Raising Awareness For The Benefit of Others
Feb 13th, 2012 by Joe Roissier
The saga of the poor boy from southern China continues. In this installment, the front-runner for the robes and Dharma, Shen Shiu, writes his stanza on the wall of the monastery anonymously, like so much graffiti in an attempt to hedge his bet to see if the Abbott will approve of his effort before owing up to authorship – Find out what the Abbott has to say.
Feb 6th, 2012 by Joe Roissier
Fear – It’s What We Live On
It’s the thing that motivates us most. From the time we wake up in the morning and experience that sinking feeling until we put our head on the pillow in the evening, fear is often the flames scorching our collective back sides. Have you ever ascended from the depths of a profound sleep and maybe a pleasant dream to be jolted into waking by the alarm clock? You quickly grasp that you have to confront another day, and realize that you might be unable or unwilling to face down your fears. But we get up and slog onward for fear of being late for work and losing our jobs, fearing traffic conditions and relations with co-workers. Fearing dealings with family and friends and playing out the worst-case scenarios in order to be “prepared”.
Just pause for a moment before you get out of bed and start your day. What, exactly, is it that you fear? What are the origins of the existential malaise that so many of us feel as a chronic condition? Buddhism teaches us that our emotions, fear being the most prominent and frequent among them, are simply fabrications of our ego and result from an obsession with the “me” or the “I” that we all believe is the center of our universe. This is the origin of our fear.
Jan 10th, 2012 by Joe Roissier
Many people ask me – “What is Buddhism?” and “why do you practice it?” It’s often more helpful for me to answer these questions by explaining what Buddhism is NOT. It is not an organized religion in which practitioners worship an omnipotent, omniscient supreme being. This is one of its greatest strengths. Look at any newspaper front page and notice at all the suffering caused by “Organized Religion.” Buddhism is a design for living a life in the present moment while we are alive and walking on this earth. It’s lack of central organization, dogma and law has been one of the reasons for its acceptance in many different countries. It has the flexibiity to be assimilated by many different cultures since its basic tenets deal with the basic truths and reality of our mundane existence.
Another way to look at Buddhism is to look at those things of which it is “free”
1. Buddhism is free of fear – No one is telling you you “must” do anything. The Buddha is not a vengeful deity who punishes those who disobey his laws. In fact, Buddhism is distinctly free of any “law.” The Buddha is a human being just like us, who left behind teachings that are useful for us in ending the suffering inherent in our existence. There is no doctrine or dogma and Buddhists are encouraged to reconcile tenets of the practice with reason and logic. Practitioners must bend their system of beliefs to fit the facts, not vice-versa. So if a teaching does not square
with your reason, don’t reject it out of hand, just set it aside for a while and study it, contemplate it. If you cannot reconcile it with reason and logic, then toss it out.
Nov 30th, 2011 by Joe Roissier
Here is the next installment in the saga of the 6th Patriarch, Hui Neng. I’ve added a few things to this chapter that are new, and would appreciate any feedback on this.
Oct 11th, 2011 by Joe Roissier
These next few posts will contain the Platform Sutra or the story of Hui Neng, the 6th patriarch of Zen Buddhism. It is a story that contains the cornerstones of our practice and laid the foundation for subsequent teachers of the path to enlightenment. We’re working with a new video medium that tells the story in words, pictures and sounds in a documentary style. The text for this sutra can be found here if you wish to print it out to read along. I suggest that you watch each chapter more than once and let the images and spoken words tell this amazing story.
This is the first of 6 chapters that have been organized to provide the viewer with insight into how Hui Neng came to his calling. Each chapter tells of a specific incident or epiphany that came upon him as he made the journey from “illiterate barbarian” to the keeper of the robes and the Dharma. We hope you enjoy this and we welcome your comments and questions.
Sep 5th, 2011 by Joe Roissier
Saturday, September 24th, 2011, starting at 9:00am, Thay Joe Roissier of the Dai Dang Meditation Center, will host a community service event at the Fallbrook Public Library. The program will consist of 3 activities:
1. Zen Meditation Class
What is this thing called Zen? What does it mean? How do we meditate? All of these questions will be answered and you will leave the class with a basic knowledge of how to sit and bring your mind into tranquility and stillness. We will talk about the benefits of meditating for our mind and body and learn ways to apply the method in our daily lives.
2. Support Group for People Living with Cancer
This group is for people who have cancer and for their caregivers. We will follow the topic: “Living Constructively with Cancer.”
How has cancer changed our lives and the lives of our families? Do we have to give up everything we did in our lives before the onset of the illness? How much should we let go? We will ask that participants stay on the subject and share with us how they’ve coped with the disease and if possible, how they’ve triumphed and learned to live a better life, post-cancer.
3. Journal and Literature Discussion Session
We’ve often been encouraged by professionals to keep a journal or diary of our thoughts and emotions as we deal with the physical and psychological turmoil caused by cancer. But how do we do this? Is it merely jotting down our random thoughts and is this journal just for our own personal satisfaction? We may or may not want to share any of this with others, and we understand why. However, if any participants feel strongly about their emotional progress in overcoming the challenges we face as people living with cancer, this is the forum in which to share it.
Aside from our personal writings, bloggings or diary entries, we also encourage you to bring samples or excerpts of literature already published that are relevant to this discussion. There are many good books on this topic that range from well-researched non-fiction(“The Emperor of All Maladies” by Siddhartha Mukherjee) to critical treatise on the social reactions to the disease (“Illness as Metaphor” by Susan Sontag) to deeply personal memoir (“A Whole New Life” by Reynolds Price).
There are also poems and song lyrics that might address relevant topics and we suggest that you bring these to recite and share with the group. In short, this part of the morning is a chance for us all to engage in a catharsis through the written and spoken word and to unburden our souls in a group of compassionate comrades in arms. Join us.
Location: 124 South Mission Road, Fallbrook CA 92028. The new Fallbrook Public Library is part of the San Diego County system and was just completed in April of this year. We use the modern community center which employs all the latest in audio/visual technology in a very comfortable setting.
Who Should Attend: The meditation class is open to anyone, regardless of health status. The remaining two sessions are for those who have or have had cancer and their caregivers. We ask that all attendees respect this distinction.
Facilitators/Moderators: Joseph Roissier (aka Thay Dang Giac) is a Zen Buddhist monk, cancer survivor, and full time resident of
the Dai Dang Meditation Center. For more info on his background, click on the “About” tab above and watch the video included in this post.
Note: We strive to maintain a neutral approach regarding Buddhism or any other religion. However, there are basic tenets of the Buddhist practice that are inseperable from the techniques of Zen meditation. Also, the entire class is completely free of charge but we gratefully accept donations. All proceeds go to the benefit of the Dai Dang Meditation Center, a California 5013c Non-Profit Organization.
What: An introduction to meditation open to all, regardless of health status followed by a group discussion to support open communication in a structured, compassionate community of people whose lives have been affected by cancer. This is followed by a free vegan lunch at the Dai Dang Meditation Center.
Where: At the Community Center of the Fallbrook Public Library 124 S. Mission Road, Fallbrook, CA 92028. The free vegan lunch
is offered at the Dai Dang Meditation Center 6326 Camino Del Rey, Bonsall CA, a 15 minute drive from the Fallbrook Library.
Why: To develop awareness of meditation practice and the positive effects on our well-being for the community at large and for those living with Cancer. The Dai Dang Meditation center wishes to foster a sense of community in the local area and to provide compassionate support for those in need.
Who: Sponsored by the monastic community at Dai Dang Meditation Center, and supported by a group of professional psychologists who have treated the emotional and psychological effects of the disease and who have run cancer support groups for patients from all walks of life. Our order of monks originated in Vietnam and is known as The Vietnamese Buddhist Meditation Congregation. Click here for more information.
When: The third or fourth Saturday of each month. Our inaugural event will take place starting Saturday, August 20th, 2011 at 9:00 am ending at 10:30 am. We have events scheduled for September 24th and October 29th. Lunch is included after each session and begins at 11:30 at the Dai Dang Meditation Center. See agenda below.
Who Should Attend: People in all walks of life who are interested in a regular meditation practice to develop inner peace and to get in touch with their true selves by finding that base of tranquility that lies deep within us all. The support group in the second half of the program is for people who are currently being treated for cancer, who were patients and now cancer free, or for those who provide care for a cancer patient.
Please Note: Although we are a Buddhist Organization, this is a strictly non-sectarian activity. Further, while donations are graciously accepted, they will not be solicited.
Since we have to plan for space and dining facilities, please RSVP to tdanggiac@gmail.com and we will confirm your place.
Agenda
9:00 am - Introduction to Dai Dang Meditation Center
9:15 am - Meditation Instruction – Q&A
9:30 am - Meditation Session
9:45 am - Cancer Support Group
10:30 am – Closing Remarks, Q & A, Surveys
11:30 - Free Vegan Lunch at Dai Dang Meditation Center
Discussion Topic – The Effects of Cancer on Our Self-Image
Joseph Roissier/Thay Dang Giac
Joseph Roissier is an ordained Buddhist monk and full time member of the monastic community at the Dai Dang Meditation Center. He was ordained Thich Dang Giac (Light of Awareness in Vietnamese) in Dalat, Vietnam in January of 2010 and resides full time at the monastery in Bonsall. A survivor of prostate cancer himself, Mr. Roissier continues to be treated at UCSD Moores Cancer Center and works through the meditation center to sponsor these training session and support groups. He holds Dharma discussions at Dai Dang every Sunday that are open to the general public. Prior to becoming a monk, Mr. Roissier was a lecturer at RMIT International University in Vietnam, and worked for many years in the telecommunications business establishing companies in Western Europe, Asia and North America.
What: A half day of meditation, communication and support in a structured, compassionate community of people whose lives have been affected by cancer.
Where: At the Dai Dang Meditation Center. 6326 Camino Del Rey, Bonsall California, 30 mi. north of San Diego (Click here for map)
The Entrance to Dai Dang Meditation Center
Who: Sponsored by the monastic community at Dai Dang Meditation Center, and supported by a group of professional psychologists who have treated the emotional and psychological effects of the disease and who have run cancer support groups for patients from all walks of life. Our order of monks originated in Vietnam and is known as The Vietnamese Buddhist Meditation Congregation. Click here for more information. See profiles of participants below.
When: The last Sunday of each month. Our inagural event will take place starting Saturday, June 25th, 2011 at 10:00 am ending at 1:00 pm. Lunch is included. See agenda below.
Who Should Attend: People who are currently being treated for cancer, who were patients and now cancer free, or for those who provide care for a cancer patient.
Please Note: Although this event is held at our Buddhist Monastery, this is a strictly non-sectarian activity. Further, while donations are graciously accepted, they will not be solicited.
Since we have to plan for space and dining facilities, please RSVP to tdanggiac@gmail.com and we will confirm your place.
Agenda
10:00 – Orientation and Introduction
10:15 – Meditation Instruction – Q&A 
10:30 – Meditation Session
11:00 – Walking Meditation
11:30 – Silent Vegan Lunch
12:00 – Group Discussion – Cancer and Communication
1:00 – Close
Discussion Topic – Cancer and Communication
The cancer patient and their caregivers have many challeneges in communicating their situation to those who are what we might call “healthy.” How do we gauge the level of detail anyone wants to hear about our condition? Do we tell a different story to casual acquaintances than we do to relatives and close friends? What is the standard “press release” if you will, that we can communicate to the outside world so they are informed, yet not alarmed and to what extent should we speak in positive terms so that we stay focused on the present moment and maintain hope for the future?
Many patients and caregivers may face this dilemma by painting an optimistic picture that serves two purposes; it lets others feel that everything is OK, even if it isn’t, and it helps us to stay on the bright side, in the hopes that a positive attitude will help our own emotional state to improve. While this is often true, our culture has a strong bias against anything that may appear negative or pessimistic and we often feel pressured to tell our well-wishing friends that all is well and that we’re going to get better. We want to be realistic with ourselves and others, yet we have an innate human tendency to hold on to hope and to sustain life at all costs. This discussion will help us to resolve this conflict.
Another facet of this issue is communicating with our doctors. How do we tell them that we just aren’t buying their diagnosis? How do we go about getting the second opinion if we feel that there are treatments out there that would help us, but with which our doctor is unfamiliar? Cancer professionals, being specialists, often get tunnel vision. The radiation oncologist will often tell you that radiation is imperative, while the medical oncologist will maintain that the radiation will cause problems and that chemotherapy is the answer. How do we communicate with our medical care providers to resolve these paradoxes?
Our group discussion for this day will cover these topics and will also give both patients and caregivers a confidential forum in which to express their deepest anxieties and fears about the illness with the support from a compassionate group of peers and professionals who have overcome the illness or previously worked with those affected by it.
The Monks of Dai Dang in a walking meditation ceremony
Further, the meditation session is taught by Dr. Regina Huelsenbeck (see profile below) an experienced practitioner and instructor of Mindfulness Meditation with a professional practice in the Carmel Valley and Encinitas. The discussion groups will be moderated by professionals and monastics with many years of experience in planning and running discussion groups and therapy sessions for people with cancer.
Please come and join us for a half day on the beautiful, serene grounds of the Dai Dang Meditation Center in an open forum with others who walk the same path toward a deeper understanding of this condition that affects so many of us and those we know and love.
Joseph Roissier/Thay Dang Giac
We grow some of our own food here and we keep to a vegan diet. Join us for lunch!
Joseph Roissier is an ordained Buddhist monk and full time member of the monastic community at the Dai Dang Meditation Center. He was ordained Thich Dang Giac (Light of Awareness in Vietnamese) in Dalat, Vietnam in January of 2010 and resides full time at the monastery in Bonsall. A survivor of prostate cancer himself, Mr. Roissier continues to be treated at UCSD Moores Cancer Center and works through the meditation center to sponsor these Days of Awareness. He holds Dharma discussions at Dai Dang every Sunday that are open to the general public. Prior to becoming a monk, Mr. Roissier was a lecturer at RMIT International University in Vietnam, and worked for many years in the telecommunications business establishing companies in Western Europe, Asia and North America.
Dr. Regina Huelsenbeck
Dr. Huelsenbeck has a wide range of clinical and research experience with many different types of problems. She specializes in working mindfully with individuals who are transitioning through some of life’s greatest challenges such as living with a chronic or terminal illness like cancer, or overcoming a debilitating depression.
Dr. Huelsenbeck is a cancer survivor herself and completed her doctoral research on the trauma of living with cancer.
She began her graduate training in clinical psychology eleven years ago with Pepperdine University. After completing her Masters degree in clinical psychology, Dr. Huelsenbeck then completed two years of clinical internships with community mental health centers where she worked with children, adolescents, and adults.
She moved to San Diego where she completed two additional clinical internships, one of which was a specialized trauma internship with UCSD helping women suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She also authored a chapter on the psychological experience of living through the trauma of cancer for the book “Hope Begins in the Dark”, by NEWSWEEK journalist Jamie Reno. Dr. Huelsenbeck was also the founder of the Mindfulness task force group within the San Diego Psychological Association.
Currently, Dr. Huelsenbeck is in private practice in San Diego Carmel Valley and Encinitas under the supervision of Dr. Carrie Jaffe. Additionally, she leads a free mindfulness meditation cancer support group sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the David Blackburn Wings of Care program at the Pacific Oncology and Hematology clinic in Encinitas, CA.
Thay Dang Huy
Formerly known as Tam Tran, Thich Dang Huy (Brilliant Light) has been a member of the Dai Dang Monastic community for 7 years. Born and raised in Saigon, Thich Dang Huy studied at the Hahneman University in Philadephia and graduated with a degree in develpomental psychology. He mentors Mr. Roissier in organizing and running Dharma discussion groups and meditation sessions on Sundays at Dai Dang Meditation Center.
Apr 14th, 2011 by Joe Roissier
What have we inherited from our ancestors and what will we pass down to succeeding generations? When most of us think about this question, we think about money or some other form of material wealth. There is value in passing financial assets and a sense of stability down to our children, but what does this really do for them?
I delivered the eulogy at my fathers memorial service seven years ago, and I recall reminiscing about the things he did for me. He did buy me a car when I was 17, and he did support me well until my third year in college. I developed a sense of entitlement as a result of his generosity, and felt abandonded when he told me that he had three other kids to educate and that, henceforth, I was on my own financially. I was forced to pay for my own educaton and support myself for two years in Boston, an expensive place to live and study.
Through a combination of part time jobs and student loans, I did finish with a BA, and a sense of independence and self-reliance that ended up being more valuable than any sum of money that my Dad could have passed on. This may seem like a rationale for a situation I couldn’t change, but sometimes we need to rationalize to get through the day. Moreover, adversity teaches us important lessons. We need to appreciate the hard-earned wisdom and wealth that can’t be measured in dollars and cents.
Mar 19th, 2011 by Joe Roissier
