Dear zen friend 

1)  October Mini Sesshin.  7th, 8th, and 9th.   Sitting period:   from 8 am to 5 pm. 

November Mini Sesshin.  4th, 5th, and 6th. 

Valley Zendo is closed to public on 13th and 20th in November. 

2)  Leaves are turning red day by day. 

Foliage color is beauty of life. 

Harvesting in autumn is gift of nature. 

We don’t need to over struggle. 

3)  I had chance to watch “24” few weeks ago, a popular TV show televised more than ten years ago.  Actions are done hour to hour within 24 hours. The show was known internationally.  

Season Three was a story about bio terrorism. A terrorist spread virus in a hotel in Los Angeles. Eleven more places in the US were planned for the same virus to spread. Arrested terrorist was contaminated with his virus. His nose began bleeding and his symptom indicated quick death with agony and pain. 

The hotel was locked down at dawn. Those who stayed there were panicked. A man who tried to get out was shot. A front manager was infected while working for the hotel and guests. Testing people with medical devices began. Another man who sneaked out early morning was biologically traced at a drug store and a bar, so that an infection route was specified.  

The TV drama reminded me that Americans were not in messy confusion during the last pandemic. TV dramas like 24 must have educated people how to think and how to behave when facing virus problems. A show was popular means that many people became knowledgeable. 

Virus must multiply thousand or million times in number in human body for harming. (I do not know exact number.)  Multiplying takes time and needs food. This is why bioweapons must expect periods of incubation. Infection is different from symptom. Symptom does not equal to death. 

In real life human body has many layers of protective function against virus invasion. After the invasion, immune system fights back and restores health. How our body repairs ourselves are not exactly known because it is the same as creation of life. The complication of life is better to be respected. Humans are not too fragile. 

Few decades ago ebola epidemic was reported in Western Africa. Warning was on alert worldwide. 

A journalist visited the Western Africa, ebola infected areas. He made schedule flying back to Canada via Tokyo. He landed Tokyo and walked around in shopping malls and busy railway stations. Soon his suspicious behaviors were recognized. He was asked to leave. 

Not a single case of ebola infection was found in Tokyo at that time.  I felt odd because I watched movie “Outbreak” before. Ebola was supposed to be most dangerous and spreadable. Why did nothing happen? 

Regards.

Eishin Ikeda

Valley Zendo

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