PATIENCE, KINDNESS, AND LOVE

Join me and the Treasure Root Sangha (Community) at the Pink House this Tuesday, September 16, 2008 from 7-9 p.m. for sitting, walking and deep-listening meditation.

I have a special request this week: Leave your burdens at the door! Now is the time to renew our commitment on the path of love, harmony and liberation. This is a time we are expected to be ourselves, and to look into our heart to see what is there. We have this special time to cultivate, and to ingest the energy of the sangha body. The sangha body is like food, our togetherness in mindfulness is like a full-course meal, because it feeds us and nourishes us, and offers us the sustenance we need to survive this world--our pitfalls, our hardships and our challenges.

Next month I plan to give a talk on Love Consciousness, Friday, Oct 10 from 7-9 p.m. at the Pink House. I have nearly finished the second part to my book on Peaceful Recovery from Sexual Child Abuse. And the main practice is awareness and love. I plan to release the first draft of my story and the path to recovery at the end of November. In which I would like to hold a weekend Retreat. We are thinking of Thanksgiving Weekend, non-residential at the Pink House. If it works out, I look forward to seeing you there.

Treasure Root Sangha has seen many transfigurations over the past several years, many name changes, and many new people, and older supporting core members that have left. The sangha here in Las Vegas continues to grow; I am confident that if I may ever move-on from the Valley that the work of waking up will continue to flourish in the hearts of all the thousands of people practicing mindful awakening here. I look forward to embracing the path with kindness, patience and humility.

Much Gratitude and Love for you,
Brian

LOVE IS THE ULTIMATE

fri., SEPTEMBER 5 / 7-9 p.m. - Taking Refuge in the Sangha of Your Heart -

“Remember who you are, remember where you come from. Every in-breath is a time for waking up. Every out-breath is a time for letting go. Don’t hold back, ‘cause this is it. Return your mind to your body, return your heart to love.” -Brian Kimmel
excerpt from “Return to Love” available at CDBaby.

DEAR FRIENDS,

The greatest threat to America, to humanity may have already been realized. This morning I awoke with an awareness of intense anger and fear. We have been at war, not for just seven or eight years, we have been at war for many millennia, and may be at war for many more millennia to come if we are not aware, awake and clear in our vision of reality…Throughout human history those who have been called to, have walked on the path of kindness, humility, Great Compassion, love, joy and equanimity—not as soldiers, but as peacemakers, as friends to life and all living beings. I encourage every one of you to dismantle the bombs that are in your heart, and that are detonated within your daily life and in your relationships.

Love is the Ultimate. Never let your heart, your body, your mind, your world be filled with anger, hatred, anxiety, or despair—you may already be consumed. You may already have the virus of society embedded in you: Over-consumption, greed, lust for things more than what you need, and a disregard to the lives—human and other—that have been neglected or destroyed in order to provide you your “needs.” We may not have thought for a moment that what we have consumed or are consuming may have injured us, or may have caused harm to us, as an individual, and as a collective society.

Everyday we consume the fear that is in our heart. We fear being separated from our loved ones, we fear war, we fear not being liked, not being loved, and being under-appreciated; we fear bankruptcy, we fear not having enough food to eat and not enough clean water to drink and bathe in, we fear our desires, we fear the planet heating up, and we fear our own destruction. Maybe we can let some of our fear drop away, and begin to let ourselves be consumed with the energy of love. But what does love feel like? What does love contain?

In love, there is no-fear, and non-discrimination. Fear has already been realized, but fear, revenge, nuclear bombs, even a trillion dollars is not the Ultimate—Love is the Ultimate! The next president may not be able to save you unless you can save yourself. We watch movies about heroes, and have memories of wars in which America and the Allies saved a lot of people; we may expect our savior to come again to spare us from the world of hells.

My family may not have made it without the Allies, whom saved my grandmother and her immediate family from starvation, after having been imprisoned, then abandoned by the Japanese Forces in Indonesia during WWII. It was not only the Allies that saved her and my family, it was her love, her compassion for the Japanese Soldiers, whom also had a family to feed and protect that ultimately lead her to safety. She had to look into her heart to forgive, and to release herself from the bombs of anger within her. Her anger was killing her, even several years after the war, she struggled to survive. She had to stop putting her anger on those who imprisoned her, and to release her anger to God.

Millions of lives were destroyed, and taken hostage by the Allies during WWII as well. The big bombs America dropped weren’t just detonated on Japanese soil, on “enemy” territory they were detonated in the hearts of Americans, and on America’s soil too. In our deserts—millions of living beings were instantly destroyed, plants and minerals, and people subject to the poisoning of radiation during the tests of nuclear weapons prior to and post the dropping of the bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. And we are still being poisoned, not just by nuclear fallout of test explosions in our deserts, but by our thoughts, by the conviction that there is something that can be called an enemy, and the thought that we should not be friends with those who cause us harm. Even for some on the peace movement those who cause us harm may include our government. Everyone is worthy of our love and no one should be remiss of our compassion.

You may want to hurt the person who hurt you. You may want to destroy the person or thing you think is the cause of your sorrow, your pain, your anger, and your despair. But looking deeply, your sorrow, your pain, your anger, your despair may be the one causing more harm to you—not the other person or thing.

I asked this morning to be released—for the fear, despair, greed, hatred, jealousy, and the obsession with finding someone or something to blame to be removed from my heart. I asked, “May I continue, with all beings, wholeheartedly, on the path of kindness, humility, generosity, sharing, compassionate listening, and deep looking. May I and all beings never return to the world of darkness, the world of hells, of forgetfulness again; may I be a servant to love, a messenger of light and awareness, life, resilience, and beauty.”

A Buddha, a Bodhisattva isn’t just a ball of light in the sky or phenomena on a heavenly altar somewhere above us, way beyond our reach. A Buddha, a Bodhisattva can be you. You can live in awareness, too. You can live awake and clear. You can open your reality to love, beauty, and never return to the reality you otherwise have known. Your true home is already inside of you. Flip the switch, turn on the light, and the Buddha in your heart can be liberated, born in this dimension within your daily life, and everything you touch, see, feel, taste, hear—everything you come in contact with through your body and mind will be a Buddha-Field.

Today’s Practice: Offering Incense

I offer this incense to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time; may it be fragrant as the earth herself, reflecting our careful efforts, our wholehearted awareness and the fruit of understanding slowly ripening. May we and all beings be companions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; may we awaken from forgetfulness and realize our true home

SPECIAL FRIDAY NIGHT EVENT:

TAKING REFUGE IN THE

SANGHA OF YOUR HEART
First Friday in September

Dharma with Brian and the Treasure Root Sangha

At the Pink House
Fri., SEPTEMBER 5, 2008
7-9 p.m.

For those of you, who are searching for something to do on The First Friday Night of September, search no more! If you already have plans, but not till later in the evening come to the Pink House for an appetizing few hours of Dharmic Activity. The evening will certainly include silent sitting, walking meditation, maybe a Dharma Talk, and a circle for Deep Listening. Bring your open heart, and your open mind--if you need help opening your heart and mind come and the Sangha (community of practitioners) will support you.

"Everything we cherish and hold dear today, we will have to let go of and be separated from in the future...I urge you to practice being an island unto yourself...Practice taking refuge in the Dharma...Meditate on the body in the body, nourishing Right Understanding and mindfulness to master and transform your cravings and anxieties. Observe the elements outside the body in the elements outside the body...That is the way to take refuge in the island of self, to return to yourself in order to take refuge in the Dharma, and not to take refuge in any other island or thing."
-Shakyamuni Buddha
Samyukta Agama 639 Taisho Revised Tripitaka 99
excerpted from the Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book pg 273 (Parallax 2000)

(702) 461-8422 / brian@briankimmel.com
www.voicefromthesource.com

DHARMA ON A SUN(NY)DAY

Event: Caring for the Cosmos, Digging Up Your Weeds!
Sun., August 3 / 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Please join me this Sunday for sitting and walking meditation at the Pink House. The theme is "Caring for the Cosmos, Digging Up Your Weeds!" We have time for answers and questions about your practice. Beware: the answers might come from within. These meetings are free. There will be a box for dana (generosity) if you please.

COMMUNITY BUILDING, BODYWORK, MAITRI PRAYER

Dear Friends, I encourage any of you, if you feel moved, to hold a regular meeting at your house, or to organize a practice group of your own at your church, temple, synagogue, reading hall, and or community center. I am happy to support you in any way I can.

Community building is a wonderful way to deepen your practice. The four years I spent in support of Tuesday Night Mindfulness Group were deeply transformative. There were times I just didn't think I could open the door, and every time, I was so amazed how rich the experience was. The deep listening practice opened new doors in my heart, and in my experience with the practice and with life. All of you were a part of this. To see comments of those who attended Tuesday Nights please see my web-site: www.voicefromthesource.com/tuesdaynights.html, more comments will be added soon.

I plan to facilitate meetings off and on around the Valley and beyond. It is my intention to start a full-service healing center with meditation, bodywork, music, peace dancing, dharma talks (by myself and guest teachers) and housing for dedicated spiritual practitioners. Where and when is in the making.

AUGUST MASSAGE SPECIAL
$55 for sangha members on all treatments. I am a nationally and Nevada State certified massage therapist. I have been in the healing arts for more than ten years, specializing in Thai Massage and Swedish-Deep Tissue. Regular body work is very important for maintaining optimal health and wellness especially for those on the path.

We often have the view in the west of going to the doctor, or seeking professional help only when we "need" it, or in times of emergency. By then, it's often too late; the injury and the illness have already taken shape, and the financial responsibility is far more costly. Regular bodywork can effectively prevent many illnesses, and keep your mind and body in shape for your practice on the path of liberation.

Optimal function of the systems of your body can greatly enhance your sense of well-being, improving mental concentration (your skill in meditation) and improving interpersonal relationships. For more information about massage and bodywork, and also, of starting a practice group of your own, please contact me via e-mail brian@briankimmel.com or give me a call at (702) 461-8422.

THIS WEEK'S MAITRI PRAYER
May all living beings, everywhere, approach their life and relationships with loving-kindness, openness and non-discrimination. May the heart of the cosmos open like a flower in your heart, blooming so that all may benefit from its fragrance and wonder. May all beings everywhere be healthy, safe, happy, peaceful and free.

TLC, Brian

TRAVELING DHARMA?

THIS TUESDAY IS STAY-AT-HOME DHARMA.
No scheduled meeting at the Pink House. Practice when you can. If you need assistance give me a call or send an e-mail. brian@briankimmel.com / (702) 461-8422

Dear Friends,

The suggestion has been made of a traveling Dharma Meeting. There are those in all corners of Las Vegas who would like to receive these precious teachings. If you would like to host a Dharma meeting and teaching at your house during the week or weekend, please let me know.

We have over 100 people on our e-mail list, and have received up to 20 people at a time. Many of our constituents have moved on from the Valley, but are still on the list. Some of us are visitors from other states. And some of us have not been able to attend Tuesdays due to scheduling conflicts. This may be an opportunity you've been waiting for. Not only will hosting a Dharma event at your house help you, by making it easy and affordable for you to attend (no gas is required to stay at home) but you will be making a direct impact on another's life by making the practice accessible to them, in their neighborhood, or on a day that fits better with their schedule.

I'm happy to transcend Tuesday Nights! Every day is a day of mindfulness. Make mindfulness a part of your daily life.

PRACTICE OF THE WEEK:

This week we will focus on the impermanence of all dharmas. A dharma is anything of form, anything that has the potential of being viewed as a self, a separate self. Everything that has come to be out of conditions. This e-mail would not be possible without Bill Gates, the founder of Google, and even Thomas Edison. Their discoveries, as well as themselves, are products of conditions.

If you can, bring to mind an object. Any object. If you look deeply into the form of that object, you see that it is composed of many things. It is composed of minerals, the sunlight, the air. You see that it is subject to decay, it will one day disintegrate, compost. That is impermanence.

This is a practice from the anapanasati sutra (Sutra On the Full Awareness of Breathing), "Breathing in, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas. Breathing out, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas."

For a detailed description of anapanasati see Thay's (Thich Nhat Hanh) book, "Breathe! You are alive." I have also written a commentary on the exercises of the Sutra that I hope to publish online soon. For questions, please feel free to call or e-mail.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Overpopulation is not population density (amount of people per landmass), but rather the number of people in an area relative to its resources and the capacity of the environment to sustain human activities...Just as much as the population size, we need to consider the resources consumed by each person, and the damage done by technologies used to supply them." -James Hopkins http://www.cosmosmith.com/human_population_crisis.htm

YOUR MAITRI PRAYER:

May you be healthy, safe, happy, peaceful and free. May you see the conditions currently manifest in your life with clarity, mindfulness and vision. May you transcend hatred, division and aggression, cool your anger, and bring about a wholesome quality of mind and beingness. May you fully transcend the endless cycle of birth and death, and help those on the path be fully liberated also. May all beings everywhereinherit the merits of this practice. May all beings everywhere be healthy, safe, happy, peaceful and free.

--Brian Kimmel(702) 461-8422www.voicefromthesource.com

WE INTER-ARE

Breathing in, I observe the disappearance of desire.
Breathing out, I observe the disappearance of desire.

Everything comes and goes. And yet, there is no coming, no going. We live both in the phenomenal and the absolute. That which never dies is present in the wave, and in the ocean. The ocean is part of the wave. The wave is not separate from the ocean.

When we get caught in the forms of things, we are identified by the phenomenal world. When we get caught in the ocean, we are identified by the absolute, and cannot see the magnificence of all creation. We have to stop our thinking in terms of pairs of opposities, in terms of higher or lower, leftists and rightists, beggars and elitists. The old adage says, "To each his own."

And the Buddha is known to have said, "Be a light unto yourself." We can only see with our own eyes, hear with our own ears, taste with our own tongue...Our experience of life is completely unique. There is a quality of sharing in the way we experience life, however. At the same time we know that not everyone thinks the same way we do (no one really does), so in our relating we have to consider another's point of view in order to get along, in order to live peacefully with that person.

If we are caught in our identity of self, of phenomena, we will not see the beauty of our interconnectedness. If we are caught in our identity as the cosmos, as the absolute, we then will not develop our basic understanding of how to relate to the whole. Our experience needs to be our own in order for it to be real, for us to have the depth and clarity, and wisdom to love.

When we get in touch with our impermanence, the way things won't ever stay the same, can't ever stay the same, we get in touch with our true nature. If we know that what we have been basing our life upon will not last, we open our heart to something greater than what we can ever be alone. Even though we can't ever be ourselves alone.

One poem I've liked from Thay inspired by Thay's teacher, and from the Diamond Sutra:

Defiled or Immaculate, increasing or decreasing, these concepts exist only in our minds. The reality of interbeing is unsurpassed.

I have recited this verse quite often while sitting on the toilet. It has also been useful in other times of meditation as well. There is something so great and powerful in the understanding that comes through meditation, or looking deeply into oneself.

Understanding really isn't reached through thought, through grasping. Understanding comes through letting go. Understanding is the opening of the heart, the blooming of the lotus, the revealing of the Buddha Field within you. When that opening occurs, there is no more anger, no more sadness, no more regret. There is pure love, pure awakening, pure insight into the heart of reality. This understanding is unvanquishable.

Practicing meditation is simple, and needs to be simple. Sometimes we can get caught up in all the fancy words, the fancy techniques, in all the humdrum of the Dharma-World. Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, doesn't make much difference. Everybody has their own method, and needs to find the way all on their own. Essentially, the moment of birth and death is upon you. Your actions, your thoughts, your emotions resonate with each other. What you will, is yours. But it won't be manifest by force.

Meditation is letting go of what it is that you desire, and making space within yourself, unvailing the space within yourself. We think there is something we can add to our lives by way of demanding change. Change happens, it is our basic nature. Much more than change is our fundamental Truth, our beingness, our wholeness, our oneness. There is nothing really separate from what we are. We inter-are. All life is a part of the cosmos. The cosmos is a part of all life.

HOW TO LIGHTEN UP!

Thay has offered a most wonderful training to help us with the conflicts we face in ourselves and in the world. It is a simple practice that has been handed down from the Buddha. It is the practice of mindful breathing. Whenever you are tired, you are sad from things you hear on the news or read in the paper, whenever you feel stressed in relationships, you feel angry and irritable, you are invited to return to your breathing. The simple practice is:

Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

Breathing in, I feel calm.
Breathing out, I feel at ease.

Breathing in, I smile.
Breathing out, I release all worries, tension and anxiety.

I have underestimated the power of this simple practice. You know those times when someone says something or does something and you just want them to shut up, and you feel guilty and ashamed for thinking such things? Or those times when you hear really terrible news, and your energy suddenly drops, you feel depressed and you don't know what to do? These are the times to put into practice this short meditation.

No matter where you are, what you are doing, this will help you return. We don't need another depressed person, another anxious, worried face. We need compassion. Compassion is the courage to be ourselves in any situation, and to meet ourselves, even through trials, with the conviction that love and peace and centeredness is the most important thing. If we lose our peace, our love, our calm, we lose touch with the ultimate and the impermanence of things. And the hells in which we are working to save people from will become our reality. Then we are hungry ghosts in need of recovery, in need of helping arms to rescue us from suffering. All of us can practice this peace, this love. We don't need to suffer to help relieve the suffering in others. Our own freedom from suffering is the best gift we can offer those who are in need. Practice peace, love and equanimity.

WHAT CAN WAIT?

Making an effort to stay sane this summer in Las Vegas? With the heat and the craziness out there it may be no surprise when practitioners from all over the valley, and visitors from afar flock to Tuesday Nights for a bit of peace and relaxation. It may be surprising to you when you come to Tuesday Nights that the facilitator may point you to yourself. That self that is supposedly empty of self. What makes mindfulness meditation feel so good? What makes the joy of returning to the island within so remarkable? What the busyness, the stress, the ambitions of the world cannot show you is that life needs no important things to happen in order to manifest. Life needs a few simple things: The care of the body, the care of the mind and it will continue. Everything else is to occupy, is to fill up the space. With mindfulness meditation space is peace. Space is freedom. Space is the relaxation you were looking for. So come, enjoy. Step out of the rat race. Feel like a human being again, and much, much more.