200-Time 2 - Buddhism in daily life

Time 2


The (partial) move to DengFeng brought me back into contact with
civilization somewhat; a long time had passed in which I lived
only according to the events in the temple, getting up, washing,
devotion, breakfast, training, noon, training, washing, eating,
sleeping.


Suddenly all the fancy things that seemed already forgotten came
back to me; alcohol and parties, women and travel, money and
luxury had come back into my life. You don't get rid of these
habits so easily.


Having a real shower was an indescribable luxury, even if the
water wasn't always warm, having a real bed was incredible, but
what was really special were the windows, where there was glass
and not paper. As a Central European, you can't even imagine what
something like that could be like, such a simple life. But I was
fully in it, but now with some amenities.


The training was in the temple, sometimes my master and I slept
there, sometimes we went with someone and spent the night in the
small town, just as it suited.


Finally I was able to wash my clothes with warm water, a huge
difference, by the way, clearly distinguishable by the smell. The
simple life has very serious disadvantages, "one" starts to
smell, no matter what "one" tries to do against it.


But what became clearer and clearer, I (also) wanted to go back
to Europe, I became more and more aware that I didn't want to
spend my whole existence here. My parents asked more and more
clearly during the weekly phone calls when I was planning to come
home again. And I began to miss the most ordinary things,
especially German bread sought me out even in my dreams.


Cautiously I began to prepare my new friend (and master) for the
coming farewell, more and more often the conversation came "to my
time in Germany", whether I would train well there, Yan Zi asked
me. It was already clear to me at this time that under no
circumstances would I train eight hours a day in Europe, the
possibility did not exist here. But I promised my master to
practice as often as possible. Even then I knew deep inside that
I would not do that. But I wanted to continue to train. In what
form, we would see.


The farewell was just around the corner, that was noticeable, the
mood became queasy. Wistfulness spread, we were a good team, we
got along first class, who knows what the future will bring,
whether we may meet again. Today my master Shi Yan Zi runs
Shaolin Temple London, but back then we didn't know if we would
ever see each other again. The cover picture of this post is the
farewell picture with my master and a friend in front of the
temple, my master got my sunglasses, a souvenir of our time
together.


Preparations for my departure were made, we informed the Grand
Master Shi Yong Xin (now the abbot of the temple), the day was
approaching. Before I knew it I was in a cab, then on my way to
Beijing. There I booked myself into a luxury American hotel at
the airport and sat down in the restaurant where I filled my
belly for over two hundred dollars. Never in my life have I eaten
so much again, I was so hungry.


From there I got a connection to Germany where my family picked
me up at the airport. I felt like I was in a fake movie, the
experience was surreal.


The road was and is my goal!


Find a circuit that I would not have passed through on my long
journeys yet


- Buddha - honorary name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480 before
the year zero


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