[Open Centre] Empty mailbox, news, photos, ideas & a poem

Juha-ji sent us a fund raising idea for the OC, not a final project, but an idea/invitation.

There is Ulrika whom have made 7 postcards for the Open Centre in India, not as a
fund-raiser to sell directly, but more for people to take and send to other people, to spread
the word about the OC.

And Jessica Kerwin has sent a poem, written by Salinas.

From Jaya

We are happy to announce that we have had surprisingly easy travels with Gyan to France for the donkey yatra and across the Atlantic through Atlanta and to the Deep Rest Retreat in North Carolina, USA.
The donkey yatra was spectacular and fun.
The NC retreat was overflowing with love.  I found approximately 10 4-leaf clovers each day, and over the course of the retreat found about 5 5-leaf clovers.
The Stone House, where the NC retreat was held, was inspiring as a model for raising the same amount of money we need to raise to buy property for the Open Centre....much of the money coming by friends simply having parties and events to spread the word and raise beautiful, small amounts.
On both events, I felt, as usual, priveleged to be with such warm, genuine people who found authentic voices to speak about their own challenges and breakthroughs.  Many people who had not been on Open Dharma retreats before said they appreciated the chance to re-orient themselves towards their own practice...with more allowing, more space, more depth, more dynamism.

I gave one Dharma talk where I compiled some of my favorite "one-liners" from the past 20 years...including "It's never too late to have a happy childhood" (unknown author), "We are a flow" (Joanna Macy) and "Let everything love you" (Ajay Singh).

I feel blessed.
May all beings be free.

love,
Jaya

Gyan, Jaya & Gemma

[If you cannot see the picture, click on:  http://www.opencentre.es/newsletter/attachments/2008-07_jaya1.jpg    ]

[If you cannot see the picture, click on:  http://www.opencentre.es/newsletter/attachments/2008-07_jaya3.jpg    ]

The Stone House is a home for spiritual life and strategic action
on 70 acres of land in Mebane, NC.
It offers transformational experiences in an
atmosphere of deep spiritual life, radical hospitality,
strategic action for social justice
and sustainable relationship with the land.
We are a sanctuary for people of all traditions and no tradition, a
place of stillness that understands and values action.
Don't push the river; it flows by itself.

Dear all,

Here is an idea for fundraising money towards the open center that might
be worth thinking about. It is related to an internet social networking
site called facebook that probably everyone has already at least heard
about if they're not already on it.

Now, those familiar with facebook know that users can get various
applications (smaller programs or games that are either somehow useful,
funny or neither). A friend was recently telling me about someone who had come up with a program called: "name
analyzer". Which takes the user name and then comes up with adjectives
corresponding to the letters of the users name. So with Juha you might get
Jolly, Unmistakeble, Heroic, Alternative. This simple program gained
popularity and the person who made it was offered millions to sell it.
He decided not to sell, as he felt he could earn more just
running the program for a couple of years. The money comes from selling
advertisement space that is connected to the application.

I'm wondering if there are people in the sangha who would like to
contribute to a project like this, trying to make an application for
facebook and then if it proves popular donating money towards the
opencenter. It is a long shot, as there are many applications out there,
it would take some effort and it's difficult to know what would be
popular. Having chatted with Benoit it seems that doing something like
this can take time and work but might also offer the possibility of
earning a little income to for those involved. If you have some
programming experience or feel otherwise inspired to help let me know
via email, you can reach me at: penttila.j(at)gmail.com

Love, Juha

Hello friends,
Maybe you already saw some colors flying around in the universe, if 
not I can tell you what to look out for... I painted some pictures 
when I was in india last winter. in sarnath we made an exhibition and 
many people contributed their creativity by finding wonderful, funny 
and meaningful titles for these paintings. A friend told me that he 
likes the pictures very much and he inspired me to print them into 
postcards which would carry a little message about the open centre to 
spread the word. So while I stayed in lucknow this happened. 350 
postcards from seven different paintings are now in circulation 
all around the world. Sent by friends to friends. A tiny paper stamp 
gives them powerful wings, and I hope, some people will get to know 
about the open centre through this.
I would love to print more, so if anybody can help me with the layout, 
so that the printing would be cheaper, feel free to contact me.
lots of love
Ulrika

Jessica Kerwin has sent this poem,
written by Salinas.

All, all is affirmation.
Yes from the azure sky,
and yes, the blue of the sea,
oceans, heavens, azures,
in sea-foam and breezes,
repeat without ceasing
the one syllable joy.
One yes answers another.
Long repeated dialogues
we hear over the sea
from world to world: yes.
We read in the air
long yeses, lightning flashes,
of white storks' feathers,
like the soft snow falling,
flake by flake till the earth
is covered with one great
white yes. 'Tis the day of days.
To-day we may draw near
to that which does not speak:
to the rock and to love,
to the bone back of the brow,
they are the slaves of yes.
It is the only word
the world grants them to-day.
Soul, ask without delay,
seize the great
madness of a moment,
ask for impossible things,
ask for with shouts to-day,
the things you asked for
many times and often
in silence.
Certain that for one day
—to-day, only for to-day—
all the "nos" were untrue,
were innocent delays
and appearances.
Sure that there was behind,
slowly ripening, in proportion
to this eager desire
which asked for it in vain,
the great rapture, yes.

Todo dice que sí
Sí del cielo, lo azul,
y sí, lo azul del mar,
mares, cielos, azules
con espumas y brisas,
júbilos monosílabos
repiten sin parar.
Un sí contesta sí
a otro sí. Grandes diálogos
repetidos se oyen
por encima del mar
de mundo a mundo: sí.
Se leen por el aire
largos síes, relámpagos
de plumas de cigüeña,
tan de nieve que caen,
copo a copo, cubriendo
la tierra de un enorme,
blanco sí. Es el gran día.
Podemos acercarnos
hoy a lo que no habla:
a la peña, al amor,
al hueso tras la frente:
son esclavos del sí.
Es la sola palabra
que hoy les concede el mundo.
¡Alma, pronta, a pedir,
a aprovechar la máxima
locura momentánea,
a pedir esas cosas
imposibles, pedidas,
calladas, tantas veces,
tanto tiempo, y gue hoy
pediremos a gritos!
Seguros por un día
—hoy, nada más que hoy—
de que los "no" eran falsos,
apariencias, retrasos,
cortezas inocentes.
Y que estaba detrás,
despacio, madurándose,
al compás de este ansia
que lo pedia en vano,
la gran delicia: el sí.

Thank you all for your attention and thank you for doing the noble work.
From the OC newsletter team, Iris.