It\u2019s almost 2 am so I\u2019ll make this quick.<\/p>\n
Today we delivered our final partner presentations at Terminal Kyoto. We had the morning free, and I did a lot of walking around and took care of some general shopping I needed to do. \u00a0In the early afternoon I dressed in formal attire and went to Terminal Kyoto with Breelyn, where everyone practiced their presentations with translation. \u00a0After a short break, the audience had arrived and we delivered the final versions of our talks.<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t particularly nervous to give our presentation, but I\u2019m glad that it was over. \u00a0Even though our adventure in Kyoto has been so short, I\u2019ve learned and seen so much and I\u2019m grateful that I\u2019ve been able to take everything in. \u00a0Everyone who had been one of our teachers at some point during this program was invited to the event, and many of them attended. \u00a0Both Professor Ludvik and Kei-san watched our Zen presentation, and they seemed to enjoy it, which is nice.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m proud of what I\u2019ve been able to learn about Zen from this experience. \u00a0I learned that I need to let go of my worries about whether or not my meditation experience is \u201clegitimate.\u201d \u00a0If I find satisfaction in sitting, I\u2019ll sit. \u00a0If not, I\u2019ll do something else. \u00a0The idea that meditation can exist in all of our action – walking, eating, working – emphasizes the importance of undivided attention. \u00a0This doesn\u2019t mean I should use intense focus at all times, but I should try to live each moment fully, rather than be half-present and consume my mind with worries. \u00a0It is important that after this experience, I make an effort to have those moments of undivided attention during my day, since during the semester I will inevitably be stressed and inclined to multitask.<\/p>\n
After the presentations and the reception dinner, all of the students went out for karaoke. \u00a0Unlike American karaoke, which occurs in a bar with people you don\u2019t know, Japanese karaoke involves renting a soundproof room for a set amount of time, with nonalcoholic beverages included with the cost of admission. \u00a0We had fun singing (I know I did) and I\u2019m sure there will be plenty of pictures to show for it. It was a nice way to wind down after a long day. \u00a0But tomorrow we\u2019ll have to make sure we\u2019re up bright and early (8 am) so that we can answer our koan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s almost 2 am so I\u2019ll make this quick. Today we delivered our final partner presentations at Terminal Kyoto. We had the morning free, and I did a lot of walking around and took care of some general shopping I … Continue reading