Writings
Lessons from Mala
I walked into my dark, quiet studio ... the morning light had yet to creep through the windows. While my eyes were adjusting, I squatted-down to place my blanket and cushion in front of my altar. Then, I stood up and walked across the cool floor to retrieve my practice shawl, a lime green, airy shawl that Swamiji gave me four Christmases ago, when I was visiting India and studying at his ashram. I also grabbed my wooden mala.
The Zen of Oryoki
Oryoki is a formal style of serving and eating, that's typical in Zen temples. While I was on retreat over the New Year, we ate in Oryoki fashion. Each person has their own Oryoki kit, which is comprised of three bowls, two chopsticks, a wooden spoon, a wooden spatula, a lap napkin, a drying napkin, and a cloth case for the utensils. All of these items are stacked, bundled and tied up in the lap napkin.Just like in the Zen practice of meditation, Oryoki has a lot of rules.