Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘There are three tasks that matter in this lifetime. The first task, though not the most important task, is to quiet the busyness in your mind. The second is to find your song. And the third task is to sing your song.’ (quoted in Less)

Harry Robert’s name came up quite often at Zen Center; Steve Stücky invoked him frequently, and reverentially in his talks at Tassajara – and Steve was never shy about singing his song, usually literally. Harry’s background, which Marc Lesser describes in Less as ‘Yurok Indian-trained shaman, naturalist, cowboy, and Irish curmudgeon’ seemed to align very well with the early days of Zen Center farming at Green Gulch, and the lessons he imparted are good ones, wherever you are.