It was warm and rained heavily at the night of the arrival . It continued to rain on the first day of the Sesshin. The following two days we lived in springtime , it was mild and sunny .

Seven people had applied for the retreat , but finally only four came to practice . It is interesting , amusing , to understand what makes people change their minds from wanting to participate on a Sesshin to hesitation at the last moment . One person had just fallen in love the days before and thought it would not be worth to make a retreat as he would think anyway the whole time on his loved one .

So the winds of emotion had striped the tree of its leafs . A bare trunk kept standing , unmoving .

Three days we could experiment in body and mind how necessary it is to cut off from social activities if we want to deepen our practice of self-understanding , of Zazen . We did not engage in small talks and spoke only if it was needed . We had long Zazens and the teachings were developing out of the present moment . Individually we experienced the same practice instead of sharing the same informations .

When I look at the parable of the man hanging between two tigers only holding a root of the vine , I understand today : it is not about to stay alive , it is about living .

There will be other possibilities to practice the way in 2013 in the Dojo Tai Ku An.

I wish you happy holidays and a joyful passing into 2013 .

Gassho Carl

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