My first job when I got to Upaya was to mop the kitchen floor. I hated it. Dirty water would slosh onto my legs as i lugged the heavy wheeled bucket up and down the stairs, and I worried about straining my back carrying it. I was annoyed that I wasn’t supposed to pour the …
Author: carmen
Give it a rest
Shinzen, the Mexican head monk and kitchen manager, sat down beside me in the shade as I ate my lunch of orzo and sweet beets. “The most important thing in life,” he said, “is to have fun. You need to enjoy your work and you need to enjoy your rest.” Yesterday and today were my …
Trainwreck in the zendo
I caused a minor trainwreck in the zendo yesterday during walking meditation. The vestments, the bows, the japanese lingo, the rhythms of gong and bell and clackers —all of this is new to me. I just follow along and when in doubt, gassho: bow. Bow to the plate, bow to the cushion, bow to the …
Zilla rides again
I gave Zilla up for adoption yesterday. I cried like a baby, but it was time to let her go. I bought her 15 years ago shiny factory new, my tiny orange Giant. Her pricetag was more than I’d ever paid for any item before or since. Andy Hunter set her up for me with …
Riot of the Hungry Ghosts
Hungry ghosts live in the hell realm. Depicted in Hieronymous Bosch paintings and graphic Tibetan Buddhist texts, they have huge gaping mouths and swollen heads. pencil-thin necks and emaciated bodies with round distended bellies. Or they have tiny mouths the size of a needle’s eye and giant unfillable stomachs. They live in a torment of …