Tassajara

[Drunk Monk]

I searched DOOM here to see when my last trip was (as the forum now stores most of my memories) and the earliest reference was 2005. Has it really been a decade? Wow. I used to go regularly. Stacy was approved as a student massage therapist, which means she trades massage for the stay and could get a guest in really cheaply (daily rate for guests is nearly $300 a night - she gets her guest in for $25 a night). But Tara has taken my slot for the last several years. I'm astounded that this has been a decade already.

Tassajara is part of S.F. Zen, the lineage in which Stacy and I took our vows for our wedding 20 years ago. I've done work studies there. And as an aficionado of natural hot springs, it is my well researched opinion the Tassajara has the most curative waters on the West Coast. The waters are magical, like melted silk, and they refract around the body with this intense blue aura like brilliant turquoise.

The last time I went to Tassajara, I stopped eating meat (except seafood). It was a weird transition. As you all know, I was a stunt meat eater, having eaten more types of meat in China than most Westerners could fathom. Despite my Buddhist vows, I never thought I could go veg. After my last trip a decade ago, I figured I'd just keep up the veg diet until I couldn't any longer. I often say I will take up meat eating again if I ever go back to China, but that's been over a decade now too.

Tassajara was very restorative. I did the morning zazen, which was easier for me as I'm now trained to wake up for the HWY17 commute. But other than that, I bathed a lot, ate a lot and slept a lot. I read two new scholarly works on martial arts (which, like tQ's romance novels, I will probably not review here, unless I get really bored, which is unlikely). Stacy raised an eyebrow about me reading stuff 'for work' on my vacation, but both books were extraordinary. Reading at a Zen monastery is the way.

I also fed a lot of the local insects.

I love Tassajara. It gives me such hope to remember such sanctuaries still exist in the world. Hopefully, it won't be another decade until I return there.

[thatguy]

An ex-co-worker of mine made this video and used the Bashi-Bazouks cover version of the Number Nine song "You really can't say".

[youtube]k4hl3vE2wjQ[/youtube]

Somewhere I have a cassette of the original Number Nine cut with KB singing backup and playing bass. I just got set up to rip cassettes to the computer over the weekend and actually ripped the first Number Nine performance from 1986, live on KKUP. I was truly awful. My playing has improved considerably (which isn't saying much). I find it hilarious to listen to. Bob and I had recently joined the band and this gig was already scheduled, but under a different band name, so there was a significant disconnect by the host who kept calling us "The Wind-ups". Someday I'll post us slaughtering "Flying" by the Beatles.

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

that road wasn't nearly so green last weekend.

[Drunk Monk]

I go back tomorrow.  For a whole week.  

Can hardly wait.

[Drunk Monk]

Tassajara was wonderful, as always.  It was bookended by the Crow's Nest Beach party, which had free reggae on the beach in walking distance and that was just irresistible.  We headed out on Friday and met another family there, a middle school friend of Tara's and her parents.  The girls were doing the student work practice, which meant they had to do the morning zazen and then work until noon, but they really took to it.  Stacy was doing bodywork on the students but she arranged it so she ended with a day off and we bought another day as guests so we'd be there for the girls when they were done.  I was just coatailling as Stacy's guest, which means I had no obligations and ate with the students, but I did the zazen as I've taken zen vows twice so I should really keep them.  The other girls mom had a hard time relaxing, always busying herself, making sure everyone was attended to, and constantly chatting about how she would stay longer next year (to which I kept saying 'be here now') - her husband, who only came grumblingly, figured it out quickly and just lounged at the tubs, soaking it all in. Also, by chance, I ran into one of the RM docs, Adam, who has recently been blackballed from the org for overindulging his backstage privileges.  But all of them were only there for the weekend, and by the 4th, it was just us and T's friend.  The 4th is also a celebration of founder's day, so the zen students stage these hilarious skits in the evening and there's a dj dance party after (which was amazingly rocking - those zen students can really let loose).  Also, Brother David Steindl-Rast, the benedictine monk and catholic scholar was there.  We had crossed paths with him there before and he is a true wise luminary, so genuinely spiritual that he could make me convert if I spent enough time with him.  i really enjoyed having breakfast with him on the last day - holding hands in grace before eating was really special.  I also spent some time with Tanto Greg Fain, who has been head there for 7 years now.  he left me with a lot of food for thought, as did several of the zen students.  I really enjoyed our informal chats - so thought provoking with present, literate people, all on the path. Sometimes it's like being out thought - that's what i luv about zen - it can be profound and intellectual, but also humorous. The week before was my 20th anniversary of taking my vows at Shaolin (21 for my wedding vows, which were at Green Gulch, like Tassajara another branch of SF zen).  i had totally forgotten the date of my Shaolin vows until my disciple brother posted on instagram.  I've strayed from Shaolin as I don't have a Shaolin teacher now.  It made me rethink my practice a lot, as it's been a long cold winter and my practice has really decayed.  So I did a lot of practice at Tassajara, reconstructing some forms and exercises which i hope to keep up on a daily basis.  I really need to work out more.  The baths at tassajara took most of my attention - being on the student schedule meant I could have the baths to myself a lot and had a really magical moment there alone when a deer came down to the creek as I was in the outdoor plunge.  My zazen was mediocre - i was fighting sleep like always (when buddhist say 'awake' it's quite literal) and having weird flashbacks to sleepy rides over hwy17 - not at all good.  On the 4th, i had a terrible sit, nearly dropped off, cramped, had to use the bathroom, everything went wrong and i had to bail on the special service.  That gave me pause as i thought i was getting into the rhythm of it.  But sitting is so hard.  If you haven't practiced it, you just don't know.  On my final sit, there was a bat in the zendo (Tara said there were two but I only saw one).  Just as I settled in, the bat came right between me and the wall - i could feel the wind from its wings.  i figured that start would be enough to keep me up, but it didn't.  So personally, the practice drenched up a lot for me.  The food, the bathing, the conversations, all were very renewing and inspiring.  And I read and napped a lot.  It was a perfect vacation.

[Drunk Monk]

I don't know if any of you were following the Sobrantes Fire, but it came within a few miles of my dear sacred retreat. We've been on edge for weeks. Today they announced the following:

SOBERANES FIRE UPDATE as of 9/29.  Dear Sangha -- We have good news.  The likelihood of the fire coming to Tassajara has now been designated as very low, and the fire is 92% contained.  For that reason, Tassajara practice period students will be returning to the monastery this weekend to help with a short work period.  The Winter Practice Period will start on October 15th led by Central Abbess Linda Ruth Cutts.  We are deeply grateful to all the firefighters who have worked hard to contain the fire.  We also greatly appreciate your kind wishes for everyone's safety and well being.  

Date:  09/29/2016
Acres burned:  129,395 acres
Total firefighting personnel:  1,462 
Distance from Tassajara at closest point:  2.15 miles
Distance from Jamesburg at closest point:  1.58 miles
Percent of perimeter contained:  92%

[King Bob]

DM - on a related note, I saw this book in the used bookstore the other day - Fire Monks - have you read it?[url=https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Monks-Mind-Meets-Wildfire/dp/0143121375/][/url]

[Drunk Monk]

Been meaning to.  Stacy had it for a while and read it.  She liked it.  I was meaning to read it but she traded it away before I could get to it.  

Tara keeps saying they can write a sequel now.

[Drunk Monk]

Sobrantes fire is contained http://www.ksbw.com/article/soberanes-fi...ed/5936879

[Drunk Monk]

The Willow fire is 3 miles from Tassajara and heading that way. Most of the residents have been evacuated and a sprinkler system installed after the last fire called ‘dharma rain’ has been activated. Once again, I hope the zendo survives.

[thatguy]

We just did our Ft Ord bike loop. Looking that way, I see no plumes of smoke. Also, there were warnings that the wind would start blowing the smoke in our direction this afternoon, but it’s not particularly smokier than previous days this week. It was zero containment when I read the news article this morning. Hopefully they’ve got a handle on it. 

—tg

[Drunk Monk]

Here are the updates from SF Zen.

https://www.sfzc.org/fire-updates

[thatguy]

Just got back to Marina from dad day bbq in SC with my son. It’s foggy on the ocean side and Smokey on the mountain side. It’s definitely more smoky now than any time this week, but it’s high in the air. Air quality is still good. We’ll see how long that lasts. 

—tg

[thatguy]

Willow Fire Day 5, 0% containment. Not very smoky today, so it must be blowing the other way. 

—tg

[Drunk Monk]

FIRE UPDATE: The 2021 Willow Fire is 73% contained and Tassajara is no longer in critical danger. San Francisco Zen Center extends deep appreciation and thanks to the the agencies and firefighters for their support during this emergency. As Tassajara is still under an evacuation warning status, the Tassajara Fire Crew will remain there until further notice. Thank you again to all of those who have been following the situation and keeping SFZC in your thoughts. 

Grateful