Clothespin: San Diego Zen Meditation Group Blog

Moved and consolidated!

2010-12-16T13:17:00.000-08:00

This blog is no longer active. The content here has been copied and consolidated into my new Forget Zen blog:

http://forgetzen.posterous.com

Posterous has better iPhone compatibility.

Bike Ride to Kumeyaay Campsite #10

2009-12-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

I rode my bike from University City to Santee today, a trial run of the bike ride part of the 8 Jan 2010 Zen Integrated Life Intensive. The destination was campsite #10 at the Kumeyaay Campground.

On the way out to campsite #10 I took Perimeter Road (a dirt road inside of Mission Trails Regional Park that parallels Hwy 52), instead of the Hwy 52 bike lane. I was on my road bike, and much of Perimeter Road is in bad shape, so I had to walk much of the way. It took 2 1/2 hours.

On the way back to my house, I took the route marked on the map on the 8 Jan 2010 Zen Integrated Life Intensive web page. This took 1 hour and 45 minutes, with photo and snack stops along the way.

It was a great ride. Beautiful sky. The pictures that follow are in order. Click on the photos to see them full size.

Portobello Drive trailhead, Northwest corner of Mission Trails Regional Park, the start of Perimeter Road.

Shepherd Canyon.

Point where Perimeter Road crosses the North Fortuna Mountain ridge.

Waterfall and pool on the Perimeter Road tributary to Oak Canyon Creek.

Oak Canyon, looking South from Perimeter Road.

Campsite #10.

Looking at campsite #12 from campsite #10. The slope between the two campsites would be a great place to sit.

Entering the Hwy 52 bike lane from Santee.

Bike lane speed limit.

Spring Canyon, looking North from Hwy 52.

Oak Canyon, looking North from Hwy 52.

Top of the world.

View of San Diego and Point Loma on the way back.

18 Feb 2009 Sesshin Planning

2009-12-10T23:38:00.000-08:00

This blog is for discussing plans for the 18 Feb 2010 sesshin.

Meal collaboration. I'd like to have the meals be more of a collaborative effort. I will continue to provide the breakfasts and picnic lunches, but I would like others to sign up to contribute the dinners and the final lunch. Ideally, a different person will be responsible for each meal.

Please let me know (ideally by responding to this blog) if you are willing to contribute one of the following meals to the February sesshin:

Fri 18 Feb Dinner
Sat 19 Feb Dinner
Sun 20 Feb Informal Lunch (usually lasagna)

You would be responsible for an entire meal, and would either bring the meal pre-cooked, or bring the ingredients and prepare the meal at the sesshin during the work period.

Saint Teresa of Avila

2009-12-10T07:03:00.000-08:00

**Under Construction**

I'm reading The Autobiography of St Teresa of Avila. When I read a book, I usually keep notes in a text editor or emails to myself. This time, I thought that I would use a blog instead. Perhaps someone will find it interesting.

St Teresa is described on Wikipedia in the article Teresa of Avila.

Here are some links to photos of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's sculpture The Ecstacy of Saint Teresa: Wikipedia, photo of aedicula, closeup photo.

Ends and means.

One must never do the smallest thing that is wrong in order to do good, however great. -pg 29

Thy will be done. This is a biblical quote (Galatians ii, 20):

For it is not I now who live, but Thou, my Creator, livist in me. -pg 36

Vanities. Interesting discussion of vanities and maintaining the appearance of being virtuous. See page 37.

The failings of organized religion.

Oh, what terrible harm, what terrible harm is wrought in religious (I am referring now as much to men as to women) when the religious life is not properly observed; when of the two paths that can be followed in a religious house--one leading to virtue and the observance of the Rule and the other leading away from the Rule--both are frequented almost equally! No, I am wrong: they are not frequented equally, for our sins cause the more imperfect road to be the more commonly taken; being the broader, it is the more generally favoured. The way of true religion is frequented so little that, if the friar and the nun are to begin to follow their vocation truly, they need to be more afraid of the religious in their own house than of all the devils. They must observe greater caution and dissimulation when speaking of the friendship which they would have with God than in speaking of other friendships and affections promoted in religious houses by the devil. I cannot think why we should be astonished by all the evils which exist in the Church, when those who ought to be models on which all may pattern their virtues are annulling the work wrought in the religious Orders by the spirit of the saints of old. May His Divine Majesty be pleased to find a remedy for this, as He sees needful. Amen. -pp 39-40

Visit our website

2009-11-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

Visit our website at http://home.roadrunner.com/~clothespin.

Sesshin 10 Nov 2009 Photos

2009-11-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

Photos from the 10 Nov 2009 Sesshin.