A note to HIMSELF

[msteries]

Dear Father:
I have absolutely no idea exactly how I "befriended" you on the CC HAL board, but still delighted about the serendipidy... I enjoy your posts.
I know you sail as the priest for daily mass, but am hoping you also consider yourself to be a bit of an onboard chaplain to all. Every time I sail I so wish it was possible to bring a set of meditation cushions. Alas, airline luggage costs make that pretty unaffordable. Do you know anyone in administration I could ask about this? Come-to-think of it, no need for a zabuton, since a folded towel or blanket would do, but a few zafus would be wonderful for us Zen practitioners, even with a modest rental charge.
In gassho (with great gratitude),
Mary
PS: hope your cold is soon over

[Himself]

Dear Father:
I have absolutely no idea exactly how I "befriended" you on the CC HAL board, but still delighted about the serendipidy... I enjoy your posts.
I know you sail as the priest for daily mass, but am hoping you also consider yourself to be a bit of an onboard chaplain to all. Every time I sail I so wish it was possible to bring a set of meditation cushions. Alas, airline luggage costs make that pretty unaffordable. Do you know anyone in administration I could ask about this? Come-to-think of it, no need for a zabuton, since a folded towel or blanket would do, but a few zafus would be wonderful for us Zen practitioners, even with a modest rental charge.
In gassho (with great gratitude),
Mary
PS: hope your cold is soon over

Dear Mary:
I do consider myself to be a Chaplain to all. I do not know anything about meditation cushions and I do not know anyone in administration to ask about this.

The cold seems to be breaking up. Today is the best I have felt in over a week, though it is quite cold out today.
Himself

[msteries]

Just drop me a line if you do think of someone. (Msteries at A. O. L. Dot com)
A note about meditation cushions... Some folks use a small bench for support, but most use a round cushion on top of a rectangular mat. The round cushion gives your hips some support, and tall husky American men also like to have something that puts you up bit high, thus making the knee angle a little less strained. During long retreats it's fun to see all the imaginative cushion arrangements set up by us Americans, who do not grow up folding legs, sitting on floors.
I have discovered that there are inflatable travel cushions for meditators now... Thought of that makes me grin, cause the last time I tried to blow up a little one's balloon, I was gasping before the darn thing was even half inflated.... It is fun to picture the look on any cabin steward asked to blow up a cushion, although I know they must get even stranger requests!
A couple of years ago I retired from teaching. My last position was in the Philosophy Dept at the University of Dayton, a Marianist school. (I did sometimes teach in the Religion Dept.). I gather you are based in NY?
I hope to someday meet you in person.. Until then looking forward to your next live blog.
Mary

[Himself]

Just drop me a line if you do think of someone. (Msteries at A. O. L. Dot com)
A note about meditation cushions... Some folks use a small bench for support, but most use a round cushion on top of a rectangular mat. The round cushion gives your hips some support, and tall husky American men also like to have something that puts you up bit high, thus making the knee angle a little less strained. During long retreats it's fun to see all the imaginative cushion arrangements set up by us Americans, who do not grow up folding legs, sitting on floors.
I have discovered that there are inflatable travel cushions for meditators now... Thought of that makes me grin, cause the last time I tried to blow up a little one's balloon, I was gasping before the darn thing was even half inflated.... It is fun to picture the look on any cabin steward asked to blow up a cushion, although I know they must get even stranger requests!
A couple of years ago I retired from teaching. My last position was in the Philosophy Dept at the University of Dayton, a Marianist school. (I did sometimes teach in the Religion Dept.). I gather you are based in NY?
I hope to someday meet you in person.. Until then looking forward to your next live blog.
Mary

Mary:

I am not a New Yorker. I am based in Manhattan, ILLINIOS--a small town about 50 miles Southwest of Chicago in the Diocese of Joliet-in-Illinois. I grew up in Chicago.