Hello, New People to the Treeleaf Sangha,
Please post a little introduction here. Welcome and make yourself at home!
Gassho, Jundo
Hello, New People to the Treeleaf Sangha,
Please post a little introduction here. Welcome and make yourself at home!
Gassho, Jundo
Howdy
I've been practicing -with some gaps- for 6 years, mostly on my own as I've been living in cities and under circumstances that make access to a sangha and a teacher rather difficult. Right now I live in Arizona, sit daily around 5:30 am plus some afternoons and engage in a lot of studying of zen and buddhist stuff -unwisely, as Dogen recommends not to do so without a teacher.
I'm grateful to have found this community. Thanks for having me
Gassho, Alberto
Welcome Alberto....
Nice to meet you...
Gassho, Shui Di
Hey Alberto,
Welcome to Treeleaf!Hope to see you on one of the sittings soon!
Gassho,
Irina
Originally Posted by Alberto
Hey all,
I'm old hat making a return. I've been practicing erratically over the last 6 months as I've been finishing up my final semester of school, but it's done at last and I'm prepared to recommit myself to daily practice. I hope to join in on the weekly live sittings as soon as I can get a webcam, and I look forward to joining the "taped" zazenkai sitting next Saturday.
Look forward to getting to know everyone that's arrived in my absence, and looking forward to taking advantage of all the new features of our Zendo.
Gassho,
justin
Hey Just,
I did not know you were away!!
The home we are focused on is the one you can never leave.
Gassho, Jundo
Welcome, Alberto! Welcome back, Justin!
Gassho,
Damian
Hello Treeleaf Sangha,
I hope this self-intro is not too many words. I am Lloyd. (kshetra) I live in New Mexico, US, near the Rio Grande River.
About my practice as asked: I've been sitting about 5 years - first with a Dzogchen group and now Zazen for the last 4
years. I have practiced with a lay led group weekly and we have held about 95% to the
Soto tradition of the group leader's origin. We do sit facing each other , rather than
facing the wall. About 5 times a year we have had a wonderful Rinzai Sensei come to talk, preside
over a day long Sesshin. I've also attended a couple of week long Sesshin in the Zen Diamond Sangha traditon in the
last 2 years and have occasionally traveled into the New Mexico mountains to a more remote
Zen monastery once to stay overnight and sit with a small group. The country there is so beautiful.
So that is my practice until several months ago when I moved "downstate" and have not
yet found a sangha that suits. I am an artist (a painter) and I work a day job in the
architectural design field and also use 3D digital software for presentations.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to meeting all of you over time and thank you
and Jundo for this opportunity.
In Gassho,
Lloyd ---- 'kshetra'
Welcome kshetra (Lloyd), Glad to have you here!
Gassho,
Damian
Welcome!
Gassho
justin
Hello all,
I've been sitting for about 10 months, twice daily. I was having some difficulty finding a group near me in the Soto tradition (found just about everything else) so I was glad when I heard about Treeleaf on a podcast. Thanks for having me.
Gassho,
Paul
Greetings! Welcome to Treeleaf kshetra (Lloyd), Alberto... and welcome back Justin... I look forward to practicing with you!
Gassho,
Alex
Hello Lloyd, Alberto, Justin, and Paul!
Dear Treeleaf Zendo Sangha,
I have been meditating/studying Bhuddism for the last 5 years. Started with Vipassana/Theravada (books and some time with a lay led Sangha) then Soto Zen (books and a little time with a Sangha in the White Plum Lineage)for the last 3 years.
I live in Annapolis, Maryland and due to work and family responsibilities I can’t make it regularly to the Sanghas nearby in Baltimore and Washington DC so am glad to have found you.
My practice is shikantaza, I meditate 2x a day, I recite the Gatha of Atonement prior to meditating in the AM and PM and end it by reciting the Verse of the Vestment of Compassion in the AM and the Four Bhoddhisatva Vows in the PM. I also recite/chant the Heart Sutra daily and for good measure throw in the 5 Remembrances and a brief (5 minute) Loving Kindness Meditation. I look forward to learning with you all.
Gassho, Roberto aka Just Sitting
I'm Alex. I'm 19 and learning to be a Machinist's Mate in the US Navy.
I've always wondered what Buddhism was like, but never really went in search of it until a week or so ago. I was googling all over till I finally found Jundo's blog, and the forum and whatnot connected to it. So now I am here.
To say I'm a beginner doesn't even begin to describe it, lol. :roll:BUT hey, I've already "attended" a couple of those sit-alongs on "the leaf". And I thoroughly enjoyed the whole "simple/complex" contrasts in the broadcast about Tantric Buddhism (correct me if I spelled it wrong).
I am somewhat limited by a busy busy schedule (every weekday is school, and I study on weekends, even more so now that I'm nearing the end of my first training school. Yes, I said FIRST, lol). But I do have downtime on the weekend, more than during the week itself, so maybe I will sit in this saturday? I dunno. I'm still fairly new to everything, and this zazen concept as well.
I may have a few questions already. But I won't post them here, I'll save them for other appropriate threads so as not to take too much attention away from any possible newcomers that may come. :mrgreen:
Alex,
Welcome to Treeleaf. I look forward to practicing and learning with you.
Gassho,
Alex
Thx... Alex!
Lol, we're going to have fun with that one, aren't we?
I have an Alex in school here, too, though in the navy we just call each other by our last names... habit one picks up in boot camp.
Alex,
Nice to hear from you! I've been through a few Navy schools myself (in the 1980s)... we live right next to NAS Brunswick (Maine) now... P-3s overhead all the time....!
Habits you pick up in boot camp.... some will serve you well... others..... you don't get to find out which is which until a little further down the road! :wink:
Nice to see you on the discussion threads. Thanks for joining us...
Alex
Thanks. I suppose.
I'd definitely like to learn more of Buddhism, but I think I'd better start by getting used to zazen first, right?
I dunno.
Alex,
A good way to start yes, is by doing Zazen. Begin with manageable periods of time each day - Treeleaf is a great place to meet people who are learning, practicing, sitting, and asking questions. There are many wonderful people from different perspectives and geographies. And ask questions yourself - this is a lifelong path...
Gassho,
Alex
Ah, yes, Jundo has also suggested I "just sit" for a month or so, and to "observe". Sound advice, really. Rushing into it could be disastrous and/or overload my brain. :P And it's not good to absorb too much anyway when one is new to something.
Hello, my name is Michael and I am new to Zen Buddhism. I began practicing last October but stopped for awhile. I am now able to continue my practice and will start from the beginning. I am married with three children and live in Philadelphia. I was a veteran of the US Navy for the past 20 years and retired in January. I am an avid baseball fan. I look forward to speaking with all of you.
HEY! Another navy guy! I'm in the navy right now... ooh, i wish I was OUT too, lol. :roll: :twisted: :lol:
Welcome!
Hey Paul, Justin, Roberto, Lloyd, Alberto and Alex (whom already saw :lol: )!
Welcome to TreeLeaf!
Gassho,
Irina
Yah, too bad my internet was too slow for cams that day... I figured out my roomie was downloading three movies, plus the lord of the rings extended version trilogy all in one 4 gigabyte file!!!
UGH!!!!
Alex,
Thanks for the welcome. I did 20 years in the Navy. I enjoyed my time but the last 5 years were the hardest. I knew that retirement was coming. By the time it arrived, I was more than ready to get out.
I look forward to talking with you.
Mike
Hiya,
I've been sitting shikantaza 'on' (for about 5 years in Japanops: ) for about 7 years now.
I've really missed sitting over the last two years so two months ago I made a vow to sit no matter what everyday for the rest of my life :shock:
I like this forum, and the politeness is refreshing, so I look forward to sitting with you guys online in the near future.
Thanks muchly.
Undeceivable (it's not what I am, but what I'm aspiring to be!)
Hi to everybody
May you find your time at Treeleaf as interesting, supportive & inspirational as I do.
Kind regards
Jools
To Every one....
Welcome to treeleaf Zendo...
Gassho, Shui Di
Hi Roberto, Alex, Mike, and Undeceivable! Welcome to Treeleaf
Hello everyone.
My name is Daniel and i am from Israel.
nice to meet you
Daniel,
Welcome to Treeleaf! We look forward to practicing with you...
Regards,
Alex
Greetings to all the new leaves!
Gassho,
Bill
.
Hello and welcome newcomers
Gassho, Tony
Welcome to all the new folks. We try not to fall too far from the tree...
Charles,
Welcome to Treeleaf. We're glad you're here.
Gassho,
Alex
welcome all
best wishes
Jools
Welcome all! lots of new faces
Gassho
Dirk
Hello! My real name is Paul, but there seem to be a couple of those here already...I've been practicing for about 4 years, have done a few sesshins at Zen Mountain Monastery and sat with the Village Zendo. I work odd hours (second shift and weekends), so Treeleaf is ideal for me. The idea of a virtual sangha is brilliant! Looking forward to sitting with all of you.
Welcome, everyone!
Don't be shy; just jump right in.
Gassho,
Linda
Thank you for the welcomes I have not yet acknowledged and a hearty welcome to those I have not yet met!
Mike
PhillyBuddha
A warm 'hello' and welcome to all.
Gassho
Ken
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