WHAT IS “ANGO”?

Ango, 安居 , literally “peaceful dwelling and abiding”, is a period of concentrated and committed Zen practice, usually lasting three months in the Soto Zen tradition, often in the summer but in other seasons as well. The roots of Ango arise from the earliest days of the Buddhist monastic community in India, when monks and nuns would cease their wandering and settle together in one place for the rainy season. Even today in Zen monasteries of Japan, Ango is a time of intense and rigorous training, typically including long hours of Zazen, short hours for sleep, formal meals taken in the Zendo (meditation hall), and a structured schedule for the rest of the day comprising periods for work, liturgy, study, rest, and personal needs. In the West, most Zen groups have adapted the form of the three month practice period to the needs and demands of life in their communities.

In keeping with the philosophy and path of practice here at Treeleaf (“all of life is our temple”), we will seek to obtain many of the same (and quite a few additional and very special) fruits and lessons of a traditional Ango while sitting within the “monastery” of our day-to-day lives, jobs, problems, unending distractions and family responsibilities.

In doing so we will have the opportunity to taste the sweetness (and sometime bitterness – not one without the other) of concentrated Zen practice, and learn lessons, in many ways more poignant, practical, immediate and powerful than what might be known even to monks locked away in a sheltered mountain monastery. As always, we will be tasting the power of this practice in the world, in daily life, not hidden away from it all.

Zen Sangha around the world have experimented in recent years with various forms of Ango for working and family people who cannot (or do not feel drawn to) isolate themselves from the world for weeks on end, often commuting to practice and with limited time. We will build our Ango learning from their precedents and experiences. As well, this year will build upon the experience gained in our our Treeleaf Angos of many previous years.

At Treeleaf we believe that “intensity” of practice can best be attained not by increasing the raw quantity, bodily discomfort or physical isolation of practice, but primarily and powerfully by bringing new sincerity, commitment, vigor, equanimity, goallessness and seriousness into what we may already do in our daily life.

As each person’s life situation, family and work responsibilities vary, we will be happy to consult with folks to adjust and design a practice schedule and content to fit those circumstances. However, the most important point to keep in mind is that those work duties at the office, daily problems, worries, illnesses, and family responsibilities ARE THE PRACTICE PLACE as much as the Zafu (sitting cushion). The home kitchen is the temple kitchen, the office, store or factory is a convent workplace, our sickbed or tending to the needs of another in need is the altar of Kannon, workshop or garden when we practice Samu (work practice), etc. Children and loved ones are your fellow temple residents who benefit from your labors. Each presents countless opportunities for practice, and for manifesting Wisdom and Compassion.

One can be flexible in designing one’s schedule, and flexible in meeting the changing demands of each day, but commitment to “stick with this” is required. One might change the order of things, even push certain practices back a few days, but equally one must not let things become neglected, and must somehow promptly find the time to accomplish all that one has committed to do. There is flexibility and moderation, but not laxity. The purpose is not to overwhelm or “burn out” with overdoing; it is to mutually work together through a period of dedicated practice with sincerity, slow and steady. We will do our best each and every day, and let Zazen soak into our life. But key to that is consistency, not giving up, finding the time and not quitting.

Now, this “All-Online Treeleaf Ango” (as are so many things about Treeleaf) is a constant experiment and thus some of the following elements may be adjusted as we go along. However, we believe that Ango participants should commit to all or most of the activities listed below. In all cases, the emphasis will be on increasing – not of raw quantity, but the sincerity, commitment, vigor, equanimity, goallessness and seriousness of what we undertake.

With that perspective in mind, some of the following suggestions for the Ango are not optional, and are asked of everyone, absent some true health or other extenuating circumstance which renders them a total and complete impossibility or legitimate hardship! 

The other activities are merely “strongly suggested”. All in all, we do not believe that the below demands will unreasonably add to the amount of time people are already dedicating to their Jukai and Rakusu sewing work, or to their existing practices and the time constraints of daily life. We believe, if examined closely, the time is manageable. Again, we are flexible to work out a schedule for those with special needs, commitment and consistency being the most important. We may also adjust or substitute some projects in the coming weeks, so the following list is subject to small changes.

Please note that, if someone has a health or other circumstance which makes some aspect or activity of Jukai or Ango a hardship, they should let the Shuso or Jundo know and we will work out a different way.