As you all probably know we have lost one of Jundo's Oryoki training videos and he has suggested we use the one from the Austin Zen Center in its place. I have talked to Jundo, and Shugen about starting to do some Oryoki session in the new year so I have been watching a lot of videos doing a fair amount of reading.

I asked Jundo what to do when the Austin Zen Center and our documentation do things differently. I thought he would say, use our documentation but instead he told me to use the Japanese videos as authoritative sources.

So I have been comparing and contrasting, and sharing with Shugen and Jundo. Usually our procedures agree with the Japanese videos but not always. Jundo suggested I work on updating our documentation to bring it in line with the Japanese training videos and I am working on it. I am sharing what I find with Shugen and Jundo, and I'll let everyone know where we net out.

Many of the things are small, like which way to flip the drying cloth - or should it be flipped at all (answer is no flip). But there are some bigger ones like the fact that the procedures are a little different between lunch and dinner - lunch has tea and cleaning water, breakfast only cleaning water. Another is that when cleaning the water is sipped from the small bowl not the middle one.

I just wanted to let you all know that this was in the works. And, also, I have been practicing with the newer procedures so Jakuden and I might do things a bit differently during Rohatsu.

If you have any questions let me know. Deep bows to the hard work that went into creating our documentation.

Gassho,

Shinshi