Last year, a foolish monk

This year, no change…

Ryokan

Well, here I am at Garrison. Turns out the reason I didn’t recognize many of the names is that the Zen contingent is quite small. Out of two hundred plus folk here, not twenty are Zen.

So far as traditions go a pretty broad scope. The largest contingents would be the Vipassana/Theravada crowd, or perhaps the Vajrayana folk. But there were some Nichirin people, a few Pure Land, somebody from the Won tradition, and a couple of others, as well. Mostly, as might be expected folk of European descent. But a bit more than a smattering of people of color, African descent and Asian, as well as a few Tibetans and other Asians. Mostly lay teachers, but a number of Vinaya monks and nuns. A few academics. Some writers.

Not too bad a turn out. Also, I’m impressed by a very large contingent of younger teachers, and of them a pretty large Dharma punx representation. Some great tattoos…

This is part of an informal tradition going on for well over twenty years, including an event I attended at Spirit Rock fifteen or so years ago. Don’t know how I ended up on the short list for Zen people, but certainly am glad…

We checked in. Some shmoozing in the lounges and around. It’s very hot, and only the Dharma hall is airconditioned. When we all gathered at seven thirty, after a few words from Garrison, Jack Kornfield did the honors introducing themes and getting us going.

I can’t stay right through to the end on Saturday, but I do look forward to absorbing as much as possible for the time I am…

I must admit I feel a bit like a kid in a candy store meeting folk I’ve heard of, and often have read, but whom I’ve not met before.

And, I’m embarrassed at how easily pleased I am when one or two of them actually knows who I am.

More important, I think, I know, is this chance to meet folk who’ve given their lives to the Dharma but in other streams, and hopefully, to begin some friendships that can profit my own practice as well as potentially, helping the folk in the sanghas I serve among…

Although for now, its time to turn in and get a little sleep…