Racine's Buddhist community welcomes two new abbots as Tony and Linda Somlai step up
By LEE B. ROBERTS
Journal Times | Posted: Friday, December 14, 2007 12:00 am
At the close of their Buddha's Enlightenment ceremonies on Dec. 9, the community of Racine's Original Root Zen Center stood together and recited these Four Great Vows of Buddhism:
* Sentient beings are numberless, we vow to help them all.
* The 10 directions are infinite, we vow great effort.
* Wherever suffering is present, we vow to be a refuge.
* Wherever disturbance exists, we vow to be a vehicle of peace and love.
What took place, both before and after, was a great celebration that not only honored the philosopher Buddha's enlightenment to these vows more than 2,500 years ago, but the awakening of all minds to be truly present toward gratitude, love, compassion and helping. For Tony and Linda Somlai, it was also a celebration of growth and change, not only for themselves but for their family and the Buddhist community they have led for the last 16 years.
The Somlais, who both grew up in Racine, have served as abbots at the Original Root Zen Center since they founded it in 1991. On Sunday, they passed on those positions of leadership to two new abbots - one of whom is their son, Mathew Somlai. The other is Holly Johnson. Both Mathew, 34, and Johnson, 35, are senior reverend teachers with the Zen Center.
While this change in leadership is a major one for the center, which is housed in the East Building on the DeKoven Center grounds, it is also a very natural progression for this community which has seen strong growth in numbers in recent years, especially among young families.
"More and more younger people have been coming to the center, looking for a community to connect with," said Tony, who along with Linda will now serve as Master Teachers with the ORZC.
What they find at the Original Root Zen Center is an Americanized version of Buddhist teachings ‑ with roots in China, India, Japan and Korea - that they can use in their day-to-day lives, he said.
"Our focus is on community, which is a little different than the usual Buddhist teachings," Tony explained. "Because of the Monastic traditions of Buddhism, the sense of community is not as well developed in some Buddhist practices. At the center, we want people to be able to learn skills and apply them to their every day life."
Coming home
Johnson, her husband, Mike, and their 14-month old daughter, Ami, make up one of those families who have chosen Buddhism as their life path. It was at the Zen Center, in fact, that Johnson met her husband. And it was there that her family watched as Johnson and Mathew Somlai were showered with flower petals during their installation ceremony as new abbots.
"Great Love - Great Compassion - Only Helping," chanted the community surrounding them as they threw the petals, vowing to support their new abbots in their efforts to nourish the love and compassion of the community.
"The Zen Center has always felt like home to me," said Johnson, a writer and stay-at-home mom who has been a part of the community for 11 years. "From the second time I came here, I knew I wanted to be a Buddhist."
In her new role as abbot, Johnson said she is looking forward to taking on more of the day-to-day operations of the Zen Center - such as leading retreats and daily practices - and helping give members of the community spiritual guidance and direction.
"With the kind of gifts I have in my life, I am especially grateful to be able to serve the community," she said. "It isn't a chore for me. It is just what I do."
Johnson is also looking forward to working with Mathew, whom she called a "wonderful human being."
Mathew, who took his precepts as a Buddhist at age 14, said he is excited and very hopeful about his new role with the center, as well as the opportunity to work with Johnson.
"Holly is like a sister to me, and our families have become great friends," he said. "There is nobody else I can imagine walking this path with."
Equal voices
Having both a male and a female abbot for the Original Root Zen Center is something Tony and Linda felt very strongly about continuing when they made the decision to leave their posts. Such gender equality among abbots is unusual in Buddhism, which has a very patriarchal history, Tony explained.
"Linda and I have always felt there should be male and female abbots and teachers, so that we could be sure women's voices are heard," he said.
It is a model that is somewhat unique to the center, he said, and one that has become embedded in its community.
"We have found it to be incredibly successful, and our hope had always been that that model would go on," Linda said.
What will also continue amidst the recent changes at the center is Linda and Tony's role as teachers. While it may take the community a little time to adjust to the change in leadership, Tony said he and Linda want everyone to know that they will still be very much a part of the community.
"I can't say enough about this community and what they mean to us," said Linda. "They are the most kind, giving and loving people, who have come together for no other reason than their interest in Zen Buddhism. These are not special people - they come from all walks of life. Yet the trust they have in each other and their willingness to share their stories is amazing."
Time for reflection
Sharing more of their own life experiences and learning with the community is something Linda and Tony are hoping to do, now that they no longer have abbot duties to perform.
"I am looking forward to doing some writing with Tony," said Linda, who is a studio artist. "We have a couple things we've been working on, one of which deals with Buddhism and different aspects of healing, and the other is about women in Buddhism. We've been talking about them and have lots of notes; it is just a matter of taking the time to sit together and have things flow."
"I have a list, so long, of things I want to get to," said Tony, whose other job is that of professor of psychiatry and behaviorial medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
One of them is a class he'd like to teach about relationships from a Buddhist perspective. As half of a Buddhist couple which has been together for more than 37 years, it would seem that Tony and Linda would have such perspective.
"Once your direction is clear, things fit together like hand in glove," Tony said. "Once you see that its not 'What do I get?' but 'How can I help?', it is incredible what you get. Before you know it, your dance ticket is really full."
The Somlais also have a peace manual and a garden book in the works and, from the sound of it , won't be running out of things to do any time soon.
"I am very happy with our new role," Tony said. "I'm actually kind of giddy about the chance to do more teaching."
Mathew, too, is looking forward to having his parents take on more of a teaching role.
"They are such wonderful teachers and I'm hoping they can begin to travel as teachers, doing talks and seminars," he said. "I think it will really help our community."
He is also excited to be a part of giving them that opportunity by taking on the role of abbot.
"My parents did a wonderful job of being abbots. They have done so much for this community," he said. "And they are doing such a wonderful job of showing Holly and I how to be abbots. I hope people see this as a very good present we can give to them, to allow them to go and do other things."