Chris, Joe, et al...
I never had this happen at any sesshin I attended but there were times that the
timekeeper did not ring the bell on the schedule specified. In the times when
this was a longer period than scheduled (usually 40-minutes) there started to
be some scattered squirming around and shifting of leg positions towards the
end.
I did once attend a management training conference in Seattle with about 30
other 'young execs' from various parts of the US where on the first day we were
all instructed to meet in a small auditorium-like conference room for a buffet
breakfast, a welcome and to be advised of the schedule for the next 3 days. We
were to meet at 8A. Most of us showed up around 7:45A and I think everyone was
there and in a seat by the 8A starting time. There was no breakfast or coffee
anywhere. 8A came and went. Then 8:15A. Murmuring began in the audience. By
8:30A some people had stood up and were walking around complaining about the
delay. Soon some said they'd had enough of this and were going up to the
coffee shop and would check back later. Groups formed and decided some would
stay and some would go and wait in their rooms for a call (there were no mobile
phones then). A few of us migrated to the back of the room, introduced
ourselves and just sat around getting to know each other.
About 9A those of us left in the room agreed to call room service and have some
breakfast items and coffee delivered to the conference room. When it came we
called the others who had gone back to their rooms and they came down to eat
with us. About 11A a couple of the members got up and went to the front of the
room. They were the instructors. They said they started the conference this
way to put us in an unexpected situation to see how we dealt with stress. Some
bailed out, some organized groups, some went off on their own, some took
initiate to order food, etc...
The entire conference was full of strange things like that and some very
interesting assignments. It was almost as good as a sesshin! It was well
worth my time and I learned things there I have drawn on all of my professional
life.
Just 'blast from the past' that seemed somewhat similar to Joe's account of the
Suzuki Roshi leaving a sesshin...Bill!
--- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, "Joe" <desert_woodworker@...> wrote:
>
> Chris,
>
> That never happened in our old sangha in Tucson. We regularly held 7-day
> sesshin with NO teacher at all. More "Zen" that way, eh? (Merle can tell you
> what "Zen" means; I can't).
>
> In fact, sesshin without a teacher is the norm. Not everyone knows this.
>
> Sesshin WITH a teacher is called "O-Sesshin". That is a fact, and is a
> matter of record, like the Blue Cliff Record. O-Sesshin is "Great Sesshin".
> The university in Japan at O-tani is at a place called "Great Valley".
>
> We were a strong sangha, and did what we had to do, and what we knew best how
> to do, and do for each other. It was good to have a teacher eventually, too.
> But we had to teach him a thing or two, too.
>
> --Joe
>
> > ChrisAustinLane <chris@> wrote:
> >
> > There is a story they tell in the Bay Area about Suzuki just leaving and
> > not coming back for hours and hours and letting everyone figure out what to
> > do!
>
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