The first session of "
Buddhism as a liberal art" went nicely, I think. I started, yes, by passing around a basket of tangerines, and later had the class read Thich Nhat Hanh's "
How to eat a tangerine," then wordlessly passed the basket around again. (These are the skins of my thoughtlessly consumed and, below, slightly more mindfully absorbed fruits.)
The six students seemed happy to find out this wasn't a regular class (although several had come for, and could clearly use, some Intro to Buddhism; that can be arranged). But the main object of "tutorial advising" is having an extended conversation about what matters, how we live, and how our liberal arts experiences can contribute - something which happens too infrequently in our busy collegiate lives. All were excited at this prospect. Me too!
