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Thread: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (DECEMBER)

  1. #1

    GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (DECEMBER)

    Hello, New People to the Treeleaf Sangha,

    Please post a little introduction here. Welcome and make yourself at home!

    Gassho, Jundo

  2. #2
    mileedyer
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    thank you Jundo for your e-mail and for setting up my registration
    for the rest of the community, my name is melanie and i live in saskatoon
    saskatchewan canada.i've been sitting-in every day since jan and doing
    so has become very helpful and grounding for my practice.i've been practicing
    mostly zen for about 2 years now and so wish i had found the dharma sooner ,
    but then learning to be in the present and realising that now is all that really is
    is the best :wink: don't know that i'll be online much but i'll be with you all
    everyday and it's great knowing you're all out there practicing along side me

  3. #3

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Howdy and welcome Melanie!

    Gassho, Dirk

  4. #4

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hi, Melanie and welcome!

    Many blessings,
    Lora

  5. #5

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello Melanie,

    Welcome to Treeleaf...it is great to have you here.

    Kelly Rok

  6. #6

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Welcome Melanie!

  7. #7

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hi Everyone,

    Thanks for letting me join your community. I've practised Soto Zen for about 10 years. i live in North East Lincolnshire in England and I'd like to strengthen my practice.

    Gassho
    Brian

  8. #8

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Bienvenido, Brian.

  9. #9

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hi Brian, welcome!

    Gassho, Dirk

  10. #10

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Welcome to Treeleaf Brian!

  11. #11

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Welcome to Treeleaf Brian!

    Gassho,
    KellyRok

  12. #12
    Yugen
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Welcome to Treeleaf Melanie and Brian!

    Gassho,
    Alex

  13. #13

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Welcome Melanie & Brian!

    Hope to see you post sometimes on the board.

    gassho,
    rowan
    who is trying to wake up......

  14. #14
    imdreaming
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello, I'm new. My name is Eileen.

    I've been interested in Zen since 1975 or so and have been practicing seriously for just over a year.I sit every weekday morning with xxx. I participated my first 7-day sesshin in June.

    That's it for now.

  15. #15

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hi Eileen,

    Welcome to Treeleaf! I trust Genpo is well, (I met him at ZCLA about 30 years ago).

    gassho,
    rowan
    who hasn't made it to Big Mind, only Big Head :mrgreen:

  16. #16
    don321
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello Everyone!

    thanks for letting me join your Forum, I'm looking forward to learning more about Soto Zen,

    best wishes,

    Don

  17. #17

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello Eileen and Don, and Welcome.
    Gassho, Dirk

  18. #18
    Sunshine
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello, everyone. This is Sunshine aka Lara. I live in Hobbs, New Mexico. I'm so glad I found you all, becuase I've been looking for an online community for quite some time. I have been doing buddhist meditation for over two years (vipassana), but have really taken an interest in Zen recently. :P

    Looking forward to getting to know you all,

    Gassho

    Lara

  19. #19

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hi & Welcome Lara!

    /me breaks out in to ....

    Gassho, Dirk

  20. #20

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello all,

    Welcome to Treeleaf Eileen, Don, and Sunshine (Lara)! It is great to have you all here.

    Gassho,
    Kelly Rok

  21. #21

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hi Melanie, Brian, Eileen,!! Don,and Lara welcome to Treeleaf ! Kent

  22. #22
    Bill
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello and Hey everyone. I am new to the community. My beloved bride Lara and I are excited to a part of you. I look forward to new learning.

  23. #23

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Welcome Bill, Lara, Eileen, Don, Melanie, and Brian.
    Glad you found the place,

    Bill

  24. #24

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    I haven't welcomed anyone in a while:

    Belated welcome to Treeleaf guys.

    Gassho

    Will

  25. #25
    Member roky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    silver city, new mexico, usa

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    welcome, melanie, eileen, don, lara, and bill

    lara and bill, we will soon be passing near your way, on our way to our winter home of why, az

    gassho, bob

  26. #26

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Hello, Everyone,

    Welcome to Treeleaf.

    Many blessings,
    Lora

  27. #27

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Welcome to all newcomers! ann

  28. #28

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (SEPTEMBER)

    Yes, Welcome to Treeleaf

    Gassho,
    Damian

  29. #29

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hi Everyone,

    I'm Zachariah. I live in Michigan in the USA. I'm 35, husband of one and father of two and striving Buddhist. It's taken me a long bit of time to take up a label, having been born, raised and soured in Catholicism. It's always tough to abandon a religion where loss of faith / doubts will earn you a trip to an eternal lake of fire, so I one upped into a world view of several levels of hell (but buddhas in each one LOL. I've really enjoyed moving from a sacred / philosophical perspective of guilt and stricture to one of query and conditioned reality. To me Treeleaf is like touching earth, laughing at a flower held up ...

    I've been pretty interested in all the flavors of Shakyamuni's idea from the hinyana (too many precepts), to mahayana (too many beings to liberate), to vajrayana (too out there) [JUST KIDDING [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif[/img]

  30. #30
    Sho Nin
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hi all,

    I've been practicing Soto Zen for 6 or 7 years now and I took Jukai just under a year and a half ago. I suppose at the moment I'm just looking for a nice place to hang out online and talk to others on the path.

    Greetings all

    Justin

  31. #31

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Howdy and Welcome!

    Gassho, Dirk

  32. #32
    Yugen
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Justin,
    Welcome to Treeleaf!

    Gassho,
    Alex

  33. #33

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hi All.
    I`ve been hanging around in the background since July so I thought it was about time I came out of hiding and introduced myself ops: . I am 68 and moved from London to Cardiff 23 years ago. I have been married to my wife Barbarafor 46 years(last Monday), we have three surviving daughters (my eldest daughter died suddenly five years ago) and six grandchildren. I have been practicing Buddhist meditation for over 20 years. I briefly explored a couple of different traditions at first but soon came across Soto Zen. It was however about 3 years before I called myself a Buddhist. I took lay ordination with a master in the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives.
    Nine years ago I was asked to join Angulimala the Buddhist prison chaplaincy organisation. I became the Buddhist Chaplain to three prisons but for the last two years I have only served in one. I am also Chairperson Elect of The Buddhist Council of Wales.

    As most of you are from the US I just thought I would mention something. I have never been to the US myself (although I have relatives there), but my great grandfather came from SD. He was a Sioux who came to London with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. I think my grandmother was born there but not sure. Just thought I would mention it - I`ve been telling everyone I meet since I found out seven years ago!
    I think Treeleaf is great. It is such a good place for those of us who can`t get to a group regularly. I look forward to training with you all.

    Gassho
    Brian

  34. #34

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Welcome to Treeleaf Brian!

    My ancestors (at least the ones who provided my surname) came from just outside Cardiff, so it's nice to encounter someone from there even if it is a transplant.

    Gassho,
    Scott

  35. #35
    SwordSoul
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Howdy ever'body!

    Been swinging by the website every once in awhile, and I want to participate in a Zen sangha, so here I am!

    I've been sitting off and on for over 5 years, and as far as 'sects' are concerned I've settled on Zen for quite some time. I'm looking forward to practicing/discussing the practice with everyone!

    Gassho and whatnot,
    Matt

  36. #36

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hi and welcome Brian and Matt!

    Gassho, Dirk

  37. #37

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hello to all ...

    ...and welcome to Zachariah, Justin, Brian and Matt! Thank you for sharing your stories with us and I look forward to talking with you all here at Treeleaf .

    Gassho,
    Kelly Rok

  38. #38

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hi, my name is Jamie G., and I live in Oklahoma. I've been married to my high school sweetheart for six years. We have a wonderful baby girl is just over a year old. My wife is a teacher and I am a police detective for our small town of 20,000.

    I've only recently began to study Buddhism in the past few months. Since I live in the Bible Belt, there aren't many opportunities to study with a Zen teacher locally. I have had to do most of my studies from the internet, so you can imagine the kinds of flakes, fruits, and nuts I have come across to find something authentic. By authentic I mean that I am not looking for something to blindly believe in. I came to Buddhism because two years ago I deconverted from Christianity because I got tired of having to sacrifice logic and reason to justify my faith. Christianity in any form doesn't seem to line up with reality very well. I have a passion for truth and to know the world as it truely is. I place a lot of stock in science and reason, and I love philosophy and physics. I went from abandoning Christianity to reading the latest books by New Atheists like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. One website on philosophy and atheism brought up enlightenment and introduced me to several eastern philosophical concepts that I had never even considered. I began to research the words of the Buddha and came across the About Buddhism website and the Kalam Sutra. The four Noble Truths just make sense to me, and the eight-fold path as well. I also have no problem with Karma as cause and effect and the idea of Rebirth (I've heard our bodies atomic collection changes every eleven years in that I don't have the same atoms in me as I did then, and they will go on to be a part of other things in the universe). I also have to admit that, and maybe irrationally, I dream of the monastic life in a zen monastary in the hills of Japan. I appreciate the less dogmatic traditions of Theravada and Zen, and admit I could never be a Pure Land-er. Anyways, I am looking for a teacher and found this site through the Progressive Buddhism blog (I comment there as "cpd314").

    Oh... and I currently sit zazen about three times a week for about 15 minutes. I haven't yet been able to adjust my schedule for daily sitting.

  39. #39

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Bienvenido Jamie!

  40. #40

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Quote Originally Posted by jamieguinn
    I dream of the monastic life in a zen monastary in the hills of Japan. .
    Hi Jamie,

    Welcome again.

    Be at home and at peace with your life in Chikasha Oklahoma, married to your high school sweetheart and a police detective, and the monastery in the quiet hills is where you are ... all the monastery walls tumbling down.

    Go to Japan and wish you were somewhere else, that life was something else, that the hot days were colder and the cold days hotter ... and the monastery walls are a prison.

    So, please practice that way.

    As to questions of being an atheist and such, I sometimes write the below. It is just my personal understanding, and you need to find your own.

    Gassho, Jundo

    I consider myself, personally, an "agnostic" on all such issues. That does mean I "don't believe" or that I "do believe". It simply means that my practice is free from the need. I am left in awe at the mystery which is life and this wondrous universe ... so I just get on with that life in this universe amid that feeling of awe and wonder (for that reason, I sometimes describe myself as an "agnosti-mystic"). As I often say ...


    Is there a "Universal Consciousness/Divine Spirit/God/Jesus/Cosmic Buddha"? If so, live human life, fetch wood and carry water.

    Is there not some "Universal Consciousness/God/Jesus/Cosmic Buddha"? If not, live human life, fetch wood and carry water.

    I suppose that if the "creator" went to all the trouble of creating our lives we can honor Her in no better way ... than by just living life! If She had wanted to fill us in better on what is "going on", she would not keep it so hidden and open for debate.

    Don't get me wrong, I have various "suspicions" about what makes the universe tick, but I am content to keep them as "suspicions" and to not have all the details ... I am even content to be wrong in my "suspicions". I think something wonderful is afoot, and I believe that we did not just happen to pop up alive in the middle of time and space by naked happenstance alone. I actually taste that what is "going on" is far far beyond any human words that we small creatures try to impose upon reality such as "Divine" "Spirit" "Eternal" "Finite" "God" "Devil" "Brahma" "Being" "Not Being" "Just" "Good" and all the other anthropomorphic descriptions our small human minds cook up. How dare we impose our ignorance! We may have as much chance of truly understanding the mechanism of these things as an ant to grasp the programming of a super-computer!

    Thus, our Zen Practice advices us to drop all words like "Divine" "Mundane" "Eternal" "Finite" and all the rest ... and just TRUST, just "GO WITH THE FLOW", just "ALLOW", just "LIVE" ... I do not know if God is "JUST" (and I do not see a lot in this often tragic world that indicates "Justice" in human terms ... I was just reading about all the small children killed in the Spanish airliner today), but I can be in harmony with a reality that is JUST what it is, and a vision of reality beyond small human ideas of "life" and "death". That much I can do.

  41. #41

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hi...

    For all new Folks.. Welcome to Treeleaf....

    Gassho, Shui di

  42. #42
    socrates
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Thanks Jundo! I looked everywhere to post my intro on this site and could not find it. When i stopped looking it appeared. Aaah! If i'm in the wrong place, i welcome correction. My name is socrates and live in eastern NC. As for the name i am not wise as the philosopher, i am Greek, having all my grandparents immigrating from Greece to the USA in the early 1900's. I read a book 10-15 years ago that introduced me to "living in the moment" which led me to investigating what eventually is the dharma. I practiced ( at least what i thought was practice ) for a couple years, learned there was wrong effort involved and stopped practicing, had a life changing experience, realized my mind controlled my life, returned 2 1/2 years ago and have practiced since. Have not had the opportunity to attend a zendo so have learned through extensive reading of numerous Buddhist, Zen Buddhist teachers. I am happy to have found this Zendo!

  43. #43
    Yugen
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Socrates,
    Welcome to Treeleaf from another Greek! This is a great community, jump right in - OPA!

    Gassho,
    Alex

  44. #44
    socrates
    Guest

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Thanks for the welcome Alex. I look forward to learning. I'm very good at "I dont know mind" or beginner's mind. Really keeps life simple. Look forward to your posts and the entire communitys' posts. :wink:

  45. #45

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hi All!,
    I originally joined this group last June, however, with the countless things that life brings to one's plate, I haven't logged on in quite a while. So I wanted to reintroduce myself to the Sangha.

    I was first introduced to Zen through martial arts practice and since then I've studied many different forms of Buddhism. I've come back to Soto Zen because it feels a lot like home.

    I sat briefly with a Soto group in Pittsburgh before moving to Northern VA. Now I sit on my own and I'm looking forward to recommitting to practice with all of you.

    It's very inspiring to read the posts on this forum and get a sense of the energy here in this wonderful community.

    Gassho,
    Eric

  46. #46

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    A belated but still sincere welcome to the folks I missed in September, and all the new folks in October. Eric--I grew up in NoVA, and still commute in for work.

    Hoping the autumn leaves bring color to all of your lives! Gassho, Ann

  47. #47

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    The leaves here are certainly beautiful right now. If I get the opportunity, I'm going to take the family up to Skyline Drive. You can certainly get a panoramic view of the turning foliage from up there!

    May all be well,
    Eric

  48. #48

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hello to everyone!

    I came in here a couple of weeks ago, having a rough go of some things, complained a lot, and wanted advice :wink:
    I skipped an introduction for introduction's sake then, but now I'd like to take the opportunity: My name is Owen, and I'm from St. Louis, Missouri. I've lived here most of my life, I'm fond of making music, fix computers for a living, 27 years old and married with no kids. I came to Buddhism approx. 7-ish years ago, after reading the Dalai Lama's "the Art of Happiness", and I'm forever grateful that through the book's non-religious approach, it drew me in on a very fundamental level, opened me up to some ideas that I think I might have once just dismissed as "more religious nonsense". From there I've read a number of books, listened to a lot of dharma talks, and had some sporadic involvement with some local sanghas, but my biggest challenge has been sitting... regularly. Once the teacher at a local zendo said to me (after I told him about all the books I'd read), something like "you keep studying baking recipes, but when will you actually bake the cake?"

    So I finally after a lot more time had passed, I did it, started sitting every day, and did this for about six months, but for some reason, just quit last spring. Having a lot of access to computers everywhere I go and being inclined to use them, a place like this seemed natural as a means to get back into a more regular practice after sort of "letting go" of it earlier - and I think that's what I was trying to do to some extent, let go of it, I guess some quiet part of me though I had gone far enough and I was ready to just live in the world and be enlightened :lol: I'm happy to be here and I hope I haven't frightened, annoyed, or especially discouraged anyone with my earlier complaining, just know that's what I do sometimes and it's an irrational tendency I struggle with.

    Best regards / gassho,
    Owen

  49. #49

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hello all,

    I love Treeleaf! I have been watching Jundo’s clips ever since I heard ran across a Buddhist Geeks episode, which Jundo was a guest. (This was about two weeks ago.)

    No experience with Zazen...I have experimented with meditation on my own, but no formal instruction. To make a long story short I did join a Chinese martial arts school that offered meditation, but by the time I got around to taking the classes the instructor had changed and meditation was not offered. I also do a bit of Tai Chi, but have really wanted to do some form of meditation for many years.

    I have found Treeleaf to be a wonderful resource and have been sitting daily ever since I found the site. I find the concept of 'Just Sitting' Shikantaza to be very pure and beautiful. I hope to make it an integral part of my life.

    In terms of my avatar…. We have a cottage on a small island in on a lake and it is my favorite place to be….even in the winter. The big stick in my hand is because I am walking on the lake when it is frozen and testing the ice so that I don’t fall through! (Perhaps I will try and find a better image, but I am the one in the family who takes all the pictures…and thus I am not in many.)

    BrianW

  50. #50

    Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (OCTOBER)

    Hello Treeleaf Sangha,

    It's a pleasure to join you all here. I only discovered the website relatively recently but I've been enjoying it very much and think that a community like this is a very positive thing indeed

    About me: I'm 24 years old and I'm from Stafford in central England. I've been sitting for a little over a year now, mainly counting and following the breath, but I've recently been giving Shikantaza a go. A month ago I moved to Japan to work as an English teacher, deepen my Zazen practice, and 'see the world'. Work doesn't allow me as much time as I might like to meet Zen teachers and participate in Sesshins and the like, but I enjoy teaching and appreciate the opportunity to spend time with Japanese people of all ages.

    Though words are limited, I'm looking forward to some fruitful discussions with you :wink:

    Gassho,
    David G.

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