Bill, Tea and COOKIES?! How decadently Western!
Our meals consisted of a small bowl of steaming hot rice gruel with an umebashi on top and a small bowl of cooked vegetables. Edgar On Nov 21, 2012, at 3:34 AM, Bill! wrote: > Edgar and Joe, > > I don't know how it is now, but back in the 'good old days' (which in my case > is the 1960's) zen centers operated on a pretty sparse budget. I was involved > with two during that time, one intimately and over close to a 10-year period > and the other casually and only over a 1+ year period. Both of these had > pretty much the same programs and the same procedures. One center was in an > urban area and one was in a secluded area in the mountains. > > The urban center hosted a half-day Beginning Seminar free. Anyone could > attend and there was no reservations required. Tea was served in the morning > and light refreshments (more tea and some cookies) were served afterwards. > > They both had weekend, one-week and month-long sesshins (meditation > retreats). Meals were served and accommodations provided for those not living > in the area - or that wanted to stay there. There were fees for the meals and > accommodations but as I remember they were not exorbitant and could be > reduced or waived for people who needed that. > > Occasionally there were 'special' one-week or month-long sesshins that > featured other compatible practices like tai chi, qigong, poetry, etc... > These could have a higher fee. > > I don't remember what these fees were but I was just a working stiff then and > certainly not rich. I know the fees were comfortable for me, and if I > remember correctly I considered them actually less than it would have cost me > to live at home for the week or month. > > And like I said I did know that some participants could not pay and that did > not present a problem for the centers. > > Just a little FYI...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@...> wrote: > > > > O, Edgar, > > > > If you were never taught there about the practice of Dana, then you were > > cheated. I'd demand your Voided-check back if I were you. > > > > You mean you only had to work in the Vegetable garden six hours a day on > > their/your sesshin(s)? > > > > If not, you'll have a big debt to pay to the benefactors in the hereafter, > > or the underworld. > > > > You could make this right if you make an offering now. Is anybody still > > alive, there? > > > > --Joe > > > > > Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> wrote: > > > > > > In all my practice at Zen temples there was never any charge at all. > > > Lessons, food and board were all gratis... > > > >
