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May -16th Saturday Afternoon
12:30-2:45 PM
Crestone Interfaith Gathering 2009
Saturday Interfaith Gathering Presentation 2
Shumei International Institute – Alan A. Imai (Executive Director)
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Good afternoon and thank you all for coming to celebrate seven years in Crestone with us. As many of you know I travel quite a lot. It is not unusual that I might visit 4 continents in one month’s time, but at least once a month I always return to Crestone. I have come to be very grateful for this monthly return. Crestone seems so far away from Zambia or Japan or Los Angeles, but at the same time something happens when I return here that I’d like to share with you here today.
One thing is a certain humility I feel when I look out at this vast view of the San Luis Valley and realize how tiny I am. Another is a thought that often crosses my mind when I get to the dry and dusty roads here in Crestone. I notice the dust that is disturbed by our driving and I see all the pinion pine trees that line many of the roads on the way here. I think about how the trees immediately alongside the road catch much of the dust. Then how the ones immediately behind those catch some more making the trees behind them a little more comfortable. 20 or 30 meters off the road the trees have filtered all of the dust and the air there is clean once again. The trees and the plants, animals and insects are all left to enjoy the clean filtered air and so are we. Nature is working together for our happiness.
Then I realize that this is not just a passive one way exchange. It is not simply that the trees and nature are working for my happiness. My realization of what is happening when I pay attention and the gratitude I feel for returning to this place is part of my giving. I realize the trees and the nature are not just quietly watching but that they are working together and giving out a healing energy. And in my gratitude and attention I am also giving. I feel I am not just a silent observer, but that I am an active part of this nature and this exchange of energy here.
I mentioned that Crestone can seem to be so far away from Africa or Japan or Los Angeles where I live. Then there is the humility of how small I am in this vast landscape. Yet when I realize this exchange of energy and that I am not separate from nature I feel very connected to nature and people, who are a part of nature, all around the world. I call this sense of connectedness “Oneness” and I always talk about this sense to all of our international tour groups shortly after their arrival in Crestone.
We can talk about peace on earth and we can use terms like world citizenship to describe a sense of connectedness, but there is no substitute for experiencing this sense for ourselves and carrying it into the world. I think Crestone has the power to clearly teach us through this experience. I want to thank Hanne Strong for her vision in bringing so many of together here in this remote and beautiful place and the Manitou Foundation for granting the land that we are gathered together upon today.
I understand that many of the people who will speak and sing and share poems and prayers from their traditions with us at this afternoon’s interfaith gathering have also been meeting for more than 3 years now as the Crestone Spiritual Alliance. I have heard that beginning late last year the Crestone Spiritual Alliance has begun a dialogue meeting apart from the more business and issue oriented meetings. I am so pleased to know that this is happening. I think it is on one hand a manifestation of Hanne’s vision of bringing us together in this place. I also think that, like my awareness of the exchange of energy that is taking place when I am here, that conscious communication and exploration of our commonalities and our differences between such extraordinary people and tradition’s is very important to our work toward world peace.
I want to finish by taking just a moment to look and listen, to breathe in and feel the energy of this wonderful place and each other’s presence here as part of that energy. Eyes open or eyes closed, it doesn’t matter, but do please open your heart. Let’s take a moment right now.
Thank you for all of your work for, and awareness of, peace in the world. Thank you Meishusama, thank you Kaicho Sensei for joining us today and thank you all for welcoming Shumei into this community.
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