ZenFest

ZenFest, my celebration of service to the sangha, started yesterday with my trip up to Chattanooga and continued today with Monday Night Zazen.

Both days were wonderful.  My dharma teacher and friend, Arthur, is back from Switzerland and visiting the US for a couple of weeks, and joined me on the trip up to Chattanooga (or more accurately, I joined him).  It was great to have the opportunity to ride up and back with him (two-hour dokusan, twice), as well as participate in the service up in Tennessee and listen to his dharma talk..  

Tonight, I took him up on his suggestion/direction and led the discussion after our evening meditation totally freestyle - no script, no Zuimonki readings, just speaking straight from the heart (or tanden or whatever).  We had a couple of newcomers, two very sincere philosophy grad students, who provided some good questions and fodder for the conversation, and made what I thought might have been a walk on a tightrope into an easy, conversational stroll down a wide boulevard.

The zazen was nice both days, too.