Visiting
Yesterday we had a very pleasant morning at the Oasis community. It is a great thing to have another small Buddhist group so close. I led a morning service and gave a Dharma talk explaining our Ju-nen practice. Then we had coffee and treats on the terrace. The pet chickens came begging and did quite well on crisps and cake. Annette is away for a retreat now so our next one will be in a fortnight.
Writing
I'm still doing a lot of writing and getting excited about various insights into Zen Master Dogen and his work. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with some new insight and am unsure whether to save it for the morning or get up and write it down. This morning I was up at six busily committing my ideas to my laptop. I was so absorbed that I went straight past breakfast time before I looked at the clock. The others were patient, however. Over breakfast I was sharing ideas about the situation in Japan at the time when Dogen was writing. All the great innovators of the Kamakura period started off as monks on Mount Hiei, the great centre of Tendai Buddhism. I visited this holy mountain some years ago when in Japan.
Outdoor Work
We have also been doing a lot of work outside. The grass has started growing - well, it hardly stopped this winter. Adam and I have been out cutting it and the place is starting to look good. This afternoon I continued my war upon the ivy that clings to so many of our oak trees. In the process I pulled out a lot of firewood that Adam and Modgala have brought back to the house. Modgala is working in the garden and Elja has been making the upper room nice after Modgala and Adam had finished moving mattresses and beds. So we are gradually getting ready for summer. I'm sitting upstairs writing this, cosily cossetted between big cushions on the couch.
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