Synopsis for the December meeting

      The meeting began with a discussion on the meaning of the term Gateless Gate. Consensus was reached that it did not refer to an actual gate or metaphor of a restriction which is intended as an exclusionary barrier to enlightenment. Rather it is intended to act as a Koan, in that it confuses the ordinary linear thought process so that a person must come to understand "practice" as a process rather than a place or thing. The term "gate" referring to the activity of a  meditative practice while the negation, "gateless," points, not to a barrier but rather an activity that is open and available to all.
      We moved on to discussing what Beck was referring to by the phrase "cut-off-point." The group concluded that it was the point, in the process of being present to the moment-as-it-is, where we "hit the wall" so to speak, in our attempt to be non-judgmental, compassionate, or equanimous. It is the point at which we become "cut-off" from Wisdom. The Wisdom which spontaneously arises out of a practice that nurtures a present-moment recognition that we are not separate entities. The Wisdom that informs an awareness of the illusory nature of the ego or self, and how attachment to these ideas makes an openness of heart difficult to achieve.
      We talked about how focusing deeply on our own death and physical disintegration can be a powerful object for any meditative practice because it leads to an enhanced conscious awareness of impermanence and contingent-arising. It can be the great equalizer and in this way nurtures the posture of compassion.
      Everyone was very moved by Mary Ann's latest poem which I am honored to reproduce below.
             Passing Ports to Freedom
Born under a full moon,
underneath a July star-filled night,
a no self comes to earth to learn about life.
In the process a self germinates, I get a name.
I attach to a mother, a father, a sister, a brother.


Shapes and sounds appear in my small world.
All the while I am still building a self,
one that will transport me outside to the larger world.
I learn to make tears, smile, make sounds, play with my toes,
watch movement, giggle, and sleep.
I get used to being in warm, nurturing arms.


All parts of me are coming to life,
like a night sky where one star at a time shines a light.
I find ways to use my hands, my feet, mouth, my arms and legs.
I grow in length and width. I get more animated each day, month, year.
I have a host of friends who help me sculpture my self along the way.
I have grown a self before I know it.


With my self comes attachment to everyone and everything in my world.
Comes fears, joy, love, hate, sadness, loss, gain, needs, disappointment;
even a growing buildup of a solid foundation.
All of this unfolding sends me soaring into a self-perpetuating cocoon of belonging.


The belonging cocoon emerges into a butterfly one day, without knowing.
It knows that the self is temporary; is boundless and formless.
And, one day, night, formless twilight, raging sunrise, whatever appears,
it will pass through this self into a no self to regain its passport to freedom.
Emerging into all, the no self creates again and again like a star in the universe.
Light out of darkness.


      We all thank you, Mary Ann, for your beautiful poems and your consistent support as a faithful member of our little group. (I was forced to make a couple very minor editorial choices where I was unsure of the intended punctuation. My apologies.)


Next Meeting: We will meet again on January 15th at Ginny and Claudine's
Next Assignment: Section IV
                  Have a safe and happy Christmas holiday!