Life of Carmen, Uncategorized, Zen & Dharma

that is not my beautiful wife

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
 And you may find yourself in another part of the world
 And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
 And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful
 wife And you may ask yourself-Well…How did I get here? …

Life of Carmen, Uncategorized, Zen & Dharma

On a day off with Georgia

I wake at 5:30, pink streaks in the desert sky,  full moon fading to pale. It is my “personal practice day”—my day off!  I toast the charcoal in the candle flame, lighting the incense burner for my favourite service—Enmei —a rousing chant dedicated to Avokiteshvara Bodhisattva, perceiver of the cries of the world, whose heart …

Culture and Art, Life of Carmen, Uncategorized, Upaya Zen Center

Going offline

The first snowstorm of the year came yesterday, high howling winds, blowing snow, and a power outage. It was no big deal, Upaya stayed warm, and thanks to the gas stoves lunch was served on time. But something very different did happen. For the first time in my three months here, residents drifted into the …