How can I help?

[Guest]

It’s been about a year since I joined Treeleaf, and mere weeks since receiving the precepts, and it’d be all too easy to go back to my zafu and sit, saying nothing much else.

Still, I’m the sort of person who likes to be of some use. I currently work and help look after our infant son, and sit in the early mornings and before bed.I study Buddhism before sleep, so I don’t have vast amounts of free time or other resources. At Treeleaf I have the sense that I should find a way to contribute to the Sangha. So, simply put: How can I help?

Gassho
Sattlah
Myojin (Dan)

[Bion]

What a lovely thought! It really resonates with me cause that’s how I felt after Jukai as well. I can say that what I found was that participating is important. Showing up, being a visible face, a kind smile, a constant companion for practice and events, is what helped me find the opportunities to help and is also what allowed the sangha to get to know me and ultimately trust me enough to allow me to be involved.


Gassho
Sat and lah

[Jundo]

It’s been about a year since I joined Treeleaf, and mere weeks since receiving the precepts, and it’d be all too easy to go back to my zafu and sit, saying nothing much else.

Still, I’m the sort of person who likes to be of some use. I currently work and help look after our infant son, and sit in the early mornings and before bed.I study Buddhism before sleep, so I don’t have vast amounts of free time or other resources. At Treeleaf I have the sense that I should find a way to contribute to the Sangha. So, simply put: How can I help?

Gassho
Sattlah
Myojin (Dan)

I hereby appoint you as head of our multi-million dollar Treeleaf Science & Research Institute! Kaitan Bernal can help too.

(Now, all we need to do is set up and fund a multi-million dollar "Treeleaf Science & Research Institute.")

Actually, Myojin, thank you for the volunteer spirit. We will think up something productive where you might be of help.

Gassho, Jundo

[Kaitan]

I hereby appoint you as head of our multi-million dollar Treeleaf Science & Research Institute! Kaitan Bernal can help too.

Gasshō

stlah, Kaitan

[Guest]

Joint response, at the risk of overshooting the three sentence rule.

Showing up, being a visible face, a kind smile, a constant companion for practice and events, is what helped me find the opportunities to help and is also what allowed the sangha to get to know me and ultimately trust me enough to allow me to be involved.

I do occasionally get an hour to myself that coincides with something. I sat for a while last Saturday, and although I do find that my available sitting times don’t coincide with much that I can participate in actively. More often than not I catch up with the YouTube recordings.

I’m sure that as time goes by, and things balance out at this end, more time and opportunities will present themselves. Service seems important somehow, even though exactly how to do so isn’t clear.

I hereby appoint you as head of our multi-million dollar Treeleaf Science & Research Institute! Kaitan Bernal can help too.
Actually, Myojin, thank you for the volunteer spirit. We will think up something productive where you might be of help.

I can’t imagine the disaster that would ensue if someone put me in charge of a project that size!

Perhaps Kaitan has found something similar; it’s not so much that we don’t have the science to understand a lot of the ecological problems such as those I am currently working on (although we can always learn more), but that we lack the political will and policy tools necessary, here in Japan it’s just the same, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.

We already have the Ecodharma forums, which I read through but haven’t really had much to contribute thus far unless people want to know about bamboo (which is what I’m currently working on).

In any case, I suppose I’m wondering how I can use my background and experience, but also without tooting my own horn, be of some use to the Sangha that has enabled me to receive the precepts, something that wouldn't have otherwise been possible.
I suppose that could range from advising on the treatment of a dead tree (even a dead tree is home to something), to broader issues that might just require a multi-million-dollar research grant to complete!

Anyway, you know where I am, and I’ll be keeping my ear to the ground.
Gassho,
Sattlah
Myojin

[Kokuu]

We already have the Ecodharma forums, which I read through but haven’t really had much to contribute thus far unless people want to know about bamboo (which is what I’m currently working on).

I want to know about bamboo!

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Kaitan]

Joint response, at the risk of overshooting the three sentence rule.



I do occasionally get an hour to myself that coincides with something. I sat for a while last Saturday, and although I do find that my available sitting times don’t coincide with much that I can participate in actively. More often than not I catch up with the YouTube recordings.

I’m sure that as time goes by, and things balance out at this end, more time and opportunities will present themselves. Service seems important somehow, even though exactly how to do so isn’t clear.

I can’t imagine the disaster that would ensue if someone put me in charge of a project that size!

Perhaps Kaitan has found something similar; it’s not so much that we don’t have the science to understand a lot of the ecological problems such as those I am currently working on (although we can always learn more), but that we lack the political will and policy tools necessary, here in Japan it’s just the same, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.

We already have the Ecodharma forums, which I read through but haven’t really had much to contribute thus far unless people want to know about bamboo (which is what I’m currently working on).

In any case, I suppose I’m wondering how I can use my background and experience, but also without tooting my own horn, be of some use to the Sangha that has enabled me to receive the precepts, something that wouldn't have otherwise been possible.
I suppose that could range from advising on the treatment of a dead tree (even a dead tree is home to something), to broader issues that might just require a multi-million-dollar research grant to complete!

Anyway, you know where I am, and I’ll be keeping my ear to the ground.
Gassho,
Sattlah
Myojin

Yeah, I agree, we don't lack the technology to get through the ecological crisis. I recall the term "disavowal" from psychoanalysis that basically means the denial of the accountability of our actions, best example is the smokers buying cigarettes while having the cancer warning labels and all proof. I've also been interested in Ecodharma to explore other points of view.

Gasshō

stlah, Kaitan