First of all, happy birthday, Mom! Wanted to get that said if nothing else.

I realize after Monday night's debacle that part of the problem I had then, and occasionally have here as well, is in trying to articulate that which cannot be said. No, I don't mean I won't say it out of shyness, and I don't mean that I'm not allowed to say it. Some things simply cannot be said, cannot be put into words - for example, a baby's first real smile, or the look in a lover's eyes. The Zen experience is the same way - it is, almost by "definition," that which goes beyond words, beyond definitions. As a result, trying to put it into words is ultimately a frustrating mess.

However, you have to say something, as Katagiri says, and there seem to be two approaches that most people have used. One is to make the most direct possible statement, spoken from the heart. A monk told Joshu "I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me." Joshu asked, "Have you eaten your rice?" The monk said that he had. Joshu replied, "Then wash your bowl." At that moment, the monk was enlightened.

The problem with that approach is that the words are often misunderstood, and only make sense in a takes-one-to-know-one kind of way. In other words, what ever you think that story means is not correct (hint: it's not what you think that's important).

The other way is the long route, the road more traveled. On the long route, the history, the teachings, philosophy and religion are all expressed in the hope that by sketching out a map of the territory, the path will become apparent. The problem there is that the map of the territory so often gets confused for the territory itself.

How do you explain the taste of an orange to someone who's only eaten rice their whole life? You can use words like "sweet" and "tangy" and "citrusey" until you're blue in the face, you can use all kinds of analogies ("unlike anything you've ever tasted before"), but you still won't get the taste across. Or you can just give him an orange.

So, now that I've got the Live site under way and have an outlet for my more off-the-wall thoughts and brain farts, I'm going to attempt something new here: a long detailed map of the territory (no Zen Master I, I'm afraid most of my direct statements have been lost, missed or misunderstood).

This will take a while, because I can't possibly sketch out the map in one, two or even twenty entries (well, maybe twenty), but at least I'll never be at a loss for a topic to blog about. Occasionally, I'll give myself (and you) a break and speak directly again when there's a direct statement that needs to be made ("Have an orange, George Bush"), but meanwhile, let me try my hand at cartography.

And if that bores you, then go Live.