Holding Fear and Dis-ease in the Container of Compassion

By Antoinette González

Painting the Landscape

by Chi E Shenam Westin

Do you know the depth
of a sagebrush?
Can you see the
silence
residing in the shadow
of a leaf?

Listen closely with your eyes,
your whole body,
listen and let yourself see with
your stillness:

A distant breeze,
the sound of a lizard
on a desert rock,
the emptiness of
space and time
holding you in the moment.

All things have a
before and after.
but now,
is the only place
we ever are.
 

In the dawn light I set up my easel to paint a beautiful wall of ancient rock.  Only when the light moves on the rock face with the early morning rays, can I see the dynamic movement of shape, form and relationship.  I stand in a dinosaur track as I paint.
Escalante, Utah, autumn 2018

I am a landscape painter.   I paint both in studio and plein air, outside on site.  Writing this, I am sitting in the late winter sun on a rock overlooking Barber Pool, a wildlife sanctuary close to Boise, Idaho.  It is midday and the sun is low in the sky casting long shadows off the cottonwoods and black locust trees surrounding me.

I spend more time looking than painting.  I love the space, the empty silence that carries my sight to a distant mountain.  In the West, there is always a mountain. Looking at the mass of a cliff is like sitting on a cushion facing the wall.  The wall is strong, still, holding my gaze, reminding me, I am that.

I paint the cliff straight on, nothing leading to it, just the cliff, no before, no after, just now.

Soon, I will go down into the Snake River Canyon to draw and paint.  The grasses will be emerging, a bright emerald green against the raw umber and burnt sienna of the rocks. Painting is watching life emerging quietly, mostly unnoticed.

I look up from my writing.  A heron lands across the pond from me.  I look down. There is an owl pellet in the leaves at my feet. Looking across the pond, the sunlight on the water is color and light that can’t be painted.  Light is light. Paint is colored dirt in grease. I don’t have a chance, but I will probably try to paint it anyway.

I breathe. Looking into the sun reflected on the water, I breathe.

In painting, I am always striving for the harmony that holds all that I see.  Always moving, ever-changing land and sky, yet solid, still, a dependent co-arising undisturbed by my presence.

Working with canvas and paint, I form the shapes and values, create a composition that forms a story. I look deeply into the place, and as I work, I see more. What I thought was white, I see now is color. What looked at first like a deep shadow there are cools and warms, reflected light, and depth receding. A sagebrush, a mound of earth, deep color in the base of the grasses, the skeleton of last year’s growth. Life in its complexity starts appearing in my vision as the painting progresses.

Painting the landscape is a way of touching the earth in a very intimate way. The earth wraps me in its story as I reflect that onto a canvas. It is a rare painting that captures the mystery of what I am seeing, but sometimes it happens. I bow in deep gratitude.

 
Chi E Shenam Westin is a long-time member of Beginners Mind Sangha in Boise, Idaho and is an accomplished artist and lover of Idaho landscapes. Chi brings his ability to "look deeply" into his Sangha practice and his artistry. Chi can be reached at Mr.chi@msn.com or Chieshenam.com

Earth Holder Sangha Blossoming into Earth Holder Community

by Michele Tae

A true unfolding of a growing, loving, aware Community in its broadest sense is necessary if we are to nourish and sustain life on Mother Earth as we know it.   The fertile green and blue planet needs us all, just as we need her.

And so, Earth Holders Sangha is becoming Earth Holders Community to broaden its scope and support to like-minded groups. At the upcoming annual meeting on April 14, the Care Taking Council (CTC) for Earth Holders will outline to the full community its plans for a new website that will go beyond providing only information to becoming a fuller participant in supporting groups working together on events and taking action.  

Earth Holder Coordinator, Simona Coayla-Duba

We are delighted to introduce our new Earth Holder Coordinator, Simona Coayla-Duba, a deep mindfulness practitioner whose passion for caring for Mother Earth and all her beings, together with her experience and skills in collaboration, communication, and community building, support the vitality of the Earth Holders Community.

Earth Holders are a thriving community of engaged, active and caring individuals from around the world who greatly benefit from their Buddhist practice together.  Earth Holder retreats in the last two years led by monastics of the Plum Village tradition and held at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico and Camp Courage in Minnesota were deeply nourishing and well attended.  The number of subscribers to our Earth Holders newsletter continues to grow. Inspired by increasing involvement and interest, the CTC has decided to create more opportunities for members to participate and interact with each other.

Our volunteer CTC members have worked over the past months on a comprehensive and detailed plan for growing and strengthening our community.  The plan supports Earth Holders as they actively collaborate and engage with each other in preserving and protecting our dear Mother Earth.

The CTC extends a warm invitation to you, dear Earth Holder, to attend our April 14 Annual Meeting and hear first hand about the new directions, take a virtual tour of the projects and the network, learn how you can nurture Earth Holding work in your sangha, join an existing project, or create your own project, all within the supportive and linked environment of our spiritual community.


Michele Tae is the current Chair of the Care Taking Council for the Earth Holder Community. She was ordained as a Dharmacharya in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism in 2018. She is a member of Beginners Mind Sangha in Boise, Idaho, and has practiced in the Buddhist tradition since 1991. She also is an ordained Buddhist chaplain. Michele retired from her information systems consulting firm in 2012. She has served on several boards of directors for social profit, and environmental organizations in Boise. Michele, sometimes called M’Tae, lives near the Boise River with her partner and best friend, Scott, and her beloved poodle, Izzy.

Easy Veggie Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

Makes 4 servings                                                                          Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Prepare all vegetables and measure all ingredients before you start cooking, as the stir-frying happens quickly. If you
are really in a hurry, you can stir-fry the main ingredients and at the end just add soy sauce or salt instead of
making the sauce, or use a purchased sauce and add just before cooking has completed. Serve over brown rice. 
 

Sauce Ingredients 

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce 
• ¼ cup peanut butter 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 1 tablespoon vinegar of your choice 
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup 
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional) 

• ¼ cup water or veggie broth (have some extra on hand) 
• 1 cup chopped red onion 
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped  
• 1-2 cup diagonally sliced carrots, less than 1/4 inch thick  
• 1 large red bell pepper 
• 3-4 cups small broccoli florets  
• 1 (16-oz) package extra firm tofu cut into small cubes OR 1 15-ounce can (or 1 ½ cups) of your favorite beans, drained 

1. Combine the sauce ingredients, mix well, and set aside.
2. Heat the water/veggie broth in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add veggies and garlic and stir-fry for about 6 minutes or until just crisp-tender (adding extra water/broth, if needed). 
3. Add in the tofu cubes or the beans.
4. Add the sauce and continue cooking, while stirring, for 1-2 minutes. 
5. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.