Zen and Pureland
Today was a beautiful last day of our weekend in the Metta Sangha, of Zen Centrum Den Bosch. It was very special for me to join a weekend with David in the zendo and sangha who are so familiar to me. In a certain way this weekend was a kind of 'try-out' for the weekend “Where Zen and Pureland Meet” that we will organise at Eleusis in June.
Buddhist pallet
It was a weekend with a variety of Buddhist topics including Buddhist psychology and therapy, Zen Buddhism, Pureland Buddhism and stories from Buddhist history. There was a colourful and vivid pallet of Dharma talks, zazen, chanting, nice meals, and a mondo session in which individual sangha members could have a personal encounter with David.
Intimacy and openness
It is special to experience how 'something' is growing during the weekend. This 'something' is not easy to catch in words. It is the intimacy and openness that is growing during the intensive day we spend sitting in the zendo.
David is a vivid story teller; theory, history, knowledge and practice are woven together in an inspiring way.
Dharma pearls
Scattered through the weekend were magic moments, pearls which the transmission of the dharma makes so alive. These happen in interactions: the encounter between the teacher, the disciple and the sangha. A moment of movement, tears, astonishment, or laughing out loud and, suddenly, everyone in the zendo is resonating in this moment of tears or laughing. In these moments we are embraced and carried by the silence or we are laughing out loud as we are pitched into sparkling energy - beautiful moments experienced together that touch the heart.
It was a beautiful and inspiring weekend in which two Buddhist traditions met and shared a lot together. A very good reason to stay in touch and meet again...
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