New Beginnings Blog

We’ve heard from a lot of folks how much they enjoyed being here at Four Acre Zen Center for this Summer of Sangha yet we remain pretty sure no one enjoyed it as much as Ashwini and I did. It was simply the greatest of all fun to have so many loved ones in close proximity after long absence.
 
We had such a good time coming up with the retreat themes and workshops that, as just announced, we’ve decided to offer four of them as Sunday workshops through September. Then in October we’ll have the email class on money that we’ve been promising. And, just in case anyone is getting bored with so little practice to participate in, we’ll be launching this year’s Bridge Walk for Kantolomba. (Yes, an actual Bridge Walk!)
 
So, what did happen with the Gazebo, you may be wondering? Well, it’s getting quite close to being finished. Quite close. Painting is nearing completion, there’s just one sheet of plywood on the floor that needs replacing and then, voila! Nothing left to it but to see how to get it changing-season ready. We missed the spring and the summer so we’re by golly gonna be ready for the fall. She said optimistically.
 
Last Sunday we had our first sit and group in the Gazebo. We all agreed it felt like coming home. The Meditation Tent was a godsend, and meditating, doing yoga, and holding workshops out in the grass under the trees was lovely, but much is lost. The formality of removing the shoes, of bowing at the entrance, entering the Hall and making the way to one’s zabuton and zafu, bowing again, sitting facing a wall. Heaven! Going forward we hope to have regular sits in the new Hall, maybe even some one-day workshops before winter arrives. Not sure, but hopeful.
 
If you’re close enough to make the journey and would like to be on the list, let us know. 

 

One aspect of Summer of Sangha that garnered a lot of enthusiasm was yoga. I heard from more than one person that this was the first time they’d actually enjoyed practicing yoga. With many requests along the lines of “does she offer classes online” or “could you do videos of these classes,” it finally occurred to me to ask. Turns out the answer is yes. Even better, j yo has offered a special class for Sangha. Stay tuned for details.
 
Looking forward to a practice-filled autumn.
 
In gasshō
ch