Steward Council Meeting 04/30/2026 10:00 am at HoA

From John Yukimura:

Hola All,

During a recent conversation I had with Robert Thietz, he mentioned that the Steward Council was soliciting input from members for their views on how the Heart of Awareness should be responding to the current state of affairs and how we should move forward.
I’m sorry I missed the brainstorming meeting last week but I would like to offer some of my thoughts.

First of all, I heard there was some concern about a drop in participation at HoA. Much of that, I believe, is likely due to seasonal fluctuations, since this is typically the hottest and most uncomfortable time of the year as well as the season that so-called “Snow Birds” return to their homes up north. As a result, we should not over-react. As long as we have a core group that participates and values what we do, who feel strong in their own practice and commitment, our presence will be felt in Ajijic and attract those with whom the teachings and practices resonate. The greater danger is feeling we need to be evangelical by providing unrelated entertaining and exciting activities to attract people, and in the process, lose the core focus of the Dharma. Yes, there are reports of some who have either been long term members of HoA and who have decided that the changes here are not to their liking. And there are others who have shown interest briefly and then left because HoA was not providing something they were looking for. This is inevitable. As has been acknowledged, HoA cannot be everything to everyone.

Secondly, unlike many other spiritual organizations, we are specifically working with desire (the Second Noble Truth!). And this should provide a different context around our desires of what we wish HoA to be. There is nothing wrong with companionship and camaraderie on the path, but it should support and not distract from our search for what is true. It is worth remembering that taking refuge in the dharma is not so much about finding shelter as it is about choosing to become a refugee, leaving behind the warm and fuzzy to live an authentic life free of grasping aversion and delusion.

Finally, as noted before, we are an eclectic group that has come together from a variety of different backgrounds as well as having different levels of exposure to teachings and practice. This can be a source of strength. I would offer a metaphor: I believe the sangha should be like a vessel to hold a space within which allows each of us as individuals to work with the teachings and to work out our individual karma. It is within this space that our beliefs are challenged, that our curiosity, sparked. In order to honor the space within, we should aim to fashion our sangha vessel in a way that is stable, dependable, equanimous by which I mean strong with the core teachings of the Buddha and as free from bias toward one or another specific tradition. We have a unique opportunity here to do that.

Each of the world’s various Buddhist traditions have blossomed within specific ethnic, cultural and temporal conditions. A lot of what has become known as Buddhism, are beliefs, rituals and practices that have allowed Buddhadharma to exist within those cultures. More than ever before, we have access by books, teachers, videos to the multiplicity of those different approaches to Dharma. That multiplicity can be confusing but, at the same time, it can provide us with a unique opportunity to distill the core insights of the Buddha along with insights that inevitably follow. This is what I would wish, that we build our sangha on discriminating awareness wisdom that can separate biases from what is essential. Our population in Ajijic is generally older, closer to death, less prone to be distracted by concerns of career or family. We have the time and mental space to pursue the deeper questions of life and existence and what better place is there for us than Heart of Awareness to provide the cauldron for that to happen.

Gracias por escuchando,
John Yukimura