A Continuous Thread: Weaving the Ancient Brocade
In this intimate Wednesday night Dharma talk during the Winter Practice Period, Sensei Wendy Johnson weaves together themes of resilience, renewal, and radical engagement through the metaphor of a well-worn Buddhist robe. Beginning with acknowledgment of current global challenges – from earthquakes in Tibet to environmental crises – she explores how we meet these “dragon times” with authentic practice. Drawing from the legacy of Bernie Glassman and the Zen Peacemakers tradition, Wendy illuminates how Buddhist practice becomes a form of engaged peacemaking. She shares personal stories about her own robe, transformed from threadbare to renewed by careful mending, as a metaphor for how we repair our world. Throughout, we are reminded of the importance of welcoming difficulty while maintaining deep practice, suggesting that true Buddhist engagement requires both wisdom and radical compassion.