April 24, 2010

After long and very cold winter spring is magic this year. The cherries trees on Park Avenue are blooming and pink flowers look more beautiful than ever. Walking to get my tiny cookie and coffee in a small cafe I was at owe standing below a pink umbrella, melting into it.                                      “Would it be nice to have these flowers on my desk,” I thought…

Two hours later on my way to Zen Center a neighbor run toward me with three small branches from cherries three full of flowers. “This is for you,” he said.                                                                  WOW! Unbelievable! The wish materialized itself with the speed of light.

After the workshop I sold only one zafu. Thinking about zafu I would like to share recent experience of giving an interview: zafu interview, as I call it.

Traditionally the beginning of year is very slow in my business. This year really no orders are coming. Usually I do not worry but this month not having any earnings I started to think: will this business survive?

Couple of weeks ago someone whom I did not know e-mailed me asking if I would agree to do interview by e-mail about my products. My first reaction was – definitely NO.

After some resistance, several years later than other similar businesses I created website and also write this blog from time to time. My feeling about Internet is very mixed  though. On one hand there is so much good and helpful information, especially medical or scientific useful for people. Others take an opportunity and use Internet for very malicious purposes, even people who consider themselves followers of “spiritual path”. There is a lot of misrepresentation in what people write about themselves.

Putting aside above concerns, “what else more can I say about zafu from what  is published already in Endless Knot website and how about my English?, I have never done interview” were my excuses not to do so. My friend Pete however encouraged me: go for it!

Writing back with agreement what I said at first was that my motto is: less is more implying that  answers will be very short.

Zafu interview – click picture


Doing the interview turned out to be good and interesting experience in the end. I was surprised each time I got the new question and surprised how much can be asked and written about one simple cushion called zafu. The merit goes to interviewer who asked these questions.

I struggled much with some answers and was pressed to be more clear and detailed. I am not sure what one can say about the final product, my English is not as sophisticated as others.                    Benjamin however says this is a very good interview and I learned something new in life.

Thank you!