We had a chance to visit both troeming classes, both of which I was fascinated by. The music is so much more compelling live, and it was interesting to see the differences between the two classes and the two masters. However, after visiting the classes and returning to Phnom Penh, I have thought about what I want to pursue study in during my time in Cambodia and I think it will likely be smoat, not troeming. The troeming class that took place at a wat was very small, and while their music impressed me more than the other class, I had a hard time communicating with the master. The master other troeming class in Spiek Aek (I think) seemed a little easier to communicate with, and whose personality was wonderful to be around, but it still seemed hard to imagine myself fitting in to that class.
At the smoat class in Konpong Speu, on the other hand, I immediately felt very welcomed by the community and the two masters, with whom it was much easier to communicate. I will talk to Seng about visiting Konpong Speu in the near future.
In any event, I am now much more sure of my plans for the year, or perhaps I should say that I indeed now have a plan. From now until the third week of October, I will be living in Phnom Penh in Charley's place where I am living now. Because studying smoat will require more Khmer than troeming or studying an instrument, I will be intensely studying Khmer during this time. In addition, I am talking with Seng about the possibility of studying tro sau with Yun Theara during this time. I will also continue to observe and participate in some of the wats.
After the second or third week of October, I plan to make short trips out to Konpong Speu to study smoat for a few days and then returning to Phnom Penh, so I can get accustomed to the class and the village and determine whether it will really be possible for me to stay there long-term. If this looks like a possibility, I will likely move to Konpong Speu at the end of October or early November. If things continue to work out, I plan to study smoat there until mid-February, making trips to Phnom Penh when needed.
While in Siem Reap, I had the opportunity to meet twice with Ven. Pin Sem. He was very welcoming to my interest to study meditation and Buddhism in Cambodia, and suggested that I could come to Siem Reap at any time for a day or more to practice at Wat Bo. While I did not ask him about becoming a novice monk at Wat Bo for six months, he did say it would be very possible to study there for 1 or 2 months.
After 3 1/2 months of smoat study, in late February I plan to seek ordination as a novice monk, with the intention of studying Buddhism and meditation in Cambodia until the end of August. I am unsure whether this will be at Wat Bo or elsewhere, but Pin Sem's Buddhist teachings strike a chord in me, so I hope to be able to explore his wat and his style of practice a little more in the coming months.
Below are some images from Siem Reap. I am having a little trouble loading them on to the computer, so I will continue to post more of them in the future.
Troe ming master and rice farmer in front of his classroom
1 comment:
Sounds like you've made some great discoveries and are thinking deeply about the plan for the trip! I super-excited for you to live in the Speu. I'll email you later about stuff. Hope Charley's isn't too lonely without the master of the house in residence (though I suppose Sarin fills the position with GUSTo)
rock.
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