Get to Know a Farm/Garden Apprentice: Dominic

Dominic

This week I had the absolute pleasure to interview my absolutely wondrous yurt neighbor Dominic. He was very patient and accommodating to my questions, and answered them very thoughtfully and genuinely. It was lovely to be able to get to know him better and to spend a portion of my afternoon with him (and Miss Jo too, of course).

Catherine: Hello, Dominic

Dominic: Hello

Jo: Hi Donimic!

*everybody chuckles*

*Craig, a guest student, walks by*

C: Oh, hello Craig

Cr: Hi!

*everybody giggles*

C: This is also why I didn't want to do it (the interview) outside, but it's okay

D: Ah, this is fine

C: Yeah, it's fine

D: There's not going to be that many people walking by. I mean, if you look up you don't see anybody, so it doesn't matter

J: Yeah, it's very nice to look up and see branches

C: We're outside, on the pool deck…

D: A somewhat-inspiring location

C: A somewhat-inspiring location?

J: By "pool deck" we mean "not a pool deck" *giggles*

C: Why is this not inspiring?

D: I just prefer to be in my natural habitat, on the farm. But it's okay, this works, this is where I eat all of my meals

C:Yeah?

D: I'm pretty comfortable here too, especially when horizontal

C: Mmmhmm, mmhmm. So, what would you say your job is here?

D: My job…is to…

J: Save all beings

D: That is my vow, to save all beings

J: Hmm

D: My job is to cultivate the soil of Green Gulch Farm.

C: Ok

D: And the job of the people around me is to cultivate me

*everybody giggles*

D: The people who manage the farm, their job is to cultivate farmers and future Bodhisattvas

J: Do you feel cultivated?

D: Ummm…I feel like there have been changes as a person, since coming here

J: Like what?

D: Ummm…I find them hard to pinpoint, but I would say that I'm better at focusing on whatever the task at hand is, or just putting myself into the current situation, and not thinking about things that are just distractions that are not in front of me. And…I think also I'm just more open to what the universe throws at me, and accept it, rather than trying to control outcomes.

C: Why did you decide to come here in the first place?

D: There was a sequence of events that….for about a year I was unsatisfied with what I was doing with my career. And I had been to Green Gulch once after I got back from living in Asia and traveling in South East Asia for a little bit, and I became interested in Buddhism more, after seeing more people that were practicing it, and seeing how their values were different from mine…and I read Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind and found that there was a sitting workshop here that I came and did…and I became more interested in it…I didn't really practice while I was working, and I had a lot of other things going on in my life…

*Reed and Justin, the Maintenance Apprentices, come onto the pool deck with drills*

C: *giggles* Are you guys going to be drilling?

R: Yeah

*Everyone giggles*

R: Are you guys talking to someone?

J: We're recording an interview

*More giggles*

D: We can move though

C: Yeah, we can move

J: No problemo

R: Are you going to edit out the sound of my voice?

C: Uhh, only I'll listen to it, but I am definitely going to include everything you say in it, for sure

D: Is it still recording?

C: It's still recording, yeah, I can't interrupt it. It's great though, I love this.

D:*starts speaking far away from the mic*

C: Wait, I can't hear you though, you need to come closer if you're going to talk

D: Why don't we go to the table over there?

C: Okay

D: The farther one

C: Oh, the far one, yeah that's a good idea. And you guys can lie down again.

J: Isn't this such a good Goodwill find?

D: What?

C: What, the fleece? Oh, yeah!

C: That bench…

*Sounds of Jo and Dominic moving the bench*

D: Shall we resume?

C: Yes!

D: Okay, ummm….yeah so I was just working for the last few years, just kind of grinding away, and I just wasn't feeling satisfied, and I wanted to do more meditation, but I just never found the time in my schedule because I had a lot of other competing priorities, and I couldn't really carve out the time for it…and then when I quit my job in December I started doing some part-time work, and randomly came upon the Green Gulch website one morning. Just looking to see if there were any more workshops like I did a few years ago, and I randomly saw the Farm and Garden Apprenticeship…and I had already started working full-time at that point, again, but this seemed really interesting to me, and just sort of immediately thought that I would like to (do it). I started planning out how I would like to come here to do this, and what I would do over the next few months, leading up to that--and if I would be able to spend six months to actually come and spend time here, because in the past I  needed to immerse myself in something if I was ever going to make it part of my schedule. Doing little bits and pieces at a time never really affects me. So, yeah, then I applied at the exact same time that I found it, and then two weeks later I came here for the guest student stay, met Catherine and lots of new friends!

C: Mmmm yay! *giggles*

D: And was pretty much sold on it, although I pretty much knew that I would do it, but then I went back to the city for a while, and was just kind of deliberating over it, if it was a good thing for me…and there was a lot of downsides as well, because I had to move out of my house, which was awesome. I was living with two really good friends, and we had this massive house that was a great deal for San Francisco, with our own backyard and all of this stuff, so I would have to lose that, in order to come here. But I just decided that the risks of doing it were not that significant in comparison to this potentially transformative experience. So, I just decided to sack it up and come here.

J: Were the people around you at that time supportive of that? Or were people one way or the other?

D: Umm…my housemates tried to convince me not to do it, and they were not very supportive, because, for whatever reason, they didn't really want someone else to move-in in my place. They were like "We'd rather just move out then sublet to somebody else"

C: Oh, that's nice!

D: Because they had bad experiences in the past and I had been there for like two-and-a-half years, and I think before me there were like seven other people before me that were like a few months at a time, and it was not good for them…and so, I think that was part of the reason why they tried to convince me not to do it, and they were pretty annoyed for some of the time, and it was kind of threatening our friendship at a certain point. And then, gradually they started to accept it, and eventually those guys became very supportive, and ended up making kind of big changes in their lives too, so it was a catalyst for other things…good things to happen. And, other people…yeah, I have some friends who are into meditation practice, and they were very supportive, they were pretty envious…and my family…some of my cousins I'm close to I talked about it and they were very supportive. My parents were just confused, and were just like, "Oh, if you want to do farming, why don't you just do…like go back to school, or do an internship or something like that?" But it's partially because I was telling most people--outside of my close group of friends--that I was like going to work on a farm, and focusing on the farming aspect. But, really I wouldn't have come here if it didn't have both the farming and the meditation. But, yeah, rather than telling people I was going to live in a Buddhist community, it was easier for me to say that I was going to be a farmer. And then if they asked more questions, I'd be like, "Yeah, it's also a Zen Buddhist monastery".

C: Mmhmmm. And you…I take it you really like the farming aspect?

D: Mhmmm, yeah.

C: And you're interested in doing that more in your life?

D: Yeah, it's something I wanted to pursue as a career option. That was definitely part of the reason I wanted to try it out, so in that two week period (the guest student stay) we had to try out farming a little bit…and I had jobs in the past where I was physically active a lot of the time, and I just felt a lot better, in general, in outside work, when I've been active in my work life. 

J: Have you worked in a manual labor job before?

D: No, not really. It's my first time doing that. But, yeah I kind of like it. I like doing manual labor because it's very easy to see the progress that you've made and the outcomes of your work on a daily basis, rather than the projects I worked on when I was doing project management work. I think a lot of it was auditing, so you don't really get to see any outcome, you're just checking the work of other people. And other types of projects where you're just re-doing the same stuff over and over again. Taking a long time to get anything deliverable out, it's just sort of a frustrating process. The farming work is much more inspiring, and being outside is where I'm most comfortable, and also working with my hands and being physically active are big benefits for me.

C: And would you mind just talking about your education for a little bit?

D: Sure, how far back do you want to go?

C: *laughs* However far back seems pertinent

J: To the beginning!

D: So, I was born in California, lived here and went to Kindergarten here, and then I moved to Scotland. I went through elementary school, and middle school, and part of high school in Scotland, and then moved back to California for high school, to finish it out…and then I stayed here for undergrad, did a business degree…and then worked for a year, and then I went to grad school back in Scotland. My graduate degree was in carbon management, which is geoscience, business, and economics, sort of focusing on how businesses can adapt to a changing climate. Then I worked in that field for a while, as a sustainability consultant, and I worked in the solar industry, and that sort of segued into me here, thinking I might want to do something in sustainable agriculture. But I'm definitely learning that it would take a lot more experience working and doing something in that--like if I was running my own farm, I'm not a fully trained farmer after working here for six months. But I definitely have learned a lot…also, seeing farmers that we met through various field trips and people here--you can kind of figure it out as you go along, and you don't necessarily have to go to school for this and do the formal education route. You can study, ask other farmers, and just sort of go by trial and error.

J: Yeah, I feel like farmers really enjoy being part of a community that teaches each other; at least, the farmer's I know get a lot out of that

D: Yeah, I heard the average farmer in the U.S. is like 67 years old

J: Mmmm!

D: So most people are really encouraged when they see young farmers coming up, and they want to give them as much as possible. So, it's definitely good to know, in the future, if I have any questions, people are definitely willing to help out

J: Do you think you want to stay and farm in California?

D: Most likely, yes. I like it here.

J: It's very nice here.

D: Lots of farming opportunities.

C: Do you have any favorite parts of Zen?

D: Hmm…

J: He doesn't have any preferences at all, he's so Zen

*Catherine giggles*

D: Ummm…I like the work practice. I feel like I don't ever resent going to work, which maybe I did in the past.

J & C: Mmhmmm

D: I feel like it's very easy to go, and each task you just go and do it and put your energy into it, and you don't have to second-guess yourself. And…I enjoy sitting zazen, most of the time, when I'm not really exhausted and I feel like I'm really only going because I have to. Other times, I'm pretty motivated to go, and a lot of the time now I feel like I'm not doing enough sitting. Just because we've had to skip a lot due to farm work and I sort of got used to doing two periods of zazen in the morning...and now I really only do that once a week, because of zendo jobs or farm work. So, yeah, that's part of the reason why I'm probably going to do Practice Period, because I feel like that's a good time to really hone in on that aspect of it.

J: I wonder if that's part of their plan, is to get us believing like "Yeah, two periods is normal", and anything less than starts to feel abnormal…and then we all start craving more, and Practice Period happens!

C: *giggles* Craving zazen seems sort of counter-productive

D: No craving!

J *giggles* We're all grasping.

C: *giggles* We're all grasping! Grasping for whatever...

J: For non--grasping

C: For non-grasping! I worry about that sometimes, if I'm too attached to the idea of non-attachment. 

J & D: Mmmmm

C: And the fact that I'm attached to that causes me suffering.

J & D: Mmmmm

C: Right? I don't know, I guess I'll just have to sit.

D: It's not right, it's not wrong.

C: *giggles* non-dualism

D: Sit with it

*Jo and Catherine giggle*

D: Ummm I guess I also like the peaceful feeling that I have…I don't know, it's partially due to the work that I'm doing, and the amount that we sit in zazen. Which is, I'm basically just practicing having a relaxed mindset, and relaxing my body. And also, just the environment we're in gives you this nice peaceful feeling. You feel kind of oblivious to the outside world, so you can just be here and relax. But I noticed that even when I went back from my guest student stay here, or even when I returned to San Francisco or went other places for short weekend trips, it's easy to sort of come out of that pretty quickly. You definitely feel it again when you come back, but I'm wondering how I'll sort of have that as part of my life when I'm not here.

C: Yeah, me too. It's definitely something I worry about. I shouldn't worry. Have you ever lived in a community like this before?

D: No. The most I've ever lived with is six.

J: How do you feel about it?

D: I enjoy it. I mean I definitely enjoy solitude, because I'm a little removed, living over in the yurts. And I was pretty adamant when I applied…or like after I came and stayed here (for the guest student stay) and I lived in the yurt…I pretty much said I didn't want to live in Cloud Hall. I really liked the idea of being a little bit separated from the community, but doing all of my activities and eating…just all of the aspects of community life that take place in this central area, but I like having a little bit of solitude out there. I think it helps keep it balanced, not having everybody in my business all of the time.

*Jo and Catherine giggle*

D: Having the ability to escape.

J: I love having everybody in my business.

*Catherine giggles*

D: But yeah I like living in community. Especially with the farm crew, and also with most people, we're doing everything together, and I think it builds pretty strong friendships quickly, becoming pretty well-attached and connected to people.

C: Mmmhmmm

D: Just because you spend so much time together, and it becomes like quality time…unlike nowadays when I feel like it's not as much quality time with people, just because they're very distracted by everything else that's going on. And, not having phone reception here is a total blessing.

C: Yeah!

D: I'm pretty amazed with how distracted people are when they have the ability to engage with the internet in their hand.

C: Mhmmm yeah

J: Do you think you'll ever live in a community again?

D: Yeah, but I don't think it will be exactly like this, where you are expected to do everything together. I think I would like to live in a closer-knit community where people are more willing to help each other out, and are more neighborly, but not necessarily that you're expected to do everything together. I find that sometimes here people take part in community events only because they have to. Maybe they would prefer to eat a meal somewhere else and be on their own, but they'll go and sit in the dining hall and be surrounded by people who are having conversations, but they don't really want to engage in that. And that's fine, it's just that maybe people should have a little bit more freedom to do what they want. But I think this works well as part of the community where the focus is on Zen practice, because I think this is an important part of the community life here…but it might not necessarily work in other places.

J: Mmhmmm.

C: Do you think that your interactions with the people here are different than the way you interact with people outside of here? Like your friends from growing up or college, or your roommates in San Francisco?

D: Mmmm…yeah, I think that most times, interacting with people outside it needs to be centered around an activity. But I think that oftentimes here people are fine with just doing nothing, or talking, or maybe even not talking. That's maybe the biggest difference.

C: Yeah

D: And, oftentimes the activity that it's centered around with my friends outside is like drinking and stuff like that. It's maybe not the healthiest thing, it's maybe not the worst, but…

C: *giggle* Yeah, that's something that's interesting to me, because I feel like, for me, sometimes I maybe have different…well, maybe not all of the time…but I sometimes have different roles I play, depending on which group of friends I'm with, even if they're friends I'm very comfortable with. So, I don't know, I'm just curious to see if that's the case with other people. *sigh*  Uhh, let's see, do you have a favorite food that they make here?

D: Hmmm. *long pause* I don't know, I'm not a very picky eater and I love the food here.

*Jo and Catherine giggle*

D: It's hard for me to choose one thing…but…*deep inhalation, followed by long pause* I like the Mediterranean food, like the falafel, eggplant, quinoa tabouleh…

J: We're having that pretty soon!

D: Yesss. I also really like Mexican food, whenever they have that, it's a big treat…and…yeah, it's very easy to be a vegetarian here, because the quality of the food is really good.

C: Would you consider being a vegetarian outside of here?

D: Yes…I don't think...I'm not 100% opposed to eating meat, every once in a while. But, definitely don't have the desire to eat it every day. So, it's pretty different…maybe I would eat it like once a week. But yeah, I was making a lot of vegetarian meals before, because it was cheaper, and also just experimenting with what you can do. And also just recently realizing that eating vegetarian is actually really good, and you feel healthier too.

C: Do you think farming has influenced your thoughts on food at all?

D: Yes, definitely.

C: Yeah?

D: Just being able to see how food is actually produced...I was pretty oblivious to most things. When I first started working on the farm I was kind of in disbelief when we would shove these little plants into the ground and it would grow to produce tons and tons of food…and that didn't make sense to me.

*Catherine giggles*

D: When we first started planting these little seeds, these little starters, I was just like, "There's no way this is going to work".  I'm always surprised…and now we have seven acres of vegetables sprouting and it's pretty incredible.

J & C: Mmhmmm

C: Do you have…ummm…a favorite book you like to read? Or a favorite kind of book you like to read? Have you enjoyed any books recently?

D: Ummmm I enjoyed reading The Practice of the Wild

C: What's that?

D: Gary Snyder

C: Oh

D: It's a collection of essays on life in the wilderness...

C: Mmmm!

D:…and wild people, and Zen practice a little bit, and that was pretty inspiring. And…I'm reading several books on Zen practice, also. I read Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind again, since I came here, and one of Norman Fisher's books, and Zen in the Art of Archery.

J: I just read that

D: Yeah?

C: I read that in high school, I haven't read it since

D: And, yeah, some of the books are more engaging. I kind of like what the speaker (Gil Fronsdale) said today, that you don't want to read too much

*everybody chuckles*

D: That you have to see for yourself and not have other people give you expectations for what it's supposed to be like

J & C: Mmmhmmm

C: Did you read much before you came here?

D: On Zen?

C: On anything

D: Ummm, I've gone through phases. For the, like, 3-6 months before I came here I was reading a lot more than I used to, because I was commuting a lot, and enjoying sitting on a train and reading everyday

C: Hmmm

D: But, in general, not that much. It hasn't changed that much since I got here, I thought it would, but I don't have that much free time to do it. Just finding little bits everyday, and I've got like 6 or 7 books that I'm reading right now, rather than just reading one book at a time, which I think would be better...and not trying to read too many different things, because yeah…kind of all over the place with that.

J: Do you find the schedule kind of limiting? Or do you…I feel like some people say that sometimes there's strictness to the schedule, but there's also some liberation. Just...having your life kind of scheduled, at least for a few months, you just kind of settle into it, like "okay".

C: You have more awareness in the moment if you don't have to anticipate what you're going to do next….is the idea I think.

J: Yeah

C: I don't know if that's always true *giggles*

J: Yeah, no

D: Yeah, I've definitely had times where I feel more resistance to the schedule because I feel like I'm maybe being a little bit deprived of free time, and sometimes I'm antsy to get out and do something that I won't really have time to do. But…at the end of the day I think that, like, if I'm only going to be here for like 6 or 8 months, then I should really focus on like what they're doing here and the schedule they've made is really designed to really help you engage with this practice more, and for me, knowing right now that I'm not going to be here for that long, I'm pretty comfortable doing that. And, that I'm not doing as much reading as I would like. That's not really the reason I came here, to sit and read quietly; it was to try out this lifestyle and engage with it more fully…so there have been times where I'm resistant to the schedule because I wish I could do more, but at the end if you just focus on what you're supposed to be doing here and the schedule they've laid out, and you're confident that it's going to be doing the right thing for you, then, I don't know, I'm not as resistant to it anymore.

C: Would you describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert?

D: Introvert.

C: Yeah?

J: Really?!

C: Yeah! That's surprising to me too! *laughs*

D: Well, it's a community of introverts, so maybe I don't seem so introverted.

C: Yeah

J: That's true

D: Do you think I'm extroverted?

C: You're definitely one of the more extroverted people here, for sure. You're friendly, which I feel like a lot of the people aren't, here *laughs*

J: Yeah, like you initiate conversations

C: Yeah.

D: Hmmm, interesting

J & C: Yeah

C: There are definitely sometimes when I'm sitting at a table, and there's somebody we don't know that well, but you're there, and I'm like, "I don't have to worry about this, Dominic will handle this"

*Jo and Catherine laugh*

C: You got this *laughs*

D: Okay…Yeah, uhhh, I stand by my answer

*Jo and Catherine laugh heartily*

J: Well, now you're on trial *giggles* we need proof. I have a theory--I'm probably not the person who came up with this theory *giggles*--I just don't believe that most people are either introverts or extroverts. I think that the vast majority of people are both, and there's a very small minority who are on both extremes.

C: Mmhmmm

J: It's like, everybody has introverted or extroverted tendencies, depending on the circumstances

C: Yeah

D: Mmhmmm

J: Like exactly what you just said, like here is a community of introverts, and so now you seem like an extrovert all of a sudden. But maybe your friends outside of here would totally describe you as an extrovert

D: Yeah, I mean, not always, but I think I have a very quiet mode where I'm not engaging as much with people, or I don't know, I tend to absorb more than I put out. I think my dad's like that, he's very selective with his words, and I think I've sort of taken that from him.

J & C: Mmhmmm

C: Do you think there is a pattern of what you first notice about a person when you first meet them?

D: What do you mean "a pattern"?

C: I guess…like when you meet someone, are there certain things you tend to notice about them? About anyone you first meet? I feel like maybe I'm not articulating this well…but also I feel like I'm interested because I often feel like girls have an answer to this and boys don't.

J: Hmmm. Well maybe if you gave him an example…

C: *Unnecessarily sassy* Well, I'm not the one who's being interviewed here *laughs*

J: Well, maybe an example…

C: Ummm, well, like, I feel for me, I often notice peoples' eyes. Well not just the eyes, like what they look like, but how they use their eyes to express themselves.

J: I never notice people's eyes. Like if you told me right now that you had different colored eyes, I wouldn't be able to tell, for either one of you, what your eye color is.

C: *laughs* Do you notice something?

J: I notice people's laughs

C: Laughs, yeah

D: Mmhmm

C: Yeah, laughs are good

D: Yeah, I think just people's facial expressions in general, like smiles…I sort of recognize that pretty quickly. I think that says a lot about a person. But…*long pause* I think also, I'm pretty quick to notice when people are self-centered and the way they engage in conversations. Or, yeah, the way they engage in conversations, or how whether they're actually listening, or they're just taking some things and waiting to spit out thoughts. That's something I notice.

C: Do you have elements of yourself that you wish people would notice when they first meet you?

D: No.

C: No, not at all? 

*Jo giggles*

C: Not even your personality?

J: Not even your red hair?

*Everybody laughs*

D: Ummm, that's probably the first thing people notice.

*Jo and Catherine laugh*

D: But, no, I can't really think of anything I'd want people to notice

C: No? Hmmm.

J: *whispering* okay, I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have to make a call at 4.

C: Ok

D: That's unacceptable

C: Whoah, it's already 4!

J: Yeah…

C: *laughs* How did that happen?

D: Somebody was late

*Catherine laughs*

J: We're not going to say who that was. Protect their innocence. 

C: Mmmm, we've got about 9 minutes left on the app.

D: Okay

C; Thank you Jo! *giggles* Bye!

D: Byeeeeee

C: So that's interesting to me, that you don't have a way you wish to be perceived. Is that true? Did I jump to a conclusion there?

D: No, I can't think of one.

C: No? Am I just being too personal with my questions?

D: No, not at all.

C: No?

D: Yeah, I like them.

C: Yeah?

D: I don't think I really mind that much. I think I would much rather let my actions speak for themselves, rather than have people…I don't really care if somebody makes an opinion based on something. I'd rather just express myself in a way that feels more authentic, and then people can make whatever opinion they want.

C: Do you think you've always been like that?

D: No.

C: No?

D: Definitely not.

*Both giggle*

D: No, I just think that when I was younger I was more concerned with trying to fit in, and…a good example is that I used to have a very thick Scottish accent, and it was totally gone after a couple years of coming back to California for high school, because I didn't really want to stand out. I wanted to blend in, and also just be, like, understood. So, I started speaking differently.

C: When do you think that transformation of you no longer caring happened?

D: Probably after college. So like 6 years ago.

C: Yeah?

D: Yeah. Maybe longer. Sometime in-between going to college and now.

*Yuki's charming cat Morrel joined us on the table*

C: Hello, Morrel

D: Do you have any questions Morrel? 

*Catherine giggles*

C: How do you think your friends would describe you?

D: Hmmm…reliable?

C: Mhmmm? *giggles*

D: Um, easy-going?

C: Mmhmmm.

D: *long pause* Yeah. Reliable and easy-going.

*Catherine laughs heartily*

C: Okay!

D: I don't know, that's a tough question for me to answer.

C: Yeah?

D: Yeah. You'd have to ask my friends, I don't really know.

C: That was a good answer

D: Okay

C: Yeah *giggles* Do you miss Scotland?

D: Yeah.

C: Yeah?

D: I don't miss living there, so much…I miss my family over there, and I miss spending time there, but I don't think I'd want to live there right now. 

C: Do you think you'd ever want to live there again?

D: Maybe when I have a family, spend some time there, so they could see a different side of the world. But not in the immediate future or anything…unless Trump gets elected.

C: Yeah? Do you think you'd actually move to Scotland if Trump got elected?

D: I think I might, I think that would just like put me over the edge.

C: Yeah.

D: Or, just like move away somewhere. Not Scotland, actually…I just feel like I couldn't be here. But that's a story for another day, for another interview. Let's not talk politics….

*Both giggle*

C: Are you a Scottish citizen?

D: Yeah, British citizen.

C: Ahhh, right, sorry. British.

D: Yeah, well, it might not be British pretty soon, if we vote for independence again after we just left Europe…or after Britain just left Europe.

C: The EU.

D: Yeah, the EU. I think that was pretty silly

C: *giggles* Yeah?

D: I would rather be a citizen of the EU than of Great Britain, considering how Great Britain doesn't really do anything. Well, that's a lie…but again, a totally different interview.

*Both giggle*

C: Ummm, oh, I had another question *sigh*

D: Make a cutting one

C: A cutting one?

D: One that pierces through any armor.

C: Ahh well I can think of some, I don't know if you really want me to ask them.

D: I asked for it.

C: Okay, we have three minutes *giggles* What are some deep insecurities for you?

D: Hmmm. *long pause* 

C: You have two-and-a-half minutes to answer

D: I guess I'm not very good at pinpointing what they are. I think I know I have some, and I think in general I'm not as emotionally intelligent. I think I've always been very rational, and sort of neglected even thinking about what my emotions are and what I actually feel. I think that was a big reason for me actually coming here. So, I don't know if that's related to insecurities, but I think insecurities and emotions are things I haven't been as tuned in, and that's part of the reason I came here, was to have more of a relaxed mind and kind of tap into that, somewhat. Which I think has come up in some interesting ways through zazen.

C: So you think you've seen an improvement?

D: Yeah

C: Yeah?

D: Definitely…and just being more open in general, and using my heart rather than just my mind, and following my instincts more…just more intuitive in the way that I act and go about my life.

C: Have you been practicing that?

D: Yeah.

C: Yeah? And has it payed off for you, do you think?

D: Yeah

C: Yeah?

D: Yeah, I think so. But there's a lot more work needed, I've just sort of tapped into it. I think that the most valuable thing that I'm getting from this time, and just having a set schedule and being here for a somewhat long period of time, that I'm just able to step out of all of these other things that were taking up my attention, and just bring it all back inside, and just think about what I really want to be doing with all of my time and energy…and, I don't know, becoming better at moving truly and expressing myself.

C: Ok! That was awesome! Thank you very much! *laughs*

D: Cool, you're welcome. Do you have any last questions real quick?

C: *giggles* Ah, ummm, what's your favorite vegetable?

D: *Deep exhalation* My favorite vegetable is….POTATO!

A cute photo of Dominic and Jo on the pool deck