Events

This week: WEDNESDAY, Community Night, Jan. 22nd, 7-9pm, I’ll Cry if I Want To..But with David Weinstein. SUNDAY, Jan. 26th 9:30-12pm, Carried By a Boatload of Moonlight with David Weinstein

‘It’s my party’ was a hit number one song on the pop and rhythm and blues charts in the United States in 1963. I heard a lot in high school and it can transport me through time and space in a similar way the names of the old Tang Dynasty Chan Masters can.

If you are a member of PZI, and would like to have a conversation about your meditation practice with David Weinstein, schedule online for Saturday.

Yuanwu’s characterization of coming back from the weeds as being like something being carried by a boatload of moonlight feels curiously accurate, though I have no evidence to substantiate that feeling other than a vaguely recognized fragrance of the experience. What is the fragrance of moonlight?

As I began to think about preparing to talk about this koan, a snippet of dialog popped into my mind: “We’ve got to cultivate the doubt.” Sounds like a sentiment of which Dahui would approve. As I searched my memories for the source,

 The temple bell became my familiar narrative of “not good enough, not smart enough,  less than…”

When I first started meditating, it was very much about not having my mind being occupied with distracted thoughts. The volume of distracting thoughts that I was attempting to deal with using that technique led to something resembling a game of whack-a-mole.

Come explore the vastness of making our mind a question mark.

In response to the continued interest in practicing with the vows as koans since the end of our six-week investigation into the pure vows, we are going to offer two, five week, Monday night gatherings to look into the ten remaining vows. Drop-ins and first timers are welcome.

New Urban Retreat @ RMC: Hear the words outside the voice; do not seek for anything within the meaning.