A couple of years ago, I decided to cut back on the overseas travel. I reduced overseas travel by seven weeks. It was a simple initiative, namely to reduce travel from flying to four continents a year down to three continents.
I maintained my commitment to Asia (India and Israel), Europe (Germany and France), UK and Australia. I made it one trip a year to Israel instead of two, and four times a year for the short flight to Germany, rather than five. I dropped my annual visit to the USA, the fourth continent, with the flight to the Open Centre in New York and San Francisco (Spirit Rock Meditation Centre). I have many beloved friends in NYC and Spirit Rock.
The dana (donations) from the residential retreat at Spirit Rock had been for many years a financial backbone. The cost of living in the UK is much higher than in the USA. The dana from the retreatants at Spirit Rock enabled me to pay all the bills, and give some support to my daughter, a single mother, for a couple of months after I got back home. Quite of lot of Spirit Rock yogis live in the very wealthy nearby district of Marin County. I should add I was wondering whether I had been rather hasty in my decision to stop going to Spirit Rock. Yogis in Germany, who attend our retreats at modest sized retreat centres, continues to be very, very supportive.
Equal support has come from an unexpected area – the Israeli Sangha. The average age of yogis on retreats at Spirit Rock is probably in the 50’s including rather wealthy dedicated dharma practitioners who have retired. Our retreats in Israel consist of a wide age group from teens to elderly with an average age probably around 30 years.
Israel is not a cheap country. Many Israeli yogis live a very simple lifestyle, very modest homes, small, often an old car, if at all, and very little in the way of disposable income. All the retreats are run totally on dana to enable anyone with money or without money to attend. There are several Israeli dharma teachers. They also show incredible kindness and support. Three teachers and myself had a two day dharma gathering at a lovely kibbutz outside Tel Aviv and also offered the DFP. The three Israeli teachers absolutely refused to take the dana, and gave it all to myself.
The dana I received last year and this year is much the same as I received from Spirit Rock. I find the generosity in Israel very touching knowing the financial circumstances of many yogis. Yogis truly dig deep into their pockets to support myself, and the other teachers as well as Tovana’s ongoing programmes throughout the year. There is a generosity in Israel that is precious and worthy of widespread recognition.
It is not as if I tell Israelis how wonderful they are. I criticise the Israeli government, the IDF, the policies of the nation state, compulsory army service, the notion of a Jewish state when more than one million Arabs and Palestinians live in Israel, and the lack of major protest in the country. There are truly dedicated Israelis completely committed to the resolution of suffering, peace and reconciliation with the Palestinians, and the Arab world. They truly act in the spirit of the Bodhisattva. That number is painfully small. I express views and presumably risk biting the hand that feeds. The Buddha said the dharma is both pleasing and displeasing to listen to.
Israelis agree with me, disagree with me, both agree and disagree or neither. I love the dynamics of the atmosphere with Israelis. There is sometimes real heat in the Dharma hall, DFP programme or Dharma Gathering when painful issues, past or present or raised. Yet there is a vigour and honesty to the collective inquiry, and most recognise that dharma and political/social/business/environmental life have a clear relationship – though some want to keep meditation totally separate from other issues affecting our lives.
In spite of my raising painful issues, Israelis continue to invite me back every year and continue to be extremely kind and generous. Dharma centres and teachers around the world, who use different models to offer the Dharma, could learn a great deal from the model of Dharma service in Israel.
Shalom/Salaam to the Israeli Sangha.