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Ekyo's Blog Sharing form the heart
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Blooming Anniversary Sesshin |
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July 12, 2008
This stone was installed at the entrance to Dai Bosatsu Zendo several years ago. The calligraphy on the stone is: Nen! Blooming Flowers by Japanese poet Shinmin Sakamura. Blooming Flowers stone surrounded by wild blooming flowers greets those who arrive to Zendo. On the way to sesshin Ela, Janusz and myself admired the endless shades of green as we enter the Catskill mountains. We have a tradition to stop for picnic lunch by the small lake off the Beecher Lake Road. Ela always prepares a heavenly food and Janusz is trying to make sure that I eat as much as possible… As we sit there and eat and look at the sky and water I wonder why we need to go to sesshin? Talking about picnic, some of us who come over the years, started to call Anniversary Sesshin a Picnic Sesshin. It supposed to be a celebration not only of dedication of Monastery but also 4th of July Independence Day… Usually all VIP’s come and with their presence there was some meddling felt behind the scenes. Sesshin just was not as other ones. This year it was VERY different. No important people, just the ones who came to do great zazen. And with Roshi’s opening talk the tone for very strong sesshin was set. This is finally it, I thought… craving such sesshin for a while. Zendo was full and energy intense. Many senior practitioners and some newer ones but nobody moved. There were five Polish people including Jonen who came from Poland. One night all of us were doing jaza, and we were the only people in zendo. I felt great!!! Piotr, the youngest and relatively new in Zen practitice too was given perhaps the most difficult job of head jisha, with Jimin assisting. And he also was introducing chants… two jobs!!! For me it was very refreshing to hear his voice… It seems that two Zen students from Aikido group were cleaning and sweeping decks and Dharma Hall all the time… each break they were working. And of cause before last block of zazen at the end of sesshin group of people went to Benzaiten Shrine to shout misogi chant… Morning of 4th of July was very foggy but everyone went to cemetery and for a traditional walk around the lake. I was not able to do it this year. My hips were aggravated on the sixth day of sesshin… Doing zazen alone in zendo was my celebration. Two newly ordained monks did not spent much time in zendo. They were stuck in tenzo with Seigan in charge. But the food manifesting itself on the table was absolutely delicious… Fujin had a luxury of just sitting, but still she had to overlook everything and correct people. There were some magic moments when fireflies were dancing in the air in front of Dharma Hall altar while we chanted Kanzeon in dark one morning and in zendo at night during Roshi’s candle walk at the end of middle day… And one absolutely magic hokku drum played by Jokei before Roshi’s teisho. And days when we did continue zazen entire day were the most intense and strong days. WOW! Sesshin passed as an arrow and it was hard to say goodbyes. I disappeared to take a magic walk and take a few photos of different shades of green… And there is one unforgettable moment impossible to describe… zazen alone at nigh on the deck facing the Beecher Lake. Endless stars on a dark sky, dark shades of trees, hundreds of dancing fireflies below as if reflecting the stars and thundering silence of the night… cold mist penetrating the bones. DBZ Bodhisattvas! Gassho….
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