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We work much of the day. I've been cleaning the bathing area and sweeping the courtyard. Folks don't tend to litter in a monastery courtyard, so I sweep a few leaves but mostly decorate the dirt making straight lines with a rice straw broom, which the kitten continually attacks. I still ring the bonsho noon and night, and hit the mopan at meals. My new job is changing water in all the little metal bowls sitting around on altars. Ladies do the dishes at noon and in my free time I sometimes walk down to the entry and weed the old steps and moss gardens.
We had a 2 1/2 day silent sesshin - ten sits a day but never more than two in a row. It was wonderful for me and the whole group has been quieter ever since - a blessing.
We've also had a four day sewing sesshin. I was told to make another rakusu. I suppressed my groan. However, they use a simple pick stitch so it goes much faster than the first. I'm almost done.
We've had a second cooking class and another painting class. I really like the artist teacher monk's work but his teaching style is to hold up a picture and tell you to duplicate it. This time I sat in the front and requested a demo. I asked questions. I hope I didn't offend and others thanked me and I learned a lot. We painted irises.
After a recent evening zazen I walked up the road to the cemetery and waited, along with 10,000 mosquitoes, for the full moon to come over the mountain. I thought about my moon-viewing friends. Very beautiful.
Two new lay practitioners arrived recently. The first has a long time practice here so did not bump my end-of-the-table spot. He is a regular at Zen Mountain Monastery (ZMM), is fluent in Japanese, and his father graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1936. Now, a German woman (who also sits at ZMM) has come and I am second to last. I guess I can manage.
My Toshoji stay is 2/3 over. I'm not ready to leave but presumably I will be when the time comes.
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