Into Great Silence

This sesshin is going to be a little different from usual, in that we are following a modified schedule that Victoria and Darlene tried over ten years ago - and that was one of my earliest sesshins here in the building. We looked at the participant list the other day, and saw names of current and former residents, those who had joined us just for that week, those passing through and several, including Darlene and Marvin, who have since died.
I am feeling the strain of working a full six-day week, and then going straight into seven days of sitting, with an extra edge due to the unfamiliarity of what we are going to do - but I have the sense that once we settle in after the first day or two, it is going to feel very nice, at least until I have to immerse myself in preparations for the shuso ceremony.
An idea also occured to me around the blog, combining something I had already been considering, with the upcoming week of silence. Watch this space.

Things are blossoming in the courtyard right now

It was sunny yesterday, but rainy this morning. Good sitting weather