Gold in the Midst of Fire - Worksho[ on Buddhism and Activism

17 Nov 2012

Windhorse, in collaboration with Malaprops and Urban Dharma, is proud to announce a talk and workshop on November 16 and 17 with David Loy, the well-known and prolific author on such topics as ecology, psychoanalysis, philosophy, and in particular on the confrontation between Buddhism and Western modernity. An authorized Zen teacher in the Sanbo Kyodan lineage, David is a close relative in the dharma, having trained under both Yamada Koun-roshi and Robert Aitken-roshi. He began his practice in 1971 with a sesshin led by Yamada-roshi, a first step that would eventually lead to intensive full-time practice under the same teacher in Kamakura, Japan in 1984 . Having completed his training in the formal koan curriculum in 1988, he received the dharma name Tetsu’un, meaning “Wisdom Cloud.”
Along with his years of Zen training, David Loy also brings to his written work an exceptional academic background, having worked as a scholar and professor of Buddhism and comparative philosophy in various universities all around the world. His most recent book is The World is Made of Stories, a provocative collection of essays on the personal and social narratives that constitute our society and our own identities. Following up on the project he began in 1996 with Lack and Transcendence: The Problem of Death and Life in Psychotherapy, Existentialism, and Buddhism, he locates and examines the ways in which we collectively attempt to find a ground for what the Buddha taught is totally groundless – the self.
As a Zen teacher, David is aware that mere intellectual engagement with ideas and theories cannot, of itself, bring about deep change, in an individual or the world. He calls for direct social action to confront the diseases of our contemporary world, a “Buddhist revolution” that goes beyond the quietistic tendencies of Buddhism’s heritage. David makes a strong case that not only must Buddhism teach the West how to turn inwards and discover its true nature, but the West much also teach Buddhism how to turn outwards and change the world.
If you’re interested in investigating the deeper intersections between spirituality, psychology, and the social-political world we live in, mark these two November days on your calendar and register as soon as possible.

Beginning Saturday morning at 9:45 AM, David and the Windhorse teachers will be collaboratively hosting a workshop entitled “The Alchemy of Zen.” We’ll break for lunch at 11:45 (bring a lunch or head to one of the nearby restaurants—some of us will definitely be eating at Thai Basil across the street). The workshop will start up again at 1:00, with closing at 3:30. Suggested donation is $30. We expect quite a lot of interest and space may well be limited, so don’t be left out in the cold!

To register in advance, please send a check to 580 Panther Branch, Alexander, NC 28701

Contact: windhorse@windhorsezen.org