Fortunately a good crew will continue to live at Yokoji! And I would like to shed a light on them as they will be the ones who continue to make it possible for you to come and practice at Yokoji.

First of all of course there is Tenshin Roshi, who, for so many years now, is keeping the Buddhist teachings alive. And who is still so committed. Even though he has to combine a family life and leading the center. The demands that come with this combination must sound familiar to all of you who have children and a job. The best thing you can do to support him is to show up and help out where needed.

Then we have Jim Yugen. Who is just back from a well-deserved holiday in the UK. He’s Roshi’s right hand as administrator and Jisha (attendant). He has a big heart for this practice and the center. Besides doing the administration, he’s the webmaster, fundraiser, mechanic and the main caretaker of the road. And as you might know, he has been a professional cook and art school graduate. He’s at home at many markets, as we would say in Holland, and the center benefits greatly from his skills.

Next there will be Jim Taikan, who has lived at ZMC for a year now. Our handyman. Problems with heating, water, a door that doesn’t close anymore, Taikan knows what to do. He’s also very skilled in the workshop. Check out the store and take a look at all the beautiful shiho staffs, kotsus, and kyasakus he made. All the ‘Zen’ material that the center will sell online to hopefully generate more income.

And let’s not forget Travis Suiryu! He’s very good in giving instructions and remembering all the rituals. He’s an artist with the chain saw and knows exactly how to cut and prune the property’s trees. Right now he’s the work leader and thus keeps us all going. What I appreciate about him is his good mood—he appears to have a lot of fun and adds in this way to a cozy atmosphere.

Judy! She’s very special in that she lives in the first place at Yokoji to support Travis in his practice. Even though she doesn’t need to participate in the schedule, she does participate a lot. Every working day she helps out with the work, whether it’s cleaning, on facilities, or as right now, with sewing. She’s looking into learning more about Holistic medicine.

David Jokai—back after been away. He’s determined to live in the center to train formally with Tenshin Roshi and the residents. As a seasoned practitioner, he also knows a lot about form and all the little details and he’s always willing to give corrections. His motivation and dedication are very inspiring to me. His 7 year-old son – Dylan – will come over in July to spend some time with him in California. Dylan is very excited to hit the various bells in the Buddha hall during his visit, although he told his father he didn’t want to be responsible for any official ceremonies.

Aaron! He arrived here during the Spring training period and, after a short adjustment period, made plans to stay at least to the end of the year, if not longer. Years ago he spent some time at Yokoji as well. This time around, he’s offered to take over cooking, which of course is very much appreciated. I’m glad for him to have Yugen around to support him with this big job. Good luck Aaron!

As this is my last post I would like to take the opportunity to say goodbye to all of you. Thank you for being interested in Yokoji by reading this post. Keep on reading and even more important: participate in the training at Yokoji as much as you can. By doing so, you contribute greatly to yourself, to the community, to the world, to the universe. Thank you for practicing with me.

Gassho ,

Jishin