Spring is coming

I haven't written for awhile. My life has been full of new things and old ones. I am still getting used to attending a Christian Church after all these years of considering myself a Buddhist. But I have been missing 'community' and at this church, I have found welcome, tolerance for my Buddhist leanings, friendly people, ritual, music, and movie night! I watch through different eyes than I had as a child as a congregation walks through its religious life. I am looking for gold nuggets I may have overlooked in the past.

In two days I also begin a 100 day virtual Soto Zen Buddhist meditation retreat for which I have been preparing for the past two weeks - starting to sit again, getting the schedule of my life in order, starting to eat more simply and organically, buying a webcam and signing up for Skype. "WHAT?" I hear you say. "Part of getting ready for a meditation retreat involves setting up video calling?"

Yes, what a surprise! But this is how the meditation master I am going to be working with (who lives in Minnesota, and I live in Colorado) works with his students in personal meetings. Very interesting! I have my first fact-to-fact meeting on Saturday!

Lastly, it has been hard for me to be very productive in my business of late. Grief about the losses I experienced in 2008 has finally started arising to the surface but... it is good... and it is time. I just need to work with it.

It seems early... but the little flowers have started to bloom!