Not much was happening that evening. Perhaps everyone was out dancing, on this Saturday night? After a while, a new visitor entered the tea house.
Pema Pera: Hi Mongo!
Pema Pera: How about a cup of tea?
Mongo McGinnis: hi
Mongo McGinnis: no tea nec
Pema Pera: have you been here before?
Mongo McGinnis: not in tea house
Pema Pera: Dakini built it
Mongo McGinnis: cool
Pema Pera: I really like the atmosphere in here
Pema Pera: it must have been quite a bit of work
Mongo McGinnis: yep
Pema Pera: you have met Dakini?
Mongo McGinnis: several with dakini as ther name but who is the original?
Pema Pera: Dakini Rhode is the one I meant. She leads the zen sitting sessions, at 6 pm. DId you just go to one?
Mongo McGinnis: yes i sat for a while no talk or answering of questions
Mongo McGinnis: is she a real monk or roshi
Pema Pera: Not officially, no, but she does have quite a bit of mediation experience, first in zen, and then more recently in Tibetan Buddhism
Pema Pera: But most importantly, for leading the group, is the fact that she has a great way of handling the large diversity of people that attend
Pema Pera: She has interesting things to say for beginners, to help them get started, as well as for people who have more experience
Pema Pera: And she does all that in a cheerful way, in no way heavyhanded.
Mongo McGinnis: you never know who you are interacting with here
Pema Pera: that is true
Pema Pera: on the other hand
Pema Pera: we can get a real sense of a person pretty quickly by the way to talk . . .
Pema Pera: how to answer questions, what they ask themselves, how they react to each other . . . .
I mentioned briefly why I was there.
Pema Pera: By the way, I’m coming to this tea house every day a few times
Pema Pera: to meet with friends who join me in a new type of exploration
Pema Pera: somewhat related to meditation/contemplation, but at the same time also quite different
Pema Pera: The main idea is to get a better sense of the reality we live in
Mongo McGinnis: how long have you been meditating?
Pema Pera: oh, I started, let’s see, 38 years ago ;>)
Pema Pera: but the main point is not so much meditation per se
Pema Pera: but rather integration into daily life
Mongo McGinnis: i know just curious
Pema Pera: fine!
Pema Pera: So what I’ve found over the years
Pema Pera: in my own case and that of others
Pema Pera: that sitting for a long period, even quite regularly, can be very helpful, but still, letting what you see and learn seep into daily life is not easy . .. . .
Mongo McGinnis: i have been sitting for over thirty years myself. i will see you later
Pema Pera: okay; you’re about to leave?
Mongo McGinnis: yes have to walk the dog and take care of household stuff
Pema Pera: of course!
Mongo McGinnis: see you later
Pema Pera: c u !
