Well, you know, for me, I took a vow a long time ago to practice the rest of my life. And, you know, I saw my own craziness or difficulty and so forth as the first problem to deal with. But I saw that, I felt that existentially our society was, you know, individuals within our society and society itself were in pretty deep trouble. For some reason that we still lived in a world which had been around for a while that had wars.

[01:03]

And I didn't know what to do about it. And when I met Suzuki Roshi, I felt, here's somebody who, while he's teaching, might do something about it, might be able to help in some way. So I took a further bow which was to help as much as possible people to have access to Suzuki Roshi. And that really turned into Tassajara and Green Gulch and the city center. Because they were places where people could have access to Suzuki Roshi. And now that he's not alive anymore, in the usual sense, I found I just want to continue making places for people to have access to the teachings.

[02:48]

Or rather, I want to find ways to live the teaching with others. So that comes first, and that means the Sangha develops first. And then if the Sangha needs a place, let's find one. So that pretty much explains what I've been trying to do with practicing with you. It was to continue this vow to make the teachings accessible.

[03:51]

And then when I listened to you, and I do think it works better to not keep switching back and forth between English and German, When I listen to you, I hear that you're all in the realm of the teachings, living, practicing, thinking. It's a kind of magical, miracle moment for me. when I feel this and you let me feel it often, all the time. And of course I do want to hear when possible how certain things work for you in practice. And we've done that quite, I think, successfully for me today.

[05:03]

And Gisela, you were a high school principal. primary school principal for quite a number of years. Only for the rest of my career. Ten years. Okay, so you're speaking about, and somehow this guy got you to practice, and then he got his daughter to practice, and then his son-in-law, and now he's actually, you know, bringing a baby seat.

[06:03]

So maybe... I'd be interested if you imagine how you could bring practice into the primary school. I mean, I'm not asking you now to respond. But I think it's useful for you to useful for all of us to imagine not just into our personal life, how can we bring practice, but into our societal life. I've had students who were college students who started sitting groups in their college And I have two medical doctors who decided to create a Zendo in their hospital.

[07:23]

He wanted the main person right now to be Steve Chrisman, which you have had communication with. He very articulately brought practice into his life with his wife and children, two daughters. But bringing it into his personal life He was very gratifying for him, but he kept being blocked. How can I breathe into my work life? And of course, this is Denver. And he was written up as the leading cardiologist in Denver.

[08:48]

But still, there are some of his colleagues who think it's kind of weird that you practice meditation and so forth. But I said, well, try it out. Just sit occasionally or have a few people join you. Ask them if they want to. He was part of a rather large private cardiological practice. He was part of a rather broad... And he tried it out.

[09:51]

And he brought me once to see his little sendo. Well, there was a waiting room, a kind of waiting room, an entryway, before you got to the desks with the assistants who signed you in. And he took one of those kind of things they have in hospitals with a little curtain in it. And he divided the room off about from where Letizia is over to the door to where maybe Jakob is.

[10:55]

And you went behind there and there were four or five cushions. So hidden. And he would go in there. And then some doctor was interested too in meditation and he joined them. And since then he's moved his practice to a hospital. And now they have a group, believe it or not, with a mailing list of 50 people. And about 20 people who come once a week, every Tuesday evening, I think. And they have a topic and they discuss it, go on. And there are doctors, almost all doctors, one neurologist who's a scientist, from all over the Denver area who come to the hospital and sit.

[12:27]

And did you say how often they meet? The actual group that comes fairly regularly is around 20. I mean, only seven come sometimes, etc., but it's a group. But the process took, you know, an intention, a little courage, and about 10 years. So we can bring practice into our work life too. Some of your work life fits in with practice. Anyway, that's... Unless somebody has a particular question you'd like to ask. Anyway, I almost didn't come this year to my February or March annual visit.

[13:31]

I thought maybe part of my semi-retirement at Crestone should include not coming here. But Sophia's 14th birthday, you know, I said, okay, I guess I'll go. But it was Sofia's 14th birthday, and then I said, well, I think I'll come. But now I've been with you these 10 days or more. I don't know why. It's just pretty. I don't know why. May I say, heart wants. I don't know what to say, but heart wants. If I may say so, heart is warming. We're just using practice to hang out together. Thank you very much. Successfully into the step. Successfully into the step. You are not here. Thanks for making this possible.

[14:44]

And so many of us practiced together. Maybe you can understand this. Sometimes it's good when he's here. You just see his face. You just see his face. Looks like that. Here's some...

[15:31]

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