Dear ServiceSpace family,

I thought I'd write a quick note to celebrate the fact that once again, the scribe team's collective labor of love has borne fruit, and we have yet another beautiful transcript of a call, one with Lobsang Phuntsok, former Buddhist monk and founder of Jhamste Gatsal children's community, posted onto the Awakin Calls site.

If any of you wish for a healthy dose of irrepressible, joyous laughter this holiday season, blended to perfection with humility and insight, I strongly recommend that you listen to this call!

Here is one hilarious and wise nugget from this call that has stayed with me -- When Lobsang was asked about his personal grounding practises: "Honestly, one thing that I could say is I do put a lot of effort. Every day, I take at least an hour and a half to two hours, to sit quietly in my room, reflect, and to do chanting and meditation. The adults at Jhamtse Gatsal sometimes get frustrated with me, like after dinner. Morning is very, very busy at Jhamtse Gatsal. The moment lights go out, we just become so active. People come, there are so many questions and so many discussions. Very active moment.

Every day after dinner, there's one very rigid policy that I have, which is: nobody can knock on my door and nobody can disturb me. But sometimes my colleagues say, "Lobsang, this is an emergency!" and would just come into my room. I would be saying a wonderful prayer about love and compassion, then they would see this mean look on my face, while I'm saying wonderful things from my mouth (laughs). At least I pray to Buddha, "Buddha, excuse me that I'm not good, but at least see that I'm trying." It is very contradictory when they come to my room. I say, "Let me practice love and compassion! Get out from my room!" (laughter). So I often laugh about my own practice!

As I said, I still have a long way to go, but my goal, that my grandparents set up for me, is becoming a better person. It is still my goal, which is very good that I did not achieve it. It means I have to keep working every day. And one of the important things for me is that everyday, at least an hour or two hours, to take time and sit, reflect, chant, and meditate -- maybe that is too fancy of a word for me -- but everyday I have to do it, otherwise I become wrathful (laughs)."

And if any of you feel spontaneously propelled to indulge in some scribing-sadhana, here's a link to the transcript of the call with Janessa Gans Wilder that the scribe team is working on currently -- but there are still some open slots :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gayathri