Its a Wide World

With palms together,


Good Morning Everyone,

Today at CMZT:

7:00 AM Zazen, 2:00 PM Zazen, 4:30 PM Yoga with Susie Citrin, 7:00 PM Zazen



This morning I opened my eyes and stepped outside to see a clear sky. The stars are so beautiful in the early morning and the air, even in town feels so much fresher. I made my coffee, washed the dishes, walked Suki, replied to K, and am now writing to you.



There has been considerable response to my last post. Thank you each for weighing in. Most everyone wants me to continue as I have. Perhaps that will be the case, but I will remain mindful of some of the pitfalls and will try my best to keep a proper decorum fitting a Zen monk.



Yesterday I met with my Teacher, Hogaku Shozen McGuire. He had come to the Temple to install some partitions he had built for us. In the process we outlined additional work that needs to be done in order to complete the Temple. Here is a list:



Shelving in Office

Altar platform with railings

Raised platforms (tan) along both sides of the Zendo

Shoebox in the foyer



He is building all of this for the cost of materials. Of course, we are spacing the work out over a few months so that we can raise the money.



We also talked about my Manners post. He agrees I have been lax. He is what is referred to these days as “old school.” He takes his lead from the way it is done in monastic Japan. Trying to find a lay practice that suits the 21st century is a challenge. I see myself in a hybrid sort of situation. A monk in a temple which is a lay practice center. It doesn’t stop there, we are also in a period of human history unparalleled in terms of the instant and far reaching interconnectedness of the species. In this context, what is the role of a practice center? A temple? A priest or monk? Our interconnectivity does not require a computer on a desk; data streams on hand-held devices (no longer cell phones) means we are in touch around the globe in real time anytime.



A teacher must be aware that old models may fit in one way, but not in most others. Sure, monasteries will continue to exist, but we now have the capacity to make monasteries without walls or borders. The entire planet is our practice center and all of humanity our sangha. How cool is that.



Be well.