Dearest friends and comrades in the Dharma,

Philippe Naud was an impressive human being for me. I found him deeply honest, a good listener, ready to step in and take responsibility and speak out something uncomfortable quite elegantly. His sense of humor and vitality were outstanding.

I appreciated his efforts to talk English, which was and is much easier for me to understand and speak than French. He admitted to have difficulties with it, however noticed rightly, that his English was better than my French.

One could have a lot of fun with Philippe, he had the ability to relate fastly and deeply.
And one could rely on him.
At that time, I mean, a couple of years ago, I found his sometimes strong individualism (my interpretation, maybe I am in other fields individualistic without noticing) disturbing, as well as the fact, that it was conceded to him.

He needed to smoke as he sometimes needed to flee the Zen-house. I found it also funny, to be sincere. He needed, in a leading position during street retreat, to leave Dana house at an earlier time than others, he was allowed to do so. His personality was very strong and hardly allowed a protest in some, perhaps few, aspects. I found this irritating and would and could address it, now, I am older and more self-trusting. I probably would learn from him, today, and also do my thing, as I would find appropriate.

I believe him to be a good friend. As Covid surprised, changed and challenged all of us, as well as the summer-heat, I did not see a way to go on attending either summer-retreats with Cathérine Roshi (which I had planned to do, because of the temperatures I was not able to do finally, as these two weeks-sesshins took always place in the French summer holidays), nor did I want to resume attending Eastern or Xmas-Sesshins with Michel Roshi after Covid.
I got used to Zoom-Sesshins, which were low budget and in an ambivalent waycomfortable, manageable. I also got to miss the availability of the basement room, at Dana Center, which I had enjoyed very much for some years. To book some room for me in the neighborhood, was nothing I could really imagine. Sorry for that. I felt let alone with that lodging problem. My business had broken down, and since then I struggled with „continuous practice“.

Forgive me, please, that I am using this sad opportunity to express my leave from Dana-center, which, for quite a while, felt like a possible home for me, or had started to be.

And: Philippe has been an important „part“ of it. As a few dear and sweet other friends. Emanuel, for example. A so kind woman, with whom I have been passing some hours during my last short stay at Dana. I forgot her name, also sorry for that. And, of course, dear Joao.

And for the many others, I was allowed and happy to meet, in the garden, the amazingly large kitchen, the lounge, the bathroom, the zendo close to the sky, on a mattress or one of the sofas in the lounge, in a café nearby or on a piece of carton on the streets of Paris – a deep, deep bow.

For Michel and Cathérine: 🌹🌹🙏🏽🙏🏽

For the absolutely awesome house:⛩️☕🙏🏽and it’s enormous hospitality and simplicity in best ways:🎪🎪🎪
and the kitchen has been:
🍳🫚🥝🍉🍍🥕🥑🍲🥘🍚🥗
Simplement formidable!

Thinking of all this, I am feeling really very sorry for you. You will miss Philippe much more than I do.

And his passing – may his name be a blessing! – brings to mind that I have the strong wish to see you and Dana-Center once again, before I will be passing.

Any ideas… when..? 🚅🚉🪂

Big hugs, dear friends!

Sincerement,

Monika