I’ve driven Jan to the Portland airport and am now waiting to pick up my friend and co-conspirator in the Boundless Way Zen project, David Rynick. We will be driving out to Clatskanie and the Great Vow Zen temple to join with about twenty-five other Zen teachers for our annual American Zen Teacher’s Association gathering.
This is an only in the West, perhaps an only in America sort of thing. The AZTA membership accounts for nearly every Zen lineage in the West and is a unique opportunity for teachers in these different lineages and perhaps more significantly from different Zen schools to spend a little time together. As someone who attends professional meetings in other contexts I can report this is at the low end of such enterprises. Actually this is a strictly amateur operation, and, frankly, I like it that way. Some program, always. But mostly we’re just gathering to talk and listen and learn about the kaleidoscopic manifestation of the Zen dharma in the West.
Super cool stuff. At least from my perspective.
One other thing. I don’t think they offer wireless web access, so I may not be posting anything more for a couple of days.
Here’s an informational video in two parts that our hosts for this conference, Great Vow has posted at Youtube. Gives a bit of a picture of who they are and how they approach the great matter. I like them very much. Perhaps you’ll consider visiting them sometime…
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