August 2009 sesshin

Dear all,

This sesshin, it was so humid that even the Indians among us were delirious, (I hear) robes stayed wet, floors were perspiring and wouldn't stay dry unless table-fans kept whirring. A trail of sweat was left everywhere you cared to notice....but the ripe mangoes and watermelon tasted great and the sound of cicadas was young and still resonates in my being. This time, some of us are so tired after sesshin, we don't want to think of next sit and can't focus when we sit and yet want to be (with) that eternal sound of crickets..again and again! And of course, the sesshin ended with beautiful ceremony of Sandy Spina becoming Kan-getsu (Cold Moon). We are waiting for photographs and video of the ceremony to get uploaded online and then will post a description the ceremony soon.

I will fill in more details after coming back from Colorado. Meanwhile, please feel free to add to this post about August sesshin.

Gassho,
Kriti
Read more!

Blog Post from the Times

Those of you just back from the August sesshin may find these articles interesting.

Robert Wright, author of "The Evolution of God", and other things, posted an interesting account of a Vipassana retreat in the New York Times' "Happy Days" blog. You can find it here.

The same blog had a post about a Soto retreat earlier this month. You can find that article here.

-JW Read more!

Comings and goings

Dear everyone,

Cicadas are back with a roar everywhere - it is finally hot and things are changing, as always! Yen and his wife are expecting a baby in mid-October. New life! Chia-ju (Jaru) has come back to Highland Park after 7 years. Coming! Mothers of two sangha members, who might not appreciate being named, have passed away in last few months after long struggles with sickness. Imtiaz is leaving for Colorado for two years at the end of this month to join his new job. Going! Nilofer, Rumi and Gary's dear wife Joan have lost their jobs to changing economic conditions. Please keep these comings and goings in mind and send your loving-kindness to all going through these life-transitions and hope that amidst all the change, we will all find and stay with "that" which doesn't change and stays whole...moment after moment!

There will be three hour sit at Rutgers this saturday starting 7 AM as usual - see some of you there and many of you at the August sesshin.

Love and Gassho,
Kriti

Read more!