COMPANIONS OF THE WAY
ONE-DAY ON LINE RETREAT
FRIDAY MAY 8, 8-9 PM MDT
SATURDAY MAY 9, 10AM – 3 PM MDT
SARAH BENDER, ROSHI; TENNEY NATHANSON, SENSEI; MEGAN RUNDEL, SENSEI
Friday, May 8
8-9 pm MDT
Saturday, May 9
10 am – 3 pm MDT
Caoshan asked elder monk De, “The Buddha’s true essential body is like space. It responds to things, manifesting its forms the way the moon appears in the water. How do you explain this responsiveness?”
De said, “It’s like a donkey watching a well.”
“That’s most of it, but not the whole thing.”
“What’s it like for you?”
“It’s like a well watching a donkey.”
Here’s a koan that evokes a mutuality that seems helpful in this time. Each day appears as a mystery. What will it be like today, and what will it call forth? Some days there’s vigor, some days (or parts of days) there’s a crushing grief, a longing, a thirst. Some days are muddled, and some have a sweetness and an ease.
It’s a great gift to be able to take a day simply to sit with things as they are, with your own life as it is, and to wonder together. What sort of a thing is this life?
On Friday evening we’ll introduce the koan and drop it into the meditation. On Saturday, we’ll alternate times of silent meditation with some talk and conversation.
Hope you can join us!
To register and receive the Zoom invitation, contact Kelly McFarland at S.Kelly.HLS@gmail.com