経行 （きんひん） - kinhin

Normally, I do it at the temple to which I go. Today, with osho gone to Japan, I did it locally. And nearby my house is a school and a park, which has very useful paths for the mindful walking of 経行.

Interesting thing about Vancouver WA, is that all the public schools, and I mean all of them, become fundamentalist churches on Sunday (e.g., "River Rock Church"). And they're the ones that basically don't advertise they're fundamentalist, but they do advertise. I have had problems especially with the aforementioned group; when they first moved in my house was littered with their fliers regularly. I eventually told them that if my house were burgled and their fliers were on it, I'd sue them- fliers on a house left for days are a neon sign saying you're not home, and at that time I was traveling regularly, and my family was as well.


Now I have no problem with these guys doing this, actually, although I cannot understand why every public school is used for this purpose; I'd think that with the large numbers of unchurched people in the area, that their market would have saturated long ago. Furthermore, I would think it a good idea to let at least some of the public schools alone. I mean, literally next door to the afore referenced "River Rock Church" is "Family Bible Church." And that's not more than 10 minutes away from another "Bible Church," not to mention other public schools with fundamentalist churches that are 5 minutes or less away.

At any rate, it is quite a challenge to do 経行 as people are arriving to the local "church at school," but rather rewarding, in that it is not an easy practice. It is a microcosm of how to relate to the people who share my community. Am I being in their face because they try to be in my face? Should I not practice in my neighborhood? Why not? If I do not practice in my neighborhood- and practice is ultimately everything we do- then what kind of practice is that.

So the practice, yet again, is another way of doing 無 (Mu), and in fact provides a good answer to the proslytizers. Not a snarky 無, but rather an expression of one's Nature as response, which is also a good way to approach the "culture wars" in general.

Quite rewarding.