Refuge in the Prison

On December 23, 2009, deep inside the Eastern Correctional Prison Facility in Napanoch, New York, Acharya Gaylon Ferguson conducted a Buddhist Refuge ceremony. Seventeen men witnessed the ceremony, three men took the vows. Also in attendance were Steve Gorn, Barbara Bash, Patrice Heber and Carrie Schapter, who have all been involved with supporting this Buddhist meditation group within the prison over the past five years. Ines Fernandez, a counselor in the prison and advisor to the group was also there, as well as Peggy McRoberts the Deputy of Programs.

To witness the allegiance to basic goodness in the densely punitive atmosphere of a prison is a powerful teaching in itself. In this charged environment the intention to bring all difficulties in life to the path becomes a poignant personal challenge. Having this refuge ceremony take place was an expression of the deepening connection of this group of men to the Buddhist path.

Acharya Ferguson began the session by inviting the men to say why they were in the room, what brought them there to practice meditation. The answers ranged from a deep need for peace, for clarity, for getting beyond anger, for personal strength and power. Then he spoke of the possibility in our life of setting our own course, steering the boat in the direction of waking up to our true nature. The open hearted listening in the room was strong and bright.

Watching the three men come up to take the vow and receive their refuge names something open, soft and brave was visible on their faces. The possibility of accepting one’s life, one’s self, as it is, and taking refuge in the Buddha as an example of a human who did this, the dharma as the open path to walk, the sangha as the support to remind us – it was all so fierce and true in this setting.

At the end of the ceremony Acharya Ferguson recited the auspicious verses as he tossed the rice around the room, connecting the ancient lineage of practitioners to this present moment.

Afterwards we had ten minutes before the guards would tell us the room needed to be cleared. We all mingled, talked and congratulated the new refugees. Inside this room there was love and encouragement all around. Then our Sky Lake group left, walking back through the prison to the front lobby, out the door, into the bright cold air – free again and yet bound in the best way to our prison sangha.

Barbara Bash

Sky Lake 2009

Graceful Khandro
and her band of dakinis
rained their blessings
on this land.

The Golden Key
essence of richness
bestowed by a nagini
from the river below.

A lake atop a mountain.
How marvellous!
Sky dancing in its mirror.
For whom?

We don’t know where it comes from,
we don’t know were it goes,
we don’t know where it is.
In your mind? Where’s that?

Barbara paints a circle.
There it is.
Heartbreaking.
The sound of the mantra in the trees.


Sam Scoggins
Sky Lake Lodge Shambhala Buddhist Meditation Center
December 2009

Shawn Colvin

Shawn Colvin playing at the Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock, NY, last night in a benefit for Skylake.

Article
Shawn Colvin

Harvest of Open Space sessions

Barbara Bash has kindly provided the above "Mandala" and following notes as the "Harvest" from the Open Space / Meeting Of All Committees meeting last Sunday at Skylake Lodge Shambhala Medition Center. Hopefully Barbara will herself be able to post here soon - we are just having some "techie" issues setting her up as a blog author.

August 9, 2009 Sky Lake Lodge
Harvest of open space sessions -

1. How do we face outward & manifest to the world?

What does this mean? Importance of well being of newcomers . Needing to exemplify our trust in basic goodness.

Public sitting - support for umdze – need for another person to meet & greet. Time perhaps to offer once a month open house explicitly for new people ?

Outgoing and genuine manifestation to all.

Going out beyond Sky Lake – offering meditation practice in schools, youth centers.

The Arts Council could be a strong vehicle to bring in different groups of people.

We have matured enough to go outside the safety zone of the center – ready for a wider expression.

2. What would make Sky Lake really good? What would help us thrive - not just survive?

Practice. How to offer further opportunities for people who have gone through the ST levels.

Vigorous & diverse practice would make more practice & generate merit.

Three broad thoughts on this –

1. New curriculum, now in process, as continuity for people at all different stages on the path.
2.. More intensive days of practice , parinirvana, ngondro, Milarepa Day, Windhorse etc., once a month?
3. An annual big gathering event.. like KC’s ”Coming Home”

Diverse and vigorous practice is the key!

3. How do we at SL benefit the most people while maintaining the joy and integrity of the local community?

Leaning into difficulty leads to joy, within context of local community & spreading out from there.

Remembering to do what we want to be doing – not operating out of resentment.

Rinpoche’s teachings are our deep and profound ground – how much benefit that has radiated.

Sitting practice is the backbone of all of it.

Perhaps there is no conflict.

Cast a wide net - benefiting us and our local community.

We experience joy when we forget ourselves.

Technology can support the communication between us. Formats for ways to put out minutes of committee reports, sharing information, could include community news . This is low cost and easily available.

4. How can SL serve the underserved?

Wanting to offering Shambhala view to others -

Possible ideas - free talks at libraries, other centers, LGTBQ, etc.

Creating a scholarship fund for those who can’t afford classes, build up this fund through earmarking donation for scholarship.

Providing transportation help to get to SL.

The flea market and plant sale was an example of bringing our presence out to community
Joining in (and supporting each other ) in established activities -
work in soup kitchen
volunteer corps

Approach Family of Woodstock - this is what we do, would this be helpful? How would we do this – fitting for each audience and clientele

Cross fertilization - do dharma talk at Art Society of Kingston.

5. How do we magnetize and make SL inviting to others to create a buzz and attract the rich & famous ?

The uplifting of the teacher’s suite in preparation for Lady Diana’s visit was a good example of this.

What does it mean to magnetize? Do we really want these spoiled wealthy people ? Don’t put them off - offer flowers !

What can we do to the physical space to open out and magnetize? What if the office was moved upstairs to the front porch space ? This would create a more inviting and welcoming presence of greeting – visibility of a person when you arrive. This could link better with work/study and disability access – entrance on upper level – widen path. Change the “nobody’s home” SL face. Bring Deirdre and Patrice UP !

Audacity of vision - Shambhala Mt. Center is a good example - no money? no problem. Go ahead and prepare a celebratory space - rich view - visual clarity - simplicity.

6. If we had unlimited resources what improvements would we make to the SL facility?

Big vision – separate new building for staff and director – offices and living space. .

Or - whole new shrine room – current Sky Lake building becomes only administrative.

Living wages for director & staff

Larger space for larger programs. Invite Pema and Rinpoches (200 people). Create platform for large tent for these larger summer programs

Build summer bathhouse for campers and crowds.

Build retreat cabins (need retreat master)

Need director - looping back to this over and over !

Any expansion would include “green” geothermal, energy efficient,

Present possibilities: office on front deck for entrance space change, replace all windows for heat efficiency, new washers & dryers for energy efficiency, kitchen fan upgrade: unbearably hot in summer.

Bring in Eva Wong for feng shui of offices/entranceway.

Resident senior teacher presence – to provide income and view.

Build a stupa !

7. How could Health & Healing expand its offering at Sky Lake ?

Provide support for people in their lives on a very practical level - food, medicine, counseling, etc.

Create more yoga and body work presence at SL.

Start a health and healing group to share ideas

Bring in speakers

All of this will add to the health and vibrancy SL, and will extend out and benefit the broader community.

8. How can we raise more windhorse ?

Do more lhasangs – seasonal events

Harvest of Peace – open to the public?

“Windhorse” is an enlivening word.

This is all about invoking magic and renewing our intention together.

Have more celebrations - music, drum circles. This will invigorate all of us and this world.

Bring in teachers who generate windhorse – Buddhist and Native American teachers; round dances, circle dances, shamanic dances, Gesar dances (Sakyang Wangmo).

The Arts Council can be involved in this - energizing ourselves and inviting others into the magic.
Do lhasangs on upper level – as well as inside – when ? where?

Is there restricted participation or can we just open up to it all ?

Meeting of all Committees

Today there was a special "Meeting of all Committees" at Sky Lake. Jeff Rubin, Chair of the Working Council, said of this meeting:

"I have been working with Barbara Bash on a cutting edge format for facilitating pithy and important group conversations called "The Art of Hosting" that comes out of Barbara's work at the Authentic Leadership in Action (ALIA) Institute in Halifax. My original theme of "Sharing, Reflecting, Rejuvenating" still holds, but the specific intent is to:

identify critical issues at Sky Lake
voice our passions and concerns
learn from each other,
(and ultimately) take collective responsibility for finding solutions."

The process turned out to be very creative and energizing. A fuller report will follow. One of the things to come out of the meeting was the setting up of this blog.

Momo Production

Last weekend Her Eminence Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche taught at Sky Lake. It was a great blessing. Here we have an unusual view "backstage" of some of Rinpoche's nuns making traditional Tibetan "Momos" after one of the teachings. For more information about Rinpoche check out these sites:

http://www.lotusgardens.org

http://mjkr.org

Hello

This is the informal Blog for Sky Lake Lodge Shambhala Buddhist Meditation Center in Rosendale, New York. This is an experiment in communicating what's happening at Sky Lake -behind the scenes, in the pipe line - an attempt to open the space of communication. It was suggested at today's "meeting of all committees" - so here goes.