Notes

With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,

This morning I am alone in bed looking at the morning light open a view of the Organ mountains out my window. Judy is at the Refuge. Pepper, my old dog, is beside me in Judy's place, and Pete Kitty is at my feet. This morning I plan to attend a breakfast meeting of a clergy group. We will meet at Mesilla Valley Hospice. From there, its on to Breakfast with the Boys. I will try to eat only one breakfast :)

Tomorrow evening I will attend a presentation by Brad Warner, that renegade sort of Zen monk who writes odd, but refreshing books, such as Hardcore Zen. This will be the second time I have met him, though we have corresponded a bit. While I enjoy his innovation and his thorough grounding in Master Dogen's work, I have often wanted him to mature some. Perhaps he has with his new book, Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate: A Trip Through Death, Sex, Divorce, and Spiritual Celebrity in Search of the True Dharma. We will see.

As to my own maturity at 62, I am not too overly concerned with it. I have made a few decisions, though. I will begin my streetZen practice again and I will involve myself much more in the Las Cruces community as a Zen priest. I have kept that in the background in deference to Temple Beth El since I was on their Board. Fundamentally, however, my calling is as a Zen priest and spiritual educator. A recent request to not use my title, "roshi" in matters related to the synagogue has brought that into clear focus and I am thankful for that.

Still, I will work wherever I am needed and wanted. I will continue to work with Temple Beth El in my capacity as Chair of the Academy and as an educator in contemplative practices, as well as in my new role in their Communications/Marketing department. This work will be as a Jew and I will leave my priesthood out of it. It is my Plan B, as Norm Fischer, that other, more famous Jewish Roshi :), outlines in a recent article in the summer 2009 issue of Buddhadharma. But, in terms of the larger community, I live to free all beings from suffering. That is my Plan A.

Be well.