Dear Friends,
Beginning today, Ox Herding will undergo a significant change, the result of my commitment to participate in several long retreats and travel extensively in 2012.
These activities will result in fewer posts and occasional multi-week gaps between posts. After all, it's hard to post while sitting in silent retreat without a computer. (Well, my mind will be posting, but you'll be spared that. Be glad.)
On the upside, this renewed dedication to practice might reshape the content of Ox Herding in interesting ways. We'll find out together.
I leave tomorrow for Diamond Hill Zen Monastery (shown above) to sit the first three weeks of the annual 90-day winter retreat known as Kyol Che. As a result, the next posts will appear in early February. l return to retreat in late February and there will be another hiatus. And so on, for the year.
I'm genuinely grateful for your readership. Over the past years I've made many good friends among you and, even if we don't have a personal relationship, your interest and dedication have inspired me greatly.
Best wishes in the Dharma,
Barry
Will miss your take on things. Dress warmly it's cold here.
Posted by: Bob | January 04, 2012 at 07:00 AM
Best wishes, Barry. Looking forward to your posts, whenever they appear.
Posted by: David Ashton | January 04, 2012 at 08:14 AM
Have a great retreat! You'll be in our thoughts.
Posted by: Joseph | January 04, 2012 at 08:18 AM
Good luck! I admire your resolution and wish you the best on your retreat. I'll look forward to reading you again when you return.
Posted by: Lu | January 04, 2012 at 10:03 AM
Good luck and best wishes Barry. Thank you for all the work you've done spreading the Dharma. Enjoy the retreat and your extended appointments with Don't-Know-Mind :)
Dan
amusingself.wordpress.com
Posted by: Dan | January 04, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Have a great year.
_/\_
Posted by: puerhan | January 04, 2012 at 11:47 AM
May your socks remain dry, your muscles at ease, and your gaze clear. Thank you for your practice.
Posted by: Algernon D'Ammassa | January 04, 2012 at 01:18 PM
so long and thanks for the fish!
Posted by: zendotstudio | January 04, 2012 at 02:45 PM
Say Hi! when the Ox finds you!
We'll try and behave while you're gate, gate, paragate-ing!
Posted by: Genju | January 04, 2012 at 05:50 PM
Keep well. Your effort is an inspiration.
Posted by: David Clark | January 04, 2012 at 08:30 PM
Thank you, everyone, for your encouragement and support!
Barry
Posted by: Barry Briggs | January 04, 2012 at 09:19 PM
Dear Barry,
Good luck for your retreat. Hope you find your ox and take it for a long ride. :)
Thanks for all your wonderful advice before I went to Korea. I had a great trip and the winter cold was manageable after clothing the winter clothes. It also did not snow as much. And I saw snow falling before me for the first time!! Such amazing phenomena!
I wrote a little bit about my trip at my web blog. I hope I have the karma to go for long retreats too. Meantime, take care!
Posted by: MB | January 05, 2012 at 06:10 AM
Thank you Barry. You are an inspiration and I look forward to learning about where this will take you.
Posted by: joanne | January 05, 2012 at 02:17 PM
Good luck with this new direction! And for anyone who doesn't follow, we can get the Dalai Lama's tweets at twitter.com/dalailama
Posted by: Zodiac zealot | January 05, 2012 at 05:21 PM
Have a great 2012 Barry!
_/\_
Posted by: Marcus | January 06, 2012 at 06:53 AM
will miss u !
Posted by: Dakini | January 07, 2012 at 06:08 AM