suppose after you do something a couple years in a row, it becomes a tradition, or ritual. So this is a repeat of last year’s The Day after Xmas Party’s events to some extent and beyond in other’s. I heard some people were very pleasantly surprised to receive last year’s letters they’d forgotten all about.
This year, the ‘food thing’ got bigger and better too! We had our Sangha’s finest bringing: vegan black eyes peas and sausage with collared greens, amazing minestrone soup, vegan corn bread, coleslaw and more. We hung out enjoying each other’s company, eating and listening to tunes for another half hour after we closed the sitting group. It was a lot of fun and truly one of the most comfortable holiday “family” experiences I can remember.
Please check out the “What’s Happening” page to learn about upcoming plans and ideas for this Month and the rest of the year!
I’m figuring out how to get a  a decent recording of some things I’d like to add on the here and don’t feel like it’s there yet. So, I thought I’d just share my transcript of the talk I gave on New Years night (below). This piece was followed by a short description of how several other traditions go on pilgrimages, or spiritual journeys in search for guidance before we did our own version in meditation. 
 
Enjoy. And Happy New Year!