Howdy, All,
I don't know how many here sit regularly or occasionally with a Zen practice
group -- a sangha -- and a teacher, but I have a general question which is a
bit like a survey question for you, even if you don't sit with a group.
In a group here in Tucson that is affiliated with the Diamond Sangha of Robert
Aitken Roshi, late, of Hawai'i, the matter of "The greying of the sangha" came
up. Mmost of the affiliated sanghas began to look at it, and to think about it.
"The greying of the sangha" as perceived during that time was/is the advancing
average age of sangha members. It seemed that younger people just were not
joining and not practicing. The sanghas were looking more and more like groups
of old people.
Perhaps there was a "wave" of people in the 1960s and 1970s Stateside who were
influenced to become interested in formal Zen practice, and the "greying"
perceived of late is essentially the "Zen-baby-boom" of practitioners which is
now naturally aging, moving through the sangha(s).
Perhaps conditions are not as favorable now for young people entering practice.
On the other hand, we all know that it takes a certain maturity to sit Zen, and
to keep at it.
But the perceived "greying" is the perception of a REAL phenomenon: the
predominant hair color in the 20 or so affiliate sanghas has become grey or
white. It was not so earlier! The age of the average sangha member is still
steadily increasing.
I'm not involved in the said sangha any longer, so I am not actively looking
for ways to change the greying phenomenon.
I wonder if this "greying" is noted in other sanghas, elsewhere.
--Joe / Arizona
------------------------------------
Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are
reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
