The Heart of the Mothership
In the Heart of the Mothership is a tranquil valley, nestled between rolling hills and ancient trees, stands the Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji, a Buddhist monastery of the historic Rinzai Zen lineage. It is located on the banks of the highest lake in the Catskill mountains, amid 1,400 acres of forest and meadows. It is a place of total serenity. Since its opening 50 years ago, countless souls have been drawn to its serene embrace and the opportunity for a journey of self-discovery. Our founding father of Hollow Bones, Roshi Jun Po, spent 17 years at this special monastery and is well known by the full sangha nearby at the Zen Studies Society of New York.
In November 2023, I arrived at Dai Bosatsu for 40-days of silent serenity, holding a heart burdened by the chaos of my everyday life and wanting to learn more about the roots of our Zen Buddhist path. I was ultimately motivated to jump into this world of deep spiritual contemplation after I made the choice to simplify and minimize my lifestyle earlier in the year. The 40-day Kessei at the monastery would allow me to practice growing up, letting go and cultivating stillness inside.
At dawn of my first morning, I was awakened by the rhythmic cadence of temple bells and the soft footsteps of other resident monks getting ready to arrive at the Zendo before the last bell. The simplicity of this preparation struck me; the elegant robes, bare wooden floors, paper screens filtering soft sunlight, and the subtle fragrance of incense wafting through the air as we all finally took a seat on our cushions.
My initial days were dedicated to understanding the monastery's way of life. I was assigned to a small room with a tatami mat, wool blankets, a pillow, a lamp, and a window looking out on the lake. Our daily routine began early and ended late. Because of the ongoing essential silence, I discovered my mind’s own deep emptiness and stillness while sitting four to six hours each day. At some point there was no difference between sitting, working, eating, and sleeping. My active mind seemed to fade and disappear.
Days turned into weeks, and the monastery became my flow and sanctuary. In the afternoon, I joined the monks tending to the kitchen, doing the laundry, cleaning the Zendo, or drinking tea in silence at our dharma or poetry classes. The simple tasks started becoming an embodiment of another form of meditation. Each activity was performed with mindfulness, turning mundane tasks into expressions of spiritual devotion and joy.
We observed silence during our morning and afternoon communal meals (two meals a day), which was broken only by the soft clinking of the bowls and the rustle of robes. I marveled at the mindful consumption in which we savored each morsel of food with gratitude and awareness. The connection between food and spirit became palpable, reinforcing the notion that every action, no matter how small, could be an opportunity for inner peace and joyfulness.
As the days went by, I found myself not just participating but becoming an integral part of the monastery's rhythm. My heart opened, insights deepened, and the boundary between self and surroundings blurred. The flow of the present time became my teacher, and the monastery, my classroom.
In the quiet moments before bedtime, I would often go outside (even in the snow), to be alone under the starlit sky, and to reflect on the day's lessons. The cold breeze carried whispers of wisdom from our past linage, embracing me in a timeless dance of love for my Buddhist dharma and my own Shining Bright Lotus/Hollow Bones Zen Sangha.
On the 40th day, as I stood at the monastery gates ready to return to the outside world I had left behind, I observed a profound sense of inner peace in my heart. The chaos that once gripped me had been replaced by a serene acceptance of my life's ebb and flow.
The silent serenity of Dai Bosatsu had gifted me a new perspective: a mindful lens through which I now view my new path toward becoming a priest. I stepped beyond the monastery's threshold, and then vowed to carry the Zen Buddhist teachings with me until the death of the sun, living each moment with intention, gratitude, and a heart attuned to the quiet wisdom found in the depths of silence and stillness. So, it is.
Nine Deep Bows – Ming Po, Shuso - Larry Matthews, Boulder, CO.