Saturday, September 7, 2013

zendo visitors

For 'karma' buffs, I suppose it is either "good karma" or "bad," but I haven't got what it takes to play that game: Two people, quite independent of each other, contacted me today about coming here to practice zazen (the seated meditation of Zen Buddhism) tomorrow morning.

Two people?! I haven't touted the zendo in years and have gotten used to the peace and quiet that no-people can provide. Maybe there's some "karma" in it all. I've scratched my mental head and tried to remember what a "Zen Buddhist" is.

Two people are coming for a Sunday sitting. Out of nowhere -- two people.

I always enjoy meeting new people, but seldom imagine they will be interested in anything as minuscule as zazen. So tomorrow looks to be kind of nifty and kind of weird.

In advance of the event, I put out more energy than I really felt like and went out and gave the zendo a quick cleaning, added some new greens to the altar, and straightened of the cushions. The spiders were not amused. I want to be a good host, but I'm pretty rusty.

Then I smoothed out my mind a little with some mental Valium: "The only usefulness of anything that might be called a "Zen teacher" is his or her willingness to demonstrate to others what sort of jackass they don't need to be" -- i.e., be yourself.


OK ... that's enough of that. Time for a shower and some sleep.

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