33. Peak Experiences

Andrew has been getting good readings for us. We talked about peak meditation experiences. I had a really good meditation last night. I'm clinging to it, I want to reproduce it.

I rejoice is Seth's merit. He's seared out a cheap room to rent for mitra study so the Brooklyn people don't have such a long ride to attend. We've been alternating from Alyssa's in Bay Ridge, to Seth's in Astoria. That might be a problem for me, with my car, but I'm going to attend no matter what, no matter where, except when family demands me not to go. Seth's act is a wonderful act of inclusion and trying to meet everyone's needs.

Seth has also lent me some tapes: What the buddha felt. And he lent me a Thurman DVD.

I've been reading What Is The Sangha? and Pema Chodron's Comfortable With Uncertainty, which turns out is just a collection from her other stuff. I was reading that at lunch because it's one of the books in my car, and I stopped in a park to eat lunch and be away from the orifice.

I've been spinning all kinds of fantasies about retreats. I need to think some more to figure out my schedule till the GFR week in July that should be the highlight of my retreat year.

Carol sent me a book from Windmind, very kind of her.

32. Vimalakirti-nirdesa

Simon is back with sangha night, and we had some visitors from out of town. I've decided to begin posting to the male ordination newsletter on the Jalaka web site. Couldn't finish my meditation this morning, so exhausted, sick feeling. But over all my meditation has been more steady and regular. I started reading What is the Sangha?

I found Thurman's translation of the Vimalakirti-nirdesa at: http://www.buddhistinformation.com/ida_b_wells_memorial_sutra_library/vimalakirti_nirdesa_sutra.htm

I've been studying it on my own, listening to lectures, reading S's book. The mitras are studying the heart sutra. Sangha night we're studying the four foundations of right mindfulness.

31. www.buddhistrecovery.com

I'm not usually in the business of plugging others web sites, mostly because I fear nobody reads this blog. But I met Paul yesterday and he's a wonderful fellow. I consider him a new friend from down under, and he has a wonderful web site, which he pays for, and does quite a lot of work for, reading books on buddhism and recovery from substance abuse. If you buy a book through his web site, you might perhaps support his web site. He hopes to make it self sufficient at some point. I see this as a wonderful and useful example of doing something for other people, that helps one's own practice. Paul reports he went to a book store on recovery, and they only had 2 of the 25 books he's reviewed. The book store owner will hence forth use his web site to help create a buddhism and recovery section. Sadhu to Paul and his web partner!

http://www.buddhistrecovery.com/