Sunday, August 12, 2001


rainy but humid day today -- perfect for a yoga class with the noted frank jude boccio (FJB to his devoted fan base, which i am now joining with total abandon). after class we had a chat about old times -- it turns out we know many of the same people, such as rabbi burt a. siegel, yoga teacher jessa zinn nee bertsche. . .amazing how small this world is.

but more importantly we discussed some of the diamond sutra, reputed to be the world's first printed book, famously found in the caves of dunhuang among a treasure trove of precious ancient books.

i told fjb quite frankly how the teaching of non-existence worried me; how i just didn't understand it. and we had a pleasant chat about, naturally, what that tricky conception of "emptiness" is. of course he used one of my all-time favorite examples, the nature of the wooden table between us.

in this day of modern physics we all understand that solid things are actually most empty space in which tightly packed atoms whirl about. if i fall and hit my head on the table, though, it's solid enough. but under the electron microscope, we see something more of the table's true nature. and this, to vastly oversimplify fjb's discussion, is the point of the sutra -- to alert us to the "emptiness" of things, to remind us that their true nature is much different than first appears to us. he chatted a little about his interest in thich nhat hahn and the tiep hien school.

those of you in new york, who can reach the energy center, must rush to take a class with fjb instantly. if you'd like to experience his extremely charming buddhist teaching, claim a zafu in his weekly sunday night sangha, also at the energy center. you might see me there yet. . .

that is, if the heat holds up, and i can't bake! for those of you pizza, chocolate, and coffee troopers, don't despair. . .you'll see more on your favorites next week! thanks for hanging in!

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