Caretaker's Report February 2006

Dawa Rowley is currently acting as
Caretaker at the Wangapeka

So much has happened since the last report!

As well as a steady flow of people doing individual retreats in the Huts and Hayshed, the New Zealand Diamond Sangha have had their annual retreat under the guidance of Mary Jaksch. It was lovely to have parents of young children included. The group set up a roster of child minders which seemed to enhance the group's experience as meditators. I found it interesting to see how another group, with already strict protocols and organisation is also using the tools of meditation practice to ask 'How, in practical terms, may we apply this to everyday life?'

Prior to the 2006 school of Living Dharma it was recognised that the workload of preparation was too much for one Caretaker, and a pair of Swiss Wwoofers spent two days helping get the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms spring-cleaned and ready for the long Progam. They worked beautifully as a team and were very cheerful and thorough. It was not only a great relief to be able to carry on with the other tasks required before the Program, but a pleasure to have them working here. A third person had applied and been accepted for Wwoofing duties before the board found the Swiss girls, but it turned out there was plenty of work for all of them. The third one was able to give the gardens around the main hall a much needed weed and priune as well as helping with the general cleaning. The effort of having everything spic and span before retreatants has an invaluably supportive effect on the depth of calm and focus possible for them whilst in retreat.

Liberation through the Body
Leander's Liberation Through the Body was a wonderful success (as usual) and precursor to the School of Living Dharma. Many of the participants in the School of Living Dharma arrived early enough to do her workshop and settle in before plunging into the first week of Sangha Explorations.

School of Living Dharma 2006
A mix of newcomers and 'returnees', all deeply committed to this experiment in education and community we are calling the Wangapeka School of Living Dharma 2006 have settled in. This year's theme is 'Communication and Mind' and there is a beautiful sense of commitment, aspiration and co-operation in the whole group. We have been studying a wonderful pithy text written in the 13th century. Called 'From the Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment, How to cook Your Life' it truly inspires us to 'settle into The Way' and really be with what is present. Although the text is an instruction manual for the Tenzo (chief cook) it is really a recipe for living a wholesome life. Upon reflection it is also a profoundly Mahamudra-ish text, if I may coin a mangled phrase!

One joy has been the way our Teachers are participating as students in each other's segments. Terry Hagan and Mala Sikka attended Leander's course to learn more about Liberation through the Body. Terry, Mala and Leander all sat in on Tarchin's first classes of this year's School of Living Dharma. Tarchin and Mary are participating as students in Sonia Moriceau's classes. I find this a beautiful manifestation of accomplished wholesome minds remaining open to exploration.

There were a few people who came to the first weekend of The School, but couldn't stay longer. One was Debs Hall who managed, in that shour time to prune all the apple trees on the slope in front of the main building, (as well as helping on the waterfall track and attending classes!) The trees look really vibrant and healthy again. Thanks on their behalf Debs!

Sonia Moriceau's Retreat
Sonia Moriceau's Retreat has begun with two two hour classes per day as well as Daily Puja, Land Caring for at least an hour, evening Walking Meditation, then chanting and a sit after that. (Some people even manage to fit in a swim in the river). Sonia's Teaching is an exquisite example of Zen at work. It is amazing how much she gets said whilst saying so little! Her body and breath exercises produce very direct personal experiences of deepening calm and brightening awareness.

The days have been full of new experiences. During the first Sangha Explorations week, we found ourselves doing finger dancing at the same time as turning Chinese Balls in the spare hand, Heart Sounding Meditation, and receiving pithy meditation instruction with Tarchin's usual inspirational mix of intelligence, humour and compassion. The days were very full with Daily Puja at 6am, breakfast at 6.45 and the first class of the day (usually two hours) beginning at 8.

Land Caring
Dana to the land is not being called that at the moment, with its implication of being something we (subject) do to something else (object) for an hour a day because it is in the timetable. For a while it was called, 'Doing that Which Needs To Be Done'. Then Bill, who has been co-coordinating it since Sonia's course started a couple of days ago, coined the phrase "Land Caring" . And The Centre certainly is looking well-loved and cared for. Sometimes there is time for some practice before lunch, but if not then the work itself is practised mindfully anyway.The long term participants in the School of Living Dharma a truly putting The Practice into practice.

A few days ago the horribly overgrown Waterfall Track (which is the path to our water supply) got cleared in an atmosphere of great goodwill. Mary and Ben went back and cleared out the reservoir after lunch the same day. As Tarchin pointed out before the team got together to do it, formal meditation is all fine and good but if we run out of water then sitting practice pales into insignificance the first time we get thirsty! There is a really strong emphasis on making every moment an opportunity to practice being open, spacious, and present to what is.

Currently we have teams working on various sections of the electric fence and expect that to be cleared to at least half a metre on either side in the next day or two. There is such a wonderful sense of community supporting the essentials and of everyone consciously using everyday tasks as a blessed opportunity to practice Mindfulness.
On the 'works' front, the brass plaque for the Memorial Wall has arrived and two more loads of rocks and stones have been collected with the help of James Mathieson. This should mean enough material to finish the wall now.

As mentioned above The Waterfall track has been cleared and most of the electric fence cleared in the last week. The dent in the van has finally been repaired. A new longdrop toilet has been dug and erected near Pema Ling Hut - Inclusive of properly built steps both from the hut and up from the track. (Thanks Ben).

This Friday Mike Elliott leaves for a month's personal retreat with Bonni Ross in Canada. We will sorely miss him, his knowledge, his quiet, peaceful presence - chiefly noted in new and fixed things emerging from his workshop - like long drop toilets, fixed doors, windows, hinges, roofs, seats, tables and so on. He also keeps track of machinery maintenance and repairs organising those he cannot do himself. and that's not to mention the clearing and fixing and mowing he does with the machines! Happy travelling Mike, and all the best for your retreat.

May all that lives be well and happy.

Dawa