This news comes from Shingen Jan Gaensslen, from Duesseldorf Buddhist centre, via Stephen (diamondsinthemine). Shingen lived at Mt. Baldy from 1994 until 2003. At one time he was responsible to train Jikan in the monk role of leading the meditation hall. They shared one of the monks cabin for three months.
Zen-Film
Leonard Cohen auf Mt. Baldy
Sonntag den 2. April, Einlass 15:30 Uhr
"Mt. Baldy, Frühling 1996". Eine Reportage über den Kanadischen Poet und Sänger Leonard Cohen (bekannt durch den Song "Suzanne") und das Zen-Kloster Mt. Baldy Zen Center. Kyozan Joshu, Roshi ist im Alter von 90 Jahren zu sehen.
€5, Mitglieder frei
News from Shingen following the screening of 'Spiring '96': The movie was a success. We had a lovely gathering afterwards and I could tell a few stories about Leonard.
Shingen was also kind enough to share these memories of his time with Leonard in Mt. Baldy which may be of interest:
"I think it was summer 1997 when I trained Jikan (Leonard) in the Jikijitsu position. The Jikijitsu is leading the meditation hall. He hits the bells, corrects people's postures and is responsible for the spirit in the hall. It was strange for me to be training a man who could be my father. Also Leonard had had much more years of Zen-practice than I had. However, I had been trained in the Jikijitsu role and he had not.
I don't remember anyone ever being so humble, thankful and easy going in receiving instructions, corrections and criticisms. He was just great.
Some of the details were very hard for him to remember (e.g. when exactly to hit the bells during walking meditation). I could tell him over and over again until he finally had it down and he did not become impatient, but rather was thankful for my efforts.
At night, after zendo closing, he either was invited to have dinner with Roshi - he was his closest friend at the time - or he went to his special private cabin and wrote songs. I think he was working on some of the lyrics that later became 10 new songs. I don't know how he could manage with so little sleep. Zendo closes at 9:15pm and wake up is at 3am. Both of us were sharing a tiny little cabin and we got up together at 2:30am to do stretches and to have a cup of tea or coffee. At the time he told me he would not write songs anymore, but only write poetry and retreat from his artist life otherwise. I think back then he wanted to lead the monk's life as much as possible. He said Roshi had asked him to write poems that describe the relationship between absolute love and human love. When I later heard the 10 new songs album I wrote him that I felt that the songs were a wonderful response to this request of Roshis."
I couldn't come to see the film that time:(. Shingen wrote to me, that it is possible to show the film a second time if there is enough interest. So please write to Shingen jgeansslen@gmx.de.
Again in German:Bitte, mailed was das Zeug hält. Ich möchte den Film gerne sehen.
