Saturday

I've had a very pleasant day so far. I slept well - till 8:26 in the morning!!!! I woke rested and ready for my day.

I went to Sangha practice this morning. It was an abreviated practice due to a life release Lama Khandro did to remove obstacles for all our Sangha traveling to New York to see His Holiness Karmapa. We released worms. She purchased them at a bait store and in rescuing them and then releasing them, it not only saved their lives, but perhaps the lives of fish these worms would have been used to catch. Lama Khandro read a very good rational for life release and what an important and profound practice it is. The worms were in containers and placed on the Rinpoche's puja table. The Lama did some prayers over them, and placed little discs of "stuff" she had made (the same substance used to make tormas), they had previously been placed on the shrine and were blessed.

We had our monthly pot luck lunch after practice, and Kim and Cathy provided a wonderful meal. Lama Khandro led us in a prayer of blessing, and then a plate was prepared as an offering and placed on the shrine while the rest of us ate. After the shrine was closed the food was removed and I wrapped it up and brought it home. When I got home I released a container of worms in the lot next door, and spread out the food (tsok) for wild life to feed on.

Afterward, I went to Chamblin's Book Mine and traded in some books. I did a little browsing and got a book by Alexandra David Neel called Initiations and Initiates in Tibet, a drawing book that I had checked out at the library and really liked (and looked for on several past visits to Chamblin's), and a small little gem I found called The Watercolor Handbook. This little book examines watercolors done by the Masters, such as Van Gogh, Cezanne, Klee, Delecroix, and others. It's a very interesting little book. I paid no money and still have over $25 credit for a future visit. I love Chamblin's. I don't know the last time I got books from there that I actually paid cash for.

Between Sangha and Chamblin's I spoke to F twice, spoke to C, bought gas, and had the car washed. I did some cleaning outdoors, rummaged through my studio for a new moleskine, and played with the dogs outside for a bit.

Once inside, I looked at email then read for a while, currently reading The Wisdom of Solitude by Jane Dobisz. She is a Zen Buddhist Master. The book is about a 100 day retreat she did alone in winter in a 150 sq. foot cabin in New England. It's an easy read, but delightful. I identify with her fears and her apprehension. I'm enjoying it. As always, on Saturday, a nap was enjoyed.