Not a lot to report from here. We’re excited about the big weather we’re having but realize much of the world is having bigger weather, a lot, so trying to keep things in perspective.
I confess it felt a bit like a stumble to end the Yearlong Retreat. To go from a daily booster of Sangha practice to an absence takes some getting used to. Can be disorienting. Blessedly, we had the New Year’s retreat and now, coming right up, the Annual Kickoff. Followed quickly by an email class I’m quite excited about.
As we’ve heard, the Buddha’s spiritual journey began when he saw a sick person, an old person, and a corpse. Leading the sheltered life of a prince, he’d been protected from such distressing aspects of life. Most of us could say the same. We have a great deal of information about those subjects, but unless we have a line of work that puts us in touch with aging, infirmity, and death, we have little day-to-day experience. And, as with all subjects we have strong conditioning about, those are not aspects of life most people want any direct experience with. Of course, we all know people get sick and get old and die, but not me and not my loved ones!
We all know well the suffering that attends a life in the grip of ego/fear. And, these are the Big Four weapons in the arsenal of ego/fear: getting older, getting old, getting sick, being sick, having pain, dying. Good to realize we have something more powerful than those fear-generating ego weapons. We have the ability to choose and be present. I’m eager for us to let ego put its fear tactics up against conscious, compassionate awareness via an email class—one of my favorite practice venues.
In this quiet period of reflection that is winter, we’ve been sitting with the question of the subject of the next book. Someone suggested years ago that a very helpful book would be a compilation of responses to questions that everyone grapples with but remain unasked or unanswered, questions ranging from the deeply spiritual (who am I, how do I face death, why is spiritual practice so challenging) to the practical (how do I deal with a critical boss, how can I be with the grief of losing a loved one, why is it so frustrating to communicate with my partner). If this notion appeals, if you have such questions, and are interested in participating in this book project please let the Guestmaster know. A simple, “Yes, I wish to participate and have questions” would suffice. Don’t send in the questions, just your vote for the project.
Stay warm. Enjoy the season-supported quiet. Go happy.
In gasshō,
ch
P.S. It does seem quiet but much is brewing under the silence. We are taking advantage of the relative lack of activity to change the platform that runs Zen Center donations. If you receive an email asking you to update your monthly donation, please respond! The old platform will be retired on Feb 1, and unless you provide us with your assent and information we will be unable to process your monthly donation on the new platform. Thank you for your attention to this detail. After all, it is your generosity that supports the continued offering of practice.
From the Guide
January 11, 2024