First time in the dokusan room

[mendel]

Speaking of Zen, I figured I'd update on how things are going at the Zen Centre.

"Pretty well!"

nyxie and I have been going roughly once a week, although there was a bit of time off while the Centre was closed for an intensive retreat (sesshin). I'm starting to get used to things, although I still generally feel like a total noob

Comments

[pisceandreamer]

Somehow I suspect that every newcomer has their less-than-graceful moments.

[mendel]

It's funny you should mention it that way: One thing I overestimated was how many new people there are! Talking with sensei at his birthday party last Sunday he mentioned that about 1 in 100 people who come to an introductory workshop stick around: 1 in 10 who come to the workshop come back to the centre for a trial membership,and about 1 in 10 trial members become full members.

So new blood is somewhat uncommon, which is refreshing, because it reminds me that people will be patient and helpful because they're not tired of all the other newbies (and also because they're all Buddhists, of course.)

[nyxie]

And I highly suspect that Sensei had his own less-than-graceful moments as a new student too. ;)