GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT
The Bear River Meditation Group is supported by donations. If you would like to help with this support, you may do so by sending a check made out to the Bear River Meditation Group to P.O. Box 1374, Meadow Vista, CA 95722. All donations are tax deductible. Your support goes to rental of the hall and operating expenses as well as for support of our Resident Monk and toward the support of the monastic community of Shasta Abbey Buddhist Monastery with whom we are affiliated. From the time of the Buddha, a relationship of dana (generosity of spirit), mutual aid and trust has endured between the laity and the monastic members of the Buddhist Sangha. This reciprocal respect and kindness and depth of commitment to help each other is what enables Buddhism to survive and grow. We are all deeply grateful for your support, in whatever form it is given.
SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENT MONK
The meditation group is fortunate to currently have Reverend Vivian Gruenenfelder with us as a Resident Monk and Senior Teacher of Buddhism. Offerings to support her basic needs, including medical, clothing, food and travel can be made either to the meditation group or directly to Still Flowing Water Hermitage at P.O. Box 1374, Meadow Vista, CA 95722. A list of Reverend Vivian’s current needs is below. In late April Rev. Vivian will be traveling east for a family visit, and then on to attend the Genzo-e retreat with Shohaku Okumura. The retreat focuses on the study of Great Master Dogen’s the Shobogenzo. Following the retreat Rev. Vivian will go on to Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in the north of England and train in the monastery until her return to our area at the end of September. Any support toward these travel expenses is greatly appreciated. Offerings of your skills and assistance are also extremely helpful, as are offerings of meals, food for her pantry and basic necessities. Whether a piece of fruit, a sack of potatoes or an entire meal, food offerings are wonderful expressions of dana.
CURRENT DANA LIST
From Rev. Vivian: “I would like to express my deep gratitude to all of you for all the kindness and support you have offered me during my time here in Meadow Vista, and especially during this challenging time. Your offerings are too numerous to mention here, but please know that each time I have a meal or use some object I’ve been given I recall all of the givers to mind and rejoice in our mutual connection through the Dharma. Thank you for sustaining our precious lives together. I would like to add now that it was so very wonderful to receive so many meal offerings from you while I attended the Shohaku Okumura retreat in May. They made the retreat infinitely easier, and it was such a delight to taste others’ cooking. Thank you.”
Reverend Vivian can use the following food items: hot sauce, decaf coffee, firm tofu, live yeast (for baking), roasted unsalted peanuts, sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese, soba noodles, whole wheat pasta (any shape), vanilla extract, craisins, 1 pound of white sugar, popcorn (unpopped), unflavored (original) soy milk, and the occasional surprise (you can use your imagination). Fresh fruit and vegetables are always welcome.
Other items that would be helpful include: metal scouring pad, plastic bag dryer, clothes pin bag, sponge dish, rolling pin, very small whisk, and a citrus juice squeezer.
Please make arrangements with Reverend Vivian to drop donations by the cottage in Meadow Vista.