In less than a month, I'll be inducted as a Lay Minister in the Bright Dawn Center of Oneness Buddhism . After the ceremony, I'll have a new Dharma name, and be authorized to use the title Sensei . I'll give Dharma talks, teach meditation, and assist in training the next group of Buddhist Lay Ministers who are working their way through the ranks. Depending on the day, my feelings about the ceremony alternate between awe and terror. This is a very serious responsibility, and I don't know if I'm ready. I stay up at night pondering questions like, "How should we teach Dharma in the West?" and "Should Buddhist teachers be involved in politics?" In addition, there are many mundane tasks that need to be addressed. For example, this past week I booked a pet hotel for my cat. I bought a train ticket. And I purchased a set of Buddhist robes. The robes are much heavier (both literally and figuratively) than I thought they'd b
by Sensei Alex Kakuyo