I had always intended to write the story of how I arrived at and took my bodhisattva vow.  I hoped my story would serve as an offering, to inspire others to follow their own deep wisdom in creating their unique vision for a path of service.  Twelve and a half years later, a recent request from Alexander, a spiritual friend discovered through a shared retreat experience, was the spark that reignited the aliveness in me to put pen to paper now.  A heartfelt, white owl thank you, Alexander. May this story be fuel to fan the flame in you and others to take up your version of this path with joy and conviction.

I distinctly remember the day my teacher, the Reverend Daijaku, gave me my dharma name. It never occurred to me that I might receive one, and she presented it with her usual calm, wise demeanor as we sat in her small office in San Francisco for one of our weekly meetings as I prepared to take a formal bodhisattva vow. Joryu Myosei. Quiet dragon, luminous vow. I was speechless. I was more than a little bit in awe that she saw and understood me so deeply and thoroughly and that she had managed to capture my essence perfectly in four characters, representing two ideas.

When a community comes together with the shared intention to slow down, to tune in, and to transform in some way – be it through receiving something that was needed or timely, letting go of something that no longer served, or opening to a new experience entirely – magic arises and weaves its way through all of us.  Every time.  At least that’s my experience of being on retreat.   And it was certainly my experience of my last retreat, led by my dear friend and teacher, Riyaz Motan, at Land of Medicine Buddha this past April.