Simplicity under Moonlight

I’m currently in a leadership position called “Head Monk” at MAPLE. The head monk role could also be referred to as head of operations. The job involves handling one logistical matter after another, knowing where everyone in the community is at all times and making sure everyone is where they need to be. The job is detail oriented and requires decisive decision making. However, right within the complexity of the position, it’s the head monk’s job to find the simplicity of the practice, and keep practicing no matter what!

On one particular evening, I was utterly exhausted. It must have been day 3 or 4 on one of our meditation retreats and the amount of challenges arising was higher than normal not just for that day, but for the whole retreat. The community had just finished our evening interview period and was now transitioning into evening chanting. Part of my responsibility was to help clean up the interview space while Forall transitions into the lower zendo for chanting. On these retreats, when Forall isn’t giving interviews, he’s busy teaching, giving guided meditations, answering questions, preparing and giving evening talks, and running the organization in the background.

The interview space is in the upper zendo. This upper zendo and the lower zendo are connected by a stone path. After the interview period ended, I got up, unclear whether I’d actually been practicing for the last hour, and ran up to the upper zendo to begin cleaning the interview space. Afterwards, I helped hold the door for Forall and we began walking down to the lower zendo.

Still dazed and confused from all of the different problems that needed to be solved, I almost ran into Forall, who had stopped on the path. “What is he doing?” I wondered, now even more confused.

Forall was looking deeply up into the night sky. “It’s so simple.” he said, words soft and heavy. I turned my head to see what he was talking about. A beaming, bright full moon was sitting alone in the night sky and somehow those words landed into the body. My awareness returned to the breath and physical tension passed away.

“Yeah. It really is.” I whispered in response.

We then transitioned back down into the lower zendo for chanting.