Avalokiteshvara Shakyamuni

An Open Letter to Wisdom’s Heart

Dear Wisdom’s Heart,

Long ago, a zen student discover his teacher sobbing inconsolably. “But Master,” the student asked in dismay, “why are you crying?” The Master said, “I’ve just learned my mother has died.”  “But Master,” the student pleaded, trying to console him, “don’t you say to view life as a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, a flash of lightening in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream?” “Yes,” the Master said tearfully, “and now… the dream is extremely sad.”

We have been mourning together for some time, each in our own way, because, for some time, we’ve known that Wisdom’s Heart will close its doors.  That day is nearly upon us. Yet, for many of us, our sense of loss is tempered and mixed with a growing sense of renewal.  Happily in fact, many of us feel an emerging hope for the future of the Dharma in our lives and on Cape Ann.

Green Shoots from the Wisdom’s Heart Root

After all, we’ve seen some of the teachers nurtured over the years by the Wisdom’s Heart Sangha already branching out on their own.  They are offering teachings, or leading new practice communities. Additionally, perhaps soon other Wisdom’s Heart Sangha members will discover they too are ready to lead.  They too are ready to apply the Dharma to new fields of endeavor in their lives.

Moreover, the newly emerging Cape Ann Dharma Collective is an encouraging  sprout of Dharma life.  In reality, it’s sending out fresh, green shoots from the Wisdom’s Heart root. Seeing this, it’s with mixed feelings of sadness, gratitude, and optimistic expectation that I extend this open letter of thanks and appreciation to the Wisdom’s Heart Sangha.

Thank you Wisdom’s Heart Sangha!

It’s easy to see, your kindness and generosity to the Sweeping Heart Zen community has been beyond measure.  I personally feel a great debt of gratitude to you. For it is due to your generosity that Sweeping Heart Zen now offers six or more Dharma practice opportunities in Gloucester each week.

Our growing Sangha was able to move to the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church on August 1, 2017.  That’s because over the past year and a half, you generously made your space available to us at very low cost.  It was there that our Sangha gathered and took root.  Furthermore, we were able to start out in your space because you freed us from the full expense of downtown rent. Seeing this I know your gift will always warm my heart with gladness. Moreover, I can never forget it.

And because of your support, in addition to working with others to build our Sangha, I was able to offer meditation training to inmates at the Essex County jail in Middleton, to offer leadership training to our meditation volunteers.  At the same time, I was also able to offer meditation workshops and classes around the North Shore.

With these Wisdom’s Heart blessings  in mind, Sweeping Heart Zen will celebrate Wisdom’s Heart in our services and we will never forget that if not for the countless hours you put into building your Sangha, spreading the Dharma, and honoring the Buddha over many years, Sweeping Heart Zen may still be only a vision, rather than a reality.

A Refuge of Calm Sanity

We all know that we live in troubled and uncertain times.  Thank you for creating an inviting refuge of calm sanity at 2 Duncan Street in the heart of Gloucester.    Everyone can see the many hours of work you to serving others have been too little named or appreciated in these dark and confusing days.

And perhaps your hard work has been too little cherished and appreciated even by yourselves.  But please, reflect on the goodness of your deeds and in the recollection of the joy and uplift you’ve made possible for others.  I know I plan to bask in memories of the goodness and the bounty you’ve shared with me. What a treasure!

Community Builders and Leaders

Furthermore, I hope you will continue to be community builders and leaders. It also should be noted that because of your support for Wisdom’s Heart Sangha, for the Buddha’s teachings, and through your community minded efforts to support programs like the Open Door, each of you, in your own way, has helped many people experience love and support and the truth that there are many paths to Awakening.

Overall, I have to say that coming into the orbit of Wisdom’s Heart and the many people who made Wisdom’s Heart possible has been one of the most beneficial experiences of my life.

So, it’s with a deep sense of gratitude that I thank you for inviting me to officiate at the closing Chanting Service At Wisdom’s Heart.  The service will take place right after Lama Tsering Ngodup’s final talk which will fittingly be on impermanence.  Lama’s talk is Thursday, August 3, 2017.  At the conclusion of Lama’s talk, we will ceremonially dedicate the merit of Wisdom’s Heart’s activity through the years. This is a great honor for me and a key moment in our life of Wisdom’s Heart.  I hope you will attend.

This is a link to details about Lama Tsering’s talk:

wisdomsheart.org/newevents/2017/7/6/impermanence-with-lama-tsering-ngodup

Here’s a link with details about the closing ceremony:

wisdomsheart.org/newevents/2017/8/3/closing-ceremony

Loving Kindness and Boundless Generosity

Finally, because Sweeping Heart Zen’s practice is ecumenical, I believe the way forward is in partnership with the Dharma practitioners of today’s Wisdom’s Heart Sangha. In that light, I plan to stay in touch with and to participate in the Cape Ann Dharma Collective. I hope each of you will visit Sweeping Heart Zen in person, or at our website.  Lastly, I hope each of you will continue to offer your leadership, experience, knowledge, love, and wisdom as our various Dharma communities and projects evolve and grow on Cape Ann together.

Here’s a link to the Cape Ann Dharma Collective on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/1810480455945944/

Here is a link to the Sweeping Heart Zen events calendar: sweepingheartzen.org/events/

Acknowledging my debt for the loving kindness you’ve extended to Sweeping Heart Zen and for your boundless generosity, and with deep appreciation and love for the Wisdom’s Heart Sangha,

Mark