Toledo Buddhist

 Annonymous said: " Do teachers get paid a wage that is commensurate with the contribution they make to the children? Of course not. But, like it or not, that is not what t heir wage is based on. And, bottom line, being a teacher is a choice. If they feel they are underpaid, they can choose a different profession." Jay Rinsen Weik   Jay Rinsen Weik @Annonymous: you are right; being a teacher is a choice, no question about it. And they can just make another more profitable choice if they want to. True. And I feel this understanding while true, is not comprehensive. The 'choice only' position absolutizes agency, but we also live in communion, social structures exist and also factor into everyone’s choices, consciously or not. What I observe is that in a society based on profit, 'talent' is likely to go after the profit. I also observe that what little attraction there was for talent in the teaching profession in terms of financial security and respect is erod...

Working with Anger  and the Body In this podcast, Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik offers commentary on Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva  as it relates to dealing with anger. Listen Here

A talk and discussion with the Reverend Jay Rinsen Weik, recorded at the Toledo Zen Center on March 10th, 2010.   Listen via the link below or on iTunes as "The Drinking Gourd Podcast."  www.theDrinkingGourd.org/total-trust

Time to shave the head and get ready to recieve the sangha for Sesshin!  There is some pretty intense weather on it's way, so some may wisely choose to opt-out, but for those who make it out I anticipate a memorable, deep snow retreat... The Zafu's are loaded...   Lovely, lovely...

I saw one of those enlightenment quotes on Facebook today: "When you are enlightened, you’ll realize that what you see and what you’ve been seeking to understand in the world is an illusion. There’s nothing to understand, nothing to gain, nothing to achieve. It’s just to be."  - Ratanjit S. Sondhe So I was compelled to write an 'enlightenment poem' in reply:  "That you three are Pugs  there is no mistake.  I give you my love,  and you piss me a lake." - Rev. Rinsen Time for me to clean up the mess...

Tomorrow begins the Guitar Conclave! Here is the blurb: A  weekly group guitar master class with Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik, Saturdays from 1pm till we're done. These meetings are intended for my current or former University students or other adult guitarists who can already play but wish to expand their fretboard awareness, reading ability and improvisational capacity.  Send me a note if you would like to participate,                                              space is limited! I'm looking forward to this as an opportunity to get my music students together and work as a group on the barriers that we all face as artists and musicians, as well as the guitar specific stuff that is just so cool... There is a facebook group for it here if you are interested in joining it as well.

This Dharma Talk was recorded during a Zazenkai at the Toledo Zen Center on October 25th, 2009.  Discusses the dark side of religion, Hitler, and Mass-Thinking. The Drinking Gourd Podcasts are made possible by listener donations.  Please visit thedrinkinggourd.org to make a contribution. http://thedrinkinggourd.org/becoming-the-buddha-of-you