Dear Friends of One House of Peace,
As many of you might know, Walter Makichen, a mentor and beloved friend of mine, has passed. His transition was quiet, and his death made no less of a lasting impression upon me than all he shared while he had form. I am grateful beyond words that I had the opportunity to be in Portland for his passage. Walter has been one of the single most influential people I have ever had the honor of knowing. Over the last twelve years, he has assisted my practice steadfastly, and his clarity and wisdom continue to light my path. Most of all, I have been deeply effected by his ability to understand others, a gift that will inform my own practice and teaching forever.
Walter told me once that he had wanted to write a book entitled, "Staring Death in the Face." To me, a sincere spiritual practice does just that. It faces squarely the world that we have created though the illusion of our separateness and it invites - or perhaps at times more aptly requires - us to let it go. Committing to practice allows us to release our propensity to cling to anything and everything: to circumstance, to others, to what we 'know,' to our own identities, to life itself. When we sit with and disengage from the ego's screams of ownership over life, we are given Life with a capital "L." Liberation lies beyond our addiction to grasping.
In order to experience this liberation, we must be willing to explore the unknown. It is the ego that idealizes comfort, security and consistency, and creates the illusion of reliability in a transient reality. Spiritual practice teaches us that it is possible to have a different relationship with life - one in which the ego is not our guide. A life governed by consciousness and ruled by compassion.
For One House of Peace, this has been a time of exploring the unknown and a time of faith. While in Portland, the shared experiences with Walter have affected my practice deeply, and as my own practice expands, so must One House of Peace. It has become clear that we have outgrown the beautiful home where our vision of a center for consciousness began. The time has come forOne House of Peace to take new form. Although the details of this evolution are unknown, one first step toward this growth is expanding awareness practice to venues in Portland and beyond. (For those on the East Coast, our next workshop is in Charlottesville, VA, on April 2nd and on April 3rd we'll be offering a fundraiser for those in need in Japan).
In addition to One House of Peace workshops, I intend to focus on writing about spiritual practice over the next several months. Especially in light of the recent tragedy in Japan, it is an important time to remember who we are - to be clear about our fundamental interconnection. It is an important time to make decisions based on that awareness and to live what we believe.
One House of Peace will continue to serve the Sacramento community on a regular basis. In April we'll be hosting our Spring Bazaar; May 1st we'll have an all day workshop at the Yoga Seed Collective; and we are already looking forward to our long-weekend retreat in July. More information will be sent soon regarding these and other upcoming events.
As those who have been on this mailing list since the birth of One House of Peace might recall, the word 'One' entered the title with the vision that this center of consciousness would be one of many, while also referencing the more metaphysical fact that we all are indeed 'one.' Were money no object, the current Sacramento location would continue with its regular sitting schedule as the organization expands, but we are not in a financial position that makes this possible at this point in time. Though we are grateful to our handful of monthly sponsors, our current arrangement would not allow us to keep the doors open without the funds raised through our usual means. I am open to ideas on how to foster a regular sitting schedule so please share your thoughts!
I am still available for private consultations, which have begun via Skype with those who have been on-going students. Should private consultations interest you, please contact registration@onehouseofpeace.org soon, as there are only a few spaces available for the rest of this month and early April. No practice experience is required to enroll in the consultation program.
I will continue to keep you posted as One House of Peace evolves. Without your participation, we would not exist. Your loyal support is valued, and, as always, all forms of support are appreciated. Your support made it possible for us to facilitate a very successful workshop to a class of sophomores at Sacramento High School on the first of this month. It also allowed for an informative meeting with an Oakland based mindfulness organization and a One House of Peace grant-writer as we officially launch our new 'Peace in the Schools' program. Next week One House of Peace will be meeting with the director of Clackamas County Family Court Services where we will soon be offering a workshop to the staff. Thank you for your dedication to what we do. Again, without your support, this would not be possible.
I look forward to practicing with you again soon.
Gassho.
In Peace,
Caverly and One House of Peace
