Buddhism and brownies

I went to a Buddhist lecture today. I imagined that I was going to sit in a cold, metal chair and listen to someone give a speech about  Buddhism, but instead we went to a Zen Center, sat on a pillow on the floor, and meditated for half-an-hour. And then we had a sort of sermon, I guess, but the kind where a preacher (sorry, I'm basing this on my experiences from church because those are the experiences I have) gets down and tells you a story and then ties that story into a religious idea or message. It was sort of like that, but more intimate and possibly more thought-provoking because it raised questions and answers that left me feeling like I was on the brink of understanding without understanding anything at all.

I can't meditate. I don't know how. So I sat there with my eyes closed and I listened to all the sounds around me and then I focused on each part of my body. When I did that, I could focus inward and the sounds around me weren't so loud. And then I just thought. I figured that if I thought about something, that I could then think about nothing. And isn't that what meditation is about? I don't really know. But that isn't what happened. I just thought.

There was a mathematician in our group, he was Italian and had big glasses. He had a lot of questions. The Zen leader of our group directed a lot of ideas and questions back. He asked, "Do you know right and left?" The mathematician paused, it seemed like one of those questions where you know you'll get caught in your own answer and yet, the answer seems obvious, perhaps too obvious, and that's why we think it's a trick.
"Yes," the mathematician replied, hesitantly. "I know that this is my right and this is my left." The Zen leader asked him about directions, which he also knew. "Ok," said the Zen leader, "Are you right or are you left?" "I'm to the right of him and to the left of him." We all laughed. "No, not them, just you. Are you on the right or the left?" "I'm nowhere." "Exactly."

Exactly. Exactly what? I'm not sure I understand it, (although, to be fair, we were talking, or he was explaining, the idea of self. Who are you? What are you? Are you you? Is your body you? And that sort of thing) even though it's been in the back of my mind all day and I've repeatedly tried to muddle through. All I know is that it was an interesting experience into looking at things from a different way. And since I have questions, I'm always interested in people's answers, even if they are not my own.

I think I would like to learn a little more about Buddhism and what and how they believe. All in all, Saturday was a very interesting day. I went to a vegan bake sale. The pumpkin brownies were amazing. I think I'd like to try my hand at vegan baking when I go home and am in close proximity to an oven.

On my way home I saw a baby who looked like Buzz Lightyear (from Toy Story) and that sort of made my day complete.

On an unrelated note, my students wanted me to cut my hair in a highway, that is shaved right down the middle of my head. I told them we'd see. They were so excited, they even gave me instructions to give to the stylist! It was rather last minute, but Melissa and I came up with an alternative.

Updates from the classroom

Having a class put together their very own newspaper is a lot more work than I anticipated. So far, there are two articles on musicals, one interview with a nurse on heart problems, an article on inflation in Korea, one article that was clearly not written by the student, and one student who has lots of pictures but no story yet. And we have one week to go to print! I'm kidding. But we do have one and a half weeks left of the session and not everyone is on the same page, so to speak.

In other news, one of my upper-level classes wants me to cut my hair in a "highway," that is, shave a path right down the middle of my head. They are extremely hopeful that this will happen. The deal is that if I do it, one of the students will also get a similarly bizarre haircut. We'll know by Friday.

The best moment ever came last week in the same class when one of my students asked me, "Teacher, are you an actress?" Haha, no, kid, but I love the fact that he asked that. I had just tried to explain a tragedy, so I invented two characters who were in love but of course, couldn't be together. (Sorry, it's cliche, but I was put on the spot here.) Sometimes the students just look at me like I'm a little crazy, but I get their attention and usually get the point across. It's great fun, so if they think I'm a little crazy, it's okay, as long as they're getting it.