Sitting on the cushion, facing the wall. Eight hrs a day for the past four days. I notice that my facial muscles are clenched: tightness at the back of my jaw, tension around my eyes. Try to call up the slight buddha-like smile, thinking it might melt the furrow between my brows. Open mouth wide, …
Author: carmen
Hot hot hot!
My themostat is completely on the fritz. I honestly have no idea any more if it is hot or cold, or just my hormones messing with me again. I sleep with a bath towel and an extra blanket by my bed. I keep the window open so the dry desert night air cools the room. …
My name is Roshin
My name is Roshin: Dew Drop Mind. This name was bestowed on me today by Roshi Joan in jukai, and it is absolutely my name. It fits just right. ‘Carmen’ is a name for spanish dancers and vamps, porn stars, video-game characters and drag queens. I’ve been wearing that handle my whole life, and it …
In defense of my species
Hello dear Bicycle Buddhistas – apologies for my sparseness in posting over the past few months. Simply being at Upaya, plus preparing for jukai, has been mopping up all my “free” time. I vow to get back to semi-regular blogging soon. But for the moment, here’s a piece i wrote for a nifty project called …
Everybody leaves
A resident left today without saying goodbye. She packed her bags and got on a train bound for California. Going home. This happens. We are a tight little group and it is shocking when someone leaves, whether we expect it or not. They leave a hole like a pulled tooth. But soon the gap heals …