Our sangha has the tradition of tying a knot in a twelve-foot cord during celebration of our founding in November each year–twelve so far.This tool is a visual representation of time, a ceremonial event, and an icon. The space between the knots represent the spending of time together and sharing the Dharma.

I can imagine the creation of such a technology thousands of years ago, possibly by an “ x ” marking the spot. This visual device conjures form from emptiness. It is symbolic of multifaceted construction wherein meaning derives for those who have the right view. It intuits.

A stitch in time, a sutra, a mark, an underline, all serve awareness and focus. Yet, when we conceptualize based on the indicator (X) we see and experience a kaleidoscopic arising. We recall meaning even though our experiences may be different. We accept similar experiences of others to well up in our group of participants. Thus is the case with new beginnings. Does Impermanence have a timeline? Yes and no. The universe is an “X.” It is a construct of inventive minds which fluctuate (universe and mind).

Let's look at the construct of 2023. This looking ahead is based on weighted previousness, our perspectives, combined with direction of willingness to act in certain ways. Hence the problematic resolutions. The more specific the resolve, the smaller the target for fullness of accomplishment. It is here that we shift to direction and broad area landing. An example here would be a space capsule returning to Earth and arriving on target in an ocean.

So, in a week or so I’ll send out the Falmouth Soto Zen Sangha Annual Report for 2022. It is made-up of direction, activities, and cost. It is a memory of sorts. Accompanying this are direction, activities and costs for the next twelve months.

My professional career path included being a strategic planning consultant. This meant I had to analyze and project along with identiying alternative scenarios as conditions and variables, as they always do, shift. It was living in the calculation of now.

So with this 2023 thing, we step off another 100 foot pole. We step which is directional, we are in flux, and we arrive each moment–Dharma Gates all…

Next week we’ll look into the possibilities for 2023

May All Beings Be Happy

Sangaku