GROUND BROKEN ON GARDEN

Bob and Kristi worked Sunday on getting the spot prepared for the garden at the Weik ranch. (I was there for a short time, and saw the dirt on them, so I know it was them!)
Please be prepared to talk about materials, plants (we discussed that it is too late to plant seeds so we will need started plants), fencing to keep the local critters out, and when you might be able to help. We will discuss these details on Wed. nite.
Also, there is an okugyo (like a sesshin only for aikido) at the dojo Wed., Thurs., and Fri., but don't let that stop you, as we will still have our usual zazen, there just may be a few extra people there that night, but this won't be a large group.

Hanami

This time of year, Japanese people flock to the gardens and hillsides for hanami, literally 'flower viewing', especially focused on the sakura, or cherry blossoms. They will have a picnic under the blossoms, sometimes at night. I post this because of the relevence to Zen; the brief but beautiful life of the blooms is compared to the brevity and beauty of the human experience. Here are two pictures, one with a prayer attached to the tree, from the Osaka area of Japan:

Something to ponder

I saw this on a webpage and thought of the talk this past Wed.
As Ju-Ju might say, the "how" question may not get it exactly...

If one views things and himself as many, and maintains that things and people are many, then he will get black-n-blue.
If one views things and himself as one, and maintains that things and people are one, then he will get black-n-blue, too.
Question:So, how could one view and say about things and people in order to not get black-n-blue?
Answer:Just see things and people as-they-are.
Question:How could one see things and people as-they-are?
Answer:Dragon's head snake's tail.