At the same time as I ordained and moved into the center in June 2010 there was some change in the membership going on as well. In particular, several people who were trained at some key zendo jobs moved away, leaving most of the monitoring and timing to me for months on end.
That's starting to change now, and last night I enjoyed a whole evening of wall time as a newly trained monitor and a newly trained timer took over. They both did fine, and it was particularly nice after the rounds were over seeing the new monitor helping out the new timer with some pointers on bell strikes, pacing during the prostrations, etc. I could walk away knowing that there are now others who care deeply enough for the forms of our common practice to challenge each other to maintain them. I had a smile on my face all the way down the stairs. Pleased as Punch. Couldn't have been happier.
This practice belongs to no one. It's certainly not mine. Being of service to it is not the same thing as owning it. I do my part to bear it up when it's my turn, and I set it down when it's not my turn. Any more, and I would be harming both it and myself.
That's starting to change now, and last night I enjoyed a whole evening of wall time as a newly trained monitor and a newly trained timer took over. They both did fine, and it was particularly nice after the rounds were over seeing the new monitor helping out the new timer with some pointers on bell strikes, pacing during the prostrations, etc. I could walk away knowing that there are now others who care deeply enough for the forms of our common practice to challenge each other to maintain them. I had a smile on my face all the way down the stairs. Pleased as Punch. Couldn't have been happier.
This practice belongs to no one. It's certainly not mine. Being of service to it is not the same thing as owning it. I do my part to bear it up when it's my turn, and I set it down when it's not my turn. Any more, and I would be harming both it and myself.
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