First Day of Teaching & Study

Today we had our first full day of teachings and study. 

We started the day with an hour and a half session of Kongo-kai Gyo (Vajradhatu Mandala Sadhana) instruction.  This instruction was for a local Shido Kegyo student. But this teaching was also attended by two senior students who completed their Kongo-kai practice years ago and wanted to renew their command of the practice as well as a more junior Shido Kegyo student (who with Ajari Tanaka's permission) participated as an observer.

After a nice break and some delicious Japanese green tea, we tackled our translation project of the Gumonji-ho.  We didn't get as far as we hoped but more progress happened.  Our vision that this practice, the sadhana that Master Kukai used to achieve his enlightenment, will soon be part of our curriculum, seemed more real than ever before.  But more work is still ahead of us.

We then headed to lunch at a local natural foods store that has a fantastic cafe.  The break from the work and the sustenance was much needed and felt so very good.

But then we headed back to our home base to gear up for the final teaching of the day.

Now it was 3:00 PM and we greeted a long time student from Croatia. He came from so very far away to receive instruction on our fire ceremony, the Goma. So we got right to work.  First a few details about our practice text - Ajari's recent additions, visual guides to the Goma-dan and the first edition of our study guide to the practice.  Next we tackled the Goma-dan set-up - making sure the various offerings and ritual implements were in their proper placement.  And finally we reviewed the opening and the first section of the practice.  

It was so wonderful to go through this practice and these teachings again.  The student who received them is only the sixth member of our sangha to do so.  It was a very happy occasion.

But the work is only just started. Tomorrow and Tuesday we repeat the same schedule to complete all this work.

We are so happy to be part of Ajari Tanaka's effort to make Shingon available in the western world and hope that because of our good fortune we can help others enter the practice.