So, practice and progress. Here we are, our last sitting at Ebenezer Lutheran Church. It's time of transitions, many transmissions, transitions and transmissions all over the world. And next, as of next Sunday, we'll be sitting in our new interim Zen Doa in Lincoln Square. So there's a lot of work to do between then and now. If you can help, email info at ancientdragon.org. And also I wanted to talk about the transitions happening in our world and in our country. And I wanted to talk about this from the point of view of, at least starting from the point of view of bodhisattva values, which are sitting helps to support.

[01:01]

And I also want to talk about it in the context of this being my last time speaking at Ancient Dragon before the election. So there are these midterm elections coming up. And I know I'm probably speaking, pretty much speaking to the choir, but I kind of believe in doing that. I want to encourage everybody to get out and vote, support other people to get out and vote. But we're in a very difficult, challenging time. And we want to continue our practice of benefiting all beings. We have 16 Bodhisattva precepts. I won't go through all of them, but they're about benefiting all beings. supporting awakening, expressing awakening, and expressing kindness.

[02:09]

And many issues related to those values will be on the ballot. So I think we don't have any of our out-of-state people on Zoom tonight, but This is a Chicago sangha and a national sangha and an international sangha. And we are responsible for all beings. We appreciate our deep interconnectedness with the landscape of nature, with all beings, with the suffering in the world, and with the joy in the world. So this election, And again, I know I'm speaking to the choir, but this election is going to have a huge impact in so many areas in terms of supporting the natural landscape, making it possible to help to respond to all the climate breakdown around us, all the enhanced hurricanes and floods, widespread fires,

[03:31]

global famine and food shortage in many places, and also the mass migrations of people sent on their way because of, in part, climate effects, climate damage, as well as harsh governments in various places all around us. So again, I know this, you all know this, but I want to say it. This election will have a huge impact on women's healthcare, particularly. Whether or not doctors meeting with women to discuss health decisions will have to defer to national or local politicians. to those decisions.

[04:34]

This is a difficult time for many beings. Many beings are marginalized. Black people, indigenous people, Hispanic people, LGBTQ people, and our whole biosystem and wildlife all will be impacted by this election. And we're also in the midst of massive voter suppression. And support of hate speech and violence and encouraging violence. So the attack on Mrs. Pelosi's husband in San Francisco this weekend was a continuation of the January 6th insurrection and coup. And that's still going on. These are some of the realities we face. So just talking about it is not to solve or end the problems, but just I want to encourage everybody to vote and for you to encourage other people to vote.

[05:52]

And as we have done occasionally in between talking about traditional Dharma teachings as from Dogen or Huayan or Shakyamuni or, you know, many, many traditional teachings that are part of our practice and that we are now adapting to our lives here in Chicago, in America, in the 21st century. How do we express kindness? How do we respond to cruelty? intentional cruelty around us? How do we support awareness? How do we support helpfulness? So again, this election week from this coming Tuesday, week from tomorrow, will have a huge impact and

[07:02]

we can make a difference with our vote. And of course, whatever happens, we will need to continue to pay attention and to take care of our troubled world and our practice together. So it's an interesting time. Again, it's a time of transition and I think of happiness for our sangha. We're developing, I think we will be able to develop our capacity to practice together in some of the traditional ways beyond what we've been able to do here at Ebenezer starting next week. And yeah, so here we are. How do we not only settle into our upright sitting, recognize this deep reality that we can get a sense of as we settle, but then also our responsibility is to express that in the world.

[08:08]

And we can do that. And it's not a matter of having some strategy or tactic or way of idea of how to fix everything. It's a way of just continuing to express clarity and goodwill in our lives. So maybe that's as much as I need to say to start. We have a little bit of time. I'm interested in some discussion too, anything anybody wants to say about any of this. So please feel free, folks online and folks here for the last time. Questions, comments, responses, please.

[09:12]

Well, if nobody has anything else to say, I can just keep babbling. It's a really interesting time, too. I think one of the most important things is not to feel, with all the troubles, with all the dangers, with all the cruelty, with the war and all the dangers of that, Maybe the most important thing is not to succumb to hopelessness. That's not realistic. Things change. Things change in unexpected ways. We don't know how things will change. We give ourselves to expressing wholeness without some idea of outcomes. just to express kindness, just to express oneness and caring and deep awareness in our lives as we can is not one technique or ideology or method for doing this, just to see what's in front of us and to respond.

[11:06]

But it's very easy these days to feel like, you know, to feel hopeless, to feel overcome, to feel like there's nothing I can do. Actually, there's lots that we can each do, and then we can do together. Jerry. I was just gonna say, I was down in Indiana, Southern Indiana, a couple of weeks ago on vacation, and I saw in a little town two gigantic signs. Can everybody hear her? Yeah, okay. Two gigantic signs, one basically swearing at our current president, and the next one swearing at everybody who voted for him. And the discussion about government or politics or voting has gotten a little hostile. And so I am very reluctant to talk about it at all. Not that I don't think what I think and act in the way I act and that I don't think we should act for change, but even among my friends who I know agree with me, we tend to talk about cooking

[12:14]

shopping and anything but what we really do care about because the conversation is hostile. Yep. And that's why I want to talk about it tonight. Exactly. Because we're afraid to talk about it. And I'll call on you in a second, Ashen, but we need to not be afraid. We need not to be afraid to vote, to not be afraid to say how we feel. We don't have to demonize the people, the others, you know, people who, whatever, you know, whatever side you think you're on. If there's a side, I think actually in reality, there are many sides. Anyway, Ayshan. Well, that's exactly, I think what I was going to say in a different way. I think that there are numerous ways in which people respond to this by turning away, by throwing up their hands or by turning in a way that can sort of solidify their position and kind of push away other views.

[13:37]

And I think it's really important not to do that. a tightrope between cynicism on the one hand, which I think people on both sides experience that cynicism, because it feels like people who believe something different are just in some kind of other fantasy land. So there's cynicism on one side of our tightrope, and then there's kind of like over-optimism on the other side. And the idea that we can do something by somehow we'll have this dialogue and persuade people of something else. I think both sides are a little bit of a trap. And the most important thing is just what you're saying, to just walk that tightrope and be open and present and hopeful, but not delusionally optimistic and not cynical.

[14:40]

like don't let yourself fall to either side even though we might teeter occasionally on the tightrope. Thank you. Yes, it's important not to shut down, to pay attention, to think about what's going on and to feel how you feel and express that in appropriate ways. And it's not about trying to persuade somebody on some other side to agree with you. I don't think I think that's kind of a waste of time. Maybe now, in the current situation where people are, you know, ready to kill people, kill politicians who they don't agree with. But we have to keep paying attention and our best efforts and our goodwill not wildly optimistic, not realistic, but also open to positive possibility.

[15:50]

It makes a difference now. Yes, Stacey. I was going to say also, it's very hard, I think, for people in general, for all of us to sit in the midst of uncertainty. And that's how we fall into those traps. People develop cynicism because it feels certain, you know, oh, I just know that's how that's gonna go or that's how that person's gonna act. And it's harder to sit in the space of uncertainty that, you know, we don't know what's gonna happen and let's respond to it as it comes, but it seems like that is part of an appropriate response. Yes, thank you, yes. To sit in the middle of uncertainty is exactly the heart of our practice. because nothing ever happens according to our expectations. This is not the talk I expected to give tonight, exactly. These are not all the people I expected who would be here tonight. Nothing happens according to some formula that we can predict.

[16:53]

We have to be open to the reality of each moment and then how do we respond with kindness in the middle of that and also with conviction, you know, based on the precepts of benefiting beings instead of demonizing them, you know, marginalizing people. So, yes, David. Well, several things come to mind. versus the Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Certain things come up to me that are both chaplaincy and for me, allegorical climate reality project training. The training that I did back in 2013, They talked about when you meet somebody who is a denier, a climate denier, you don't want to come and just bombard them with statistics.

[17:58]

All that will do is just put them in their corner and have their fears play out in an aggressive way back towards you. But rather to ask them, well, why do you think that way? what's going on. And I'll take that to chaplaincy and to our Buddhist practice. I could come in with my ego and pose my ideas upon you. Or I could walk into a room as a chaplain, and as a person, and listen to what you have to say. And hear what your fears are, what your concerns are. And how can we, as Martin Luther King who borrowed from Jeremiah Joyce in creating the beloved community. How can we bring out the best in each other rather than warring with each other? The old saw of we agree to disagree in Jeremiah Royce's paradigm was not to be Harvard, nor was it to be Harvard and Martin Luther King's.

[19:10]

It's how can we be brothers? How can we support one another? How can we, brother's a little generous, centric. How can we as people support one another and hear the other person's fears and be with them, bear witness and try to understand and come up with an appropriate answer so that our fears are addressed and that we can bring out the best in each other rather than warring away at each other. and hammering each other with words that all does is drive the vision. Thank you. Yes. So it's not a matter of debating and winning debates. Right. But how do we, and sometimes some, it may not be useful to talk to some people about something, but how do we find, you know, things that we can talk about in common? Start with the weather. I don't know, whatever, but to be open to, to be able to meet and listen to somebody who,

[20:14]

disagrees with us, but also to study what's going on and to see how to act in a constructive way and to work with other people. There are many organizations working in very constructive ways to make things better, and we can support them. So anyway, it's complicated. There's not a formula. Jerry, did you have something? Yeah, I just wanted to add. I don't think an unwillingness to talk about your politics or the government is in itself cynical or hiding. I think you just have to judge the situation. And if you're going to find yourself in an argument, maybe it's better to sidestep it. That's right. Yeah. Maybe it's better to what? Sidestep it. Yeah. Sidestep an argument. That's exactly what I'm saying. Yeah. You can think what you think and vote how you vote. and make the effort you make to help with voter registration or whatever else there is.

[21:18]

But sometimes it's better to change the topic and talk about the Cubs. Yeah, there's lots of positive things to do. And there's also just general friendliness. And sometimes that's not possible. But how can we stay open to communication and to kindness? Ken, I see you on the Zoom. Do you have any reflections? Yeah, this is something I'm struggling with quite a bit because I have long felt that people with whom I disagree, specifically Republicans, that doesn't mean that they're not good people. In fact, I spent some time in a Republican administration, and when I first joined the administration, being a person of color from Chicago, I thought Republicans had tails.

[22:28]

I found that not to be the case, that we all, for the most part, want the same things, good schools, safe streets, et cetera, but we disagree on how to get there. I have great difficulty adhering to that view at this point. You talked about trying to be open and harbor a sense of brotherhood toward people with whom you disagree, but that's very difficult to do with a Nazi. And I'm not saying that Republicans are Nazis, but they're coming pretty doggone close. And so that is something that I am struggling with because The state of our politics right now are as frightening to me as they've ever been.

[23:32]

So those are my reactions. And all I can do is react because I don't have any answers. One further comment just to illustrate my dilemma or where I'm sitting. I've always been very intent on listening to what the other side is saying. So I consume a lot of conservative media and have interacted quite a bit with conservatives on newsletters and those sorts of things. But when the other side is just going to lie, what's the point? There's no reasoning with somebody who's just going to lie. or who, you know, I'll just leave it at that. I'm deeply confused, more troubled than I feel I should be. I was just reviewing something that Suzuki wrote, just pull it up.

[24:36]

I discovered that it is necessary, absolutely necessary to believe in nothing. That is, we have to believe in something which has no form and no color. something which exists before all forms and colors appear. If you're always prepared for accepting everything we see as something appearing from nothing, knowing that there is some reason why a phenomenal exist of such and such form and color appears, then at that point you will have perfect composure. And the reason I, that came to mind is because, you know, I think our faith has to be that this is something that for whatever reason, our country and humanity has to go through. Maybe with respect to Ukraine, for example, which is the first instance in which a great power has invaded another country for purposes of conquest in decades. Well, maybe it's necessary that this happened because this is the last one. So on the one hand, I cling to that hope, to that faith, but it's hard.

[25:44]

Ken, thank you. Appreciate everything you said. And I would venture to guess that the Republicans, the Republican government that you were working with, as you said, whatever that was, is not the same as some of the quote unquote Republican politicians now who are just spreading hate and lying, as you say. And that's- I was on the staff of a Republican lieutenant governor in the Edgar administration. And last time I spoke with him or my former boss, the chief of staff, they were like, you know, whatever, whatever needs to be done to defeat Donald Trump, that's what we need to do. So yeah, they aren't, today's Republicans aren't yesterday's Republicans. Yeah, the Republican Party used to have policies and principles and maybe, you know, some of us may have disagreed with them, but they were, you know, you could converse.

[26:52]

So what's happening today, you know, use the word Nazi. I mean, I think there's a threat of fascism and it's not just in this country. Bolsonaro was just defeated in Brazil. Hopefully he will. not try until January 6th, there's difficulty and, you know, all around the world now. And so we have to recognize that, but also stand up for our principles, for principles of kindness and caring and inclusivity of different beings and peoples. This is a difficult time, but, One thing, you were talking about karma and Buddhist principles are that everything that happens, happens due to various causes and conditions. So humanity, human beings, whatever we are, is in disarray and there's some kind of development that, you know,

[28:01]

One perspective on it is that this is, in this country, the resistance of white men to becoming minorities, or resistance to President Obama, or whatever. We can talk about causes and conditions. The point is that things change, and things will swing the other way. And we have to keep our eye on what's going on and try and be helpful. And there are, as I was saying, you know, one way to do that is to support or work with, or with organizations that are being, that are responsible from our perspective. For example, for me, the ACLU represents real law and order, you know, liberty. And, you know, that's just one example. or organizations that work for climate sanity like 350.org.

[29:09]

So there are people who are working already on things that we might agree with and we can act to support that. But it's really difficult now when there's this, the white supremacy, domestic terrorists are, you know, that's a real thing. That's the greatest threat. according to the CIA and the FBI, to our country now. So it's a difficult, challenging time. And I don't think that we should try and, you know, be polite and not talk about politics or religion. You know, we have to, this doesn't mean by discussing it that we're going to solve anything at all, but at least to acknowledge that we're in the same, we're all in this together. So thank you, Ken. Thank you, David, and Ishan, and Jerry. Does anybody who has not spoken yet have anything you want to add, or say, or just comment on?

[30:16]

Please feel free. Wade, or Ed, or Sophia, anything? Douglas. We're in difficult times and that's reality. And we can express our best, most wholesome caring and not be afraid to do that. Not be afraid to recognize what's happening around us. and to help them as we each see fit.

[31:21]

And there's no one right response. Clearly, there's so many different facets of all of this. Well, please take care. Please don't give up your intention and your awareness to be present in the midst of all of it. Please do go and vote and support others to vote. So let's chant the four bodhisattva vows of ebenezer for the last time.

[32:26]

I'm going to stop sharing so we're going to hear something.

[32:29]

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