UPDATE: DHARMA TRACKS Across AMERICA (Jul 16-Aug 26) & WASHINGTON RETREAT (Aug 9-14)

[Saijun]

While you are in the DC metro/Baltimore area, I would be happy to meet you for tea (or coffee, as the case may be).

Hands palm-to-palm,

Perry

[Jundo]

While you are in the DC metro/Baltimore area, I would be happy to meet you for tea (or coffee, as the case may be).

Hands palm-to-palm,

Perry

Hi Perry,

I will write you. I take it that you will not be able to get to any part of the Retreat guided by Taigu, August 9th thru 14th, in Leesburg Virginia (not too far from Dulles Airport)? I will be there on the final day. You should really try if you can.

Some other days, I will be doing some tourist things in the DC area for my son Leon to introduce him to Washington, but I am sure there will be plenty of time to meet and chat and sit a bit. I thought you were in Colorado!?

Gassho, Jundo

[Kyotai]

(Daizan, please clear your inbox. Cannot message you, says inbox has reached maximum storage)

Hello Daizan.

I have not been able to get the time off work due to others on vacation and such, so I will most definitely not be attending, which is very unfortunate.

Hope you are well. Enjoy the visit.

Gassho, Shawn

[RichardH]

You'll be missed.

I hope you get some time off to enjoy our brief summer!


Gassho Daizan

[Kyotai]

Thank you Daizan. I hope to meet fellow Treeleafers in person, perhaps for a cup of tea one day soon.

I apologize that I cannot attend.

Gassho, Shawn

[Jundo]

You will be there is heart, Shawn.

Gassho, J

[Troy]

I am very content to say that Sydney just confirmed the Mississippi leg of the trip. Juki in Tallahassee said he is going to try to come down to Tampa/Orlando, and Catfish Nengyo is going to try to catch up with our sitting in Georgia! Brian said he might try to get over from Toledo to catch us in Chicago maybe.

Still trying to squeeze more folks in as we can.

Gassho, Jundo

Does that mean you will be coming through St. Louis? If so, depending on the date, I could meet up there for a visit.

[Jundo]

Hi Troy,

I am afraid that I will be down in Mississippi, then right up toward Chicago, and the schedule is already pretty tight. It is surprising how even 6 weeks is not that long when America is so big! I almost was heading to Springfield Ill., not so far from you, to meet Nenka ... but looks like Nenka is coming up to Chicago instead. If that changes, I will let you know. Otherwise, I will also have to meet you in heart, Troy.

Gassho, Jundo

[Troy]

In the heart is always a good place to meet

[Shinzan]

Pilgrimage in Zen Tradition

Good morning, everyone.
Envy is arising, as Jundo et al are getting ready for their trip to the eastern US. Then I remembered the tradition of pilgrimage in zen. Bodhidharma, Hui-Neng, Zhaozhou, Dogen, Ikkyu, Tosui and many other ancients spent years as vagabonds. In Japan, this part of a monk's development was called "angya." Even the big guy, Gotama, spent 9 months a year for 45 years wandering around northern India. That's a lot of miles and a lot of smiles.

Pilgrimage is little talked about in mainstream religious practice, exactly because it is a journey away from any mainstream. It is a journey into not-knowing. "You cannot travel the path until you have become the path," said Gotama.

Say, Jundo, is there a way for those of us not on your planned route to stay tuned in?

As my hiker friend Strider says, "travel far, carry little, keep it simple, lighten up."

Journeying to my zafu, Shinzan

[Jundo]

Hi Shinzan,

Yes, mine will be a traditional Zen pilgrimage ... except for the computer, Kindle and smart phone, motels and friend's guest beds I will be occupying. Oh, and most monks of the past did not travel with their 11 year old son.

However, apart from that, we are trying to keep the possessions down ... a few t-shirts, couple of pants, socks, shorts and one pair of shoes, a toothbrush, razor and not much more for six weeks. Oh, and a porta-Zafu!

We will be having a series of Zazenkai (live and recorded on Google+) with each Treeleaf member we visit, from Maine to Mississippi. I will post the schedule in a couple of days and, of course, check in here daily too.

And, of course, the Retreat in Washington guided by Taigu will be live netcast during August too.

Gassho, Jundo

[Shinzan]

Thanks, Jundo.
"Arm-chair voyager" Shinzan

[Jinyo]

I'm loving this = looking forward to the net casts,

another 'arm-chair voyager',

Gassho

Willow

[Oheso]

vaya con dios across the broad face you'll be crossing!

gassho,

Oheso