Warriors in the World: Nancy Grant
Nancy Grant has a dharmic ear attuned to what she does and doesn’t hear.
She hears and makes music in manifestations mostly renaissance and medieval, with recorders and voice, in modal harmonies and polyphonic rhythms. She enjoys playing in ensembles that demand the attention of simultaneously listening and producing and breathing together, playing the rests as well as the notes.
In her engagement with the deaf community, hearing isn’t so important, though being present, cooperation, and communication – via visual stillness as well as signing – are still critical. Nancy works closely with the “Deaf Plus” community – adults who have developmental and other disabilities in addition to being deaf.
Setting out for the west coast from New England in the early 1970’s, Nancy landed in a small commune in the Haight-Ashbury that included her future husband, Birrell Walsh. A far cry from suburban Connecticut, she learned many lessons in politics and service, including the Haight-Ashbury Food Conspiracy, precursor to the many cooperative stores that now abound.
Birrell, always interested in languages, was learning American Sign Language, and soon they both were volunteering with the deaf community. Nancy helped start a satellite office for deaf people with Catholic Social Services, and later started a program at Big Brothers/Big Sisters for deaf children, which grew into a multi-service program with another nonprofit. With a BA in Music, she eventually went back to school for a Masters in Social Work. Nancy now works for Art, Research & Curriculum Associates, an educational/community development nonprofit in Oakland. he has also served as adjunct faculty at Gallaudet University and San Francisco State, particularly in the areas of diversity within the deaf community.
Early in 2004, Birrell, whose PhD is in Comparative Religion, gave Nancy Pema Chodron’s Awakening Loving Kindness, introducing her to meditation and tonglen practice. “It just made sense to me,” Nancy says, and soon she and Birrell discovered the Shambhala community in San Francisco, where they continue to be active today.
Nancy is co-developing a project called Deaf Plus Adult Community. She describes it as “a day program for adults who are deaf or deaf-blind (both deaf and blind) and have developmental disabilities (affecting cognition and other areas of development) and behavior challenges.”
Since beginning her practice eight years ago, Nancy has found it a great source of strength in her work.
“I learned tonglen practice early on,” she says. “Flash bodhichitta, breathe in another’s suffering, breathe out offering help, sending and taking. For a long time, I practiced tonglen (just) on the cushion. Refuge and Bodhisattva vows deepen my practice and commitment, and give me some frameworks for how to be helpful more appropriately on the spot. When I practice with regard to Deaf Plus individuals, taking in what might be their suffering actually makes them real to me, not so different or separate. Breathing out what might be helpful, joyful is informed by breathing in that realness, that knowing. Breathing in and out connects me with Deaf Plus individuals’ or group’s strengths as well as needs. Including their family and friends in the process broadens the scope. Including all the people who are ignorant of the very existence of Deaf Plus people, or afraid of or repulsed by Deaf Plus people broadens the scope still further. Working through the paramitas, particularly with Amrita practice, looking at what offerings I might make, has led to relative reality actions, off the cushion. This Deaf Plus Adult Community project is one example of such an offering.”
Nancy offers this contemplation:
“Have you ever met and interacted with someone like this, a ‘Deaf Plus’ individual? What might you expect – of them, of yourself? How might you feel? How might you approach him/her?
“Can you imagine what it might be like to have grown up in a body/mind like this? How would you perceive and understand the world? What would make sense? Be a mystery? Be sheer confusion? Sheer delight?
“How would you perceive and understand other people; be in relationship to others?”
“This is a group of people who are often very isolated,” Nancy continues. Programs providing services to this combination of sensory differences, communication challenges, developmental disabilities and behavioral issues are rare. A Deaf Plus individual might be “included” in a program for hearing clients, but these don’t offer opportunities and support to learn and use sign language.
“Some have lived in developmental centers (with limited sign language communication) for much of their lives, and are moving into a very different way of life as those centers close. Some live with families whose personal and financial resources are strained with 24/7 care for their Deaf Plus family member.
“We have designed a program that is rich in communication, and engages all of the mind and body. Each participant will have individual goals, a ‘circle of support’ (professionals, family, community), and opportunities for learning, exercise, and for developing and maintaining relationships. Most of our staff are deaf adults with the heart and skills to work with these deaf folks who have significant disabilities.
“Deaf Plus Adult Community started several years ago as volunteers – mostly parents of deaf plus young adults – to create a social network so the Deaf Plus people we knew and cared about might develop a peer group, a community; and also so family and friends would have a network of supports who shared their experience as caregivers and people who care about these Deaf Plus individuals. We share concerns – and creativity – about communication. We use gesture, non-verbal communication, sign language, tactile signing (signing in the hand, with deaf-blind friends), simple pictures or other visual cues. We’ve done a lot of activities – parties, picnics, cooperative games, bowling, field trips.”
Nancy’s group recently received partial funding from the Regional Center for the East Bay, which provides services to people with developmental disabilities, to create a day program and space for this population.
“We have raised about $131,000 for the project,” Nancy reports, “but construction costs are $70,000 more than planned, so we borrowed to cover it. Once we open our doors, we will receive client fees which will sustain the project, but we still have to cover those start-up costs. We would be most grateful for any donations.” She asks cheerfully that you breathe in these expenses and breathe out donations! Visit deafplus.us to learn more about Deaf Plus Adult Community and how you can support this work. Donations would be welcomed at DPAC/ARC Associates, 428 Thirteenth Street, Suite 200, Oakland, CA 94612.
As for her practice, Nancy explains “Pretty much every day I start the day reciting the 4 Blessings of Gampopa, Kagyu Lineage chant, Heart Sutra, Homage, 4 Limitless Ones, Refuge and Bodhisattva Vows, and tonglen. There is so much guidance in these rich forms that helps keep me in balance. Personally I tend to perceive suffering, define it, and problem solve – a habitual pattern that focuses on suffering. I find the ‘joy’ related refuge and bodhisattva names I’ve been given help me stay in touch with my open heart, perceive strengths and goodness as well as needs, and to seek the open hearts of others.
“Raising lungta is also particularly helpful, especially when I have to make a presentation or ask for money or interact with a person or situation where I feel intimidated. Lungta certainly raises my level of energy, which becomes a source for connecting and offering; for playing the notes and the rests, in company with others. It gives me a sense of being grounded and groundless at the same time.”
Brainstorming for a name that would adequately describe this group, this program, and connect with these sentient beings, these word combinations were tried: “Deaf plus disabilities. Deaf plus blind. Deaf plus family. Deaf plus friends. Deaf plus community. Deaf Plus.”
Nancy recalls “In our closing circle at the end of an energetic afternoon of cooperative games a Deaf Plus participant signed, ‘Plus means more, and, and! Deaf is positive, good! Deaf Plus is thumbs up, big smile!’
“I keep thinking, precious human birth.”
— Article shaped by Steve Schurkey, February 2013
Thanks for this lovely article about my dear friend Nancy, who is doing amazing work and play with music, the deaf community, and diversity awareness.
Enlightened society includes everyone! That includes people who have disabilities, people with children, people who speak other languages, who come from different socio economic backgrounds, who have different sexual orientations and/or who have different racial and ethnic heritages. I appreciate this article and highlighting the intersections of Shambhala dharma and social engagement and especially the sensitivity that one can bring to daily interactions with others.