Step inside a moment

“Wouldn’t it be nice,” Chozen said, “to step inside a moment?” I’m considering that now, how it would be like stepping inside a cathedral, a great space soaring above and around you, filled with light from windows of many colors. And the sounds inside a moment would be rich as a symphony, a heartbeat, traffic, a sigh, a melting sound. The odor of something sacred, human and warm, a lingering aroma of a meal just cooked. Then too the sensations of the skin against the air, against these clothes, a casual itch and a bit of tightness in one shoulder. How full-bodied and wholehearted would our experience be! And how might we fall down in profound gratitude for the splendor we are witness to. Our yearning, the grain of wood in the floor, the mysterious light of the streetlamp, the moon, a passing car’s headlights. The gods envy this moment of a human life, torn as it is by suffering, anxiety, impermanence, and yet, inside this moment is timeless and complete. No worry left in it, no other place to be, nothing to do but look, and feel, and listen as long as we like. Could you ever grow tired of it? Did you forget to notice the dead ant in the corner, the subtle shading of the rice paper in the wooden frames, or the silent figures on the altar, the incarnations of great activity, great wisdom, great compassion, right here in this moment? Did you hear that? The refrigerator turned itself off, once it was cold enough, and a piece of paper rustled as someone turned a page. If you are longing for life eternal, please simply step inside a moment.

Charissa Goodrich

Flint, Charissa, Peg
Originally uploaded by Peg Syverson.

We have lost a dear friend and sangha member, Charissa Goodrich. We will miss her luminous presence and her open heart. We hold her family in our hearts and minds.When we have further information about her services, we will let the sangha know.

May 2009 Practice Intensive

In order to line up an appropriate venue for our spring five-day practice intensive, we need to get a sense of how many people are planning to attend. We hope to schedule this practice intensive for the five days following Memorial Day weekend, May 25-29, or May 26-30, depending on the venue.

We understand that some folks may not be certain at the moment whether they will be able to participate, but we'll need to get a rough count in any event to know what will work best for our group. We hope there will be strong enough interest that we can plan on a residential intensive in the country or a bit removed from here. I'll put a signup sheet out on the table, and add one here: http://www.doodle.com/2cpkm53fgz6su9ef. Or you may click the link below.

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