Hey Guys,

Buddhist Geeks, the podcast, did an interview with me about Treeleaf. I followed an interview with Ven. Noah Levine, so I guess we're cool now (I have no tattoos though).

http://www.fallingfruit.tv/buddhistgeeks/

By coincidence, the subject came up yesterday on the Treeleaf Forum of "prostelitizing" Zen. I don't believe in that at all, and I don't think that you can do that anyway (our Zazen thing, and especially "Just Sitting", may not be for every person of every temperament who might do better with another practice or totally other religion/philosophy!). I think that when people come to practice Zazen, they should come on their own ... and leave on their own too, so we do not chase after folks who do not feel right.

But I also think that you have to make things known and available to folks who might be looking for such a thing. Otherwise, how are people gonna know?? So, when I do an interview, or put an ad in Buddhadharma or Tricycle magazine, I just want to spread the word that we are out there if anyone is looking for this kind of thing. The main purpose of this Sangha is to reach out to, for example, people with health situations, the elderly who don't drive, folks with jobs and families that keep them from regular attendance at a community Sangha, folks living in isolated areas where they have nobody to sit with ... they can sit with us! So, I do this kind of thing to make our resources known.

I also think that there are not so many people who really are interested in our kind of Practice, so there is no fear of a flood of people at our door. I think we will stay about the same size as about any other local Buddhist Sangha or Zen Center in the West.

Maybe I will get a "Treeleaf" tattoo!

Gassho, Jundo