Bittersweet Neighbors.
Last Wednesday morning I went to the Lucas County zoning commission meeting where we had a public hearing about the possible issuing of a special use permit to create a public retreat center and temple on the property adjacent to my home in rural Swanton Ohio. After having affirming conversations with a few of my neighbors last week I felt confident that this would be a day to enjoy and savor as a milestone along the way of creating a sacred space that is so desperately needed in the world today.
After all, my neighborhood hosts the world recognized Bittersweet farm which is a local group farm and home serving many autistic adults and adolescents which I am just so, so proud of:
But this meeting did not go the way I expected.
Not at all.
In fact, over a dozen neighbors showed up to protest the possible construction of a Zen Buddhist Temple in their area, with a signed petition of some 40 others who agreed (I wonder if they were really door to door signatures, or if these signatures were all from some local fundamentalist church. But I digress...)
Some cited how they didn't want yet another bittersweet farms tragedy to happen - it started small sure, but has grown and grown and that is just awful (they brought city water out here ya know)!
'Well, maybe them autistic folks need help, but not in my back yard. And as fer you people gathering for meditation, cultivating compassion and service for the world, well that jist ain't Godly. '
OK, no one actually said that, but it was clearly in the air. At least to me...
But then their comments weren't entirely negative.
In fact, there were several highly motivated neighbors there who voiced their love of hunting, and of their love for their big guns, and of their love of big pits of fire in which they love burning big things.
And some cautioned both the board of zoning folks and myself in private conversation afterwards about how a meditation center in Swanton just wouldn't be safe.
Because hunting accidents happen you know.
And some folks could protest if you do this (not me of course, just sayin's all).
And so as a result I have had to reconsider the entire Public Buddhist temple project, and after careful discernment over this past weekend of retreat I came to the conclusion that I should do more to promote the practice in a way that my neighbors can relate to. In a way that they feel at home with and can trust. But what would could that way possibly be? How could I serve the Dharma AND my neighbors out here in cosmopolitan Swanton Ohio? This was my Koan. Night and day, pouring myself into it, merging with it. And being the Koan till I sweat blood and saw it through and through was the only option.
So there I was, in deep meditation, when suddenly the silence was rent asunder by the sudden sharp crack of a rifle - and it all became so perfectly clear!
A Buddhist shooting range!
They'll love it! And we can burn some things in a big pit as well while we are at it! Or perhaps we just need to find a more suitable place for our Zen Buddhist Temple...
After all, my neighborhood hosts the world recognized Bittersweet farm which is a local group farm and home serving many autistic adults and adolescents which I am just so, so proud of:
But this meeting did not go the way I expected.
Not at all.
In fact, over a dozen neighbors showed up to protest the possible construction of a Zen Buddhist Temple in their area, with a signed petition of some 40 others who agreed (I wonder if they were really door to door signatures, or if these signatures were all from some local fundamentalist church. But I digress...)
Some cited how they didn't want yet another bittersweet farms tragedy to happen - it started small sure, but has grown and grown and that is just awful (they brought city water out here ya know)!
'Well, maybe them autistic folks need help, but not in my back yard. And as fer you people gathering for meditation, cultivating compassion and service for the world, well that jist ain't Godly. '
OK, no one actually said that, but it was clearly in the air. At least to me...
But then their comments weren't entirely negative.
In fact, there were several highly motivated neighbors there who voiced their love of hunting, and of their love for their big guns, and of their love of big pits of fire in which they love burning big things.
And some cautioned both the board of zoning folks and myself in private conversation afterwards about how a meditation center in Swanton just wouldn't be safe.
Because hunting accidents happen you know.
And some folks could protest if you do this (not me of course, just sayin's all).
And so as a result I have had to reconsider the entire Public Buddhist temple project, and after careful discernment over this past weekend of retreat I came to the conclusion that I should do more to promote the practice in a way that my neighbors can relate to. In a way that they feel at home with and can trust. But what would could that way possibly be? How could I serve the Dharma AND my neighbors out here in cosmopolitan Swanton Ohio? This was my Koan. Night and day, pouring myself into it, merging with it. And being the Koan till I sweat blood and saw it through and through was the only option.
So there I was, in deep meditation, when suddenly the silence was rent asunder by the sudden sharp crack of a rifle - and it all became so perfectly clear!
A Buddhist shooting range!
They'll love it! And we can burn some things in a big pit as well while we are at it! Or perhaps we just need to find a more suitable place for our Zen Buddhist Temple...
woaw
ReplyDeleteMy practice of lovingkindness needs a lot of work when it comes to dealing with closed-minded people.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should see if there's a spot by the mosque in Perrysburg that's suitable...
So much for religious freedom in America, you know Jay I will never forget the letter I received from the City Attorney in Long Beach telling me that I would be arrested if I continued running an illegal church. Subtle way of putting it. I also had fun with city planning commissions and locals as I sought a new home for the Zen Center, good luck on your search brother.
ReplyDelete