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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 39

meditation is or is not. One of the My Story Although I could get bored during
loveliest moments in the Buddha’s My personal history informs how I morning meditation, I nonetheless
story is when he asks himself, after approach bringing the dhamma to loved this special time of quiet
years of frustration chasing after families. Childhood: When I was and stillness. The smell of the
enlightenment through ascetic born in the 1970s, my parents lived cedarwood incense, the glow of
practices, “When did I experience in a Zen meditation community in the candles on the altar, the warm
peace?” He remembers a moment rural New Hampshire. The intensive smile of the Buddha, the rhythmic
from his childhood in which he was schedule began at five o’clock in the chanting of the Heart Sutra, the
resting under a rose apple tree and morning with an hour of meditation, deep resonance of the bell, the
experienced a level of contentment chanting, and bowing, followed gracefulness of bowing—it all
and connection that no amount of by forty-five minutes of tai chi. created a feeling of sacredness that
hardcore meditation had brought The community children mostly gave expression to the magic and
before. followed the schedule alongside wonder I felt from life. I believe that
the adults. Every moment of the children experience spirituality
We should also bear in mind the day was considered practice and an through their senses and bodies,
importance of peers in a child’s opportunity for awakening, from and that movement, art, music,
spiritual development. The Buddha sweeping the large dining room scent, food, and stories, as well
taught that friendship is the whole to pulling weeds in the garden as the experience of silence and
of the holy life. Strong, healthy, to playing Zen basketball in the stillness, connects our children to
and admirable companionship is parking lot. But what I remember, their spirituality. For this reason,
especially important for children far more than the long debates the children’s program used in my
because more learning is happening about the nature of enlightenment curriculum is primarily a movement
at a relational, emotional, and or of the self, speaks to how a child and sense-based series of activities.
psychological level than it is at an experiences spirituality.
intellectual level. What I also remember most
clearly from these early years is
community. I had relationships
across generations. Sometimes I
took care of younger children; I
received guidance and modeling
from my parents’ peers; elders
were a source of warmth and
kindness. Many of the teachings on
generosity, kindness, consideration,
and serving others were reinforced
on a day-to-day basis through
living and practicing with others.
The Zen community also gave me
a feeling of belonging, of being
useful and needed, of shared
purpose, and of refuge. While
my parents also provided these
qualities, they were reinforced and
amplified by an entire community
of people. This speaks to me of the
importance of spiritual friendship.