August 10th-11th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai

[Jundo]

Hello All,

Please 'sit-a-long' with our weekly FRIDAY/SATURDAY 'LIVE FROM TREELEAF' 90 minute ZAZENKAI, netcast from 10am Japan time Saturday morning (that is New York 9pm, Los Angeles 6pm (Friday night), London 2am and Paris 3am (early Saturday morning)

... and to be visible on the following screen during those times and sit-a-long-able any time thereafter ...

LIVE ZAZENKAI NETCAST IS HERE:
CLICK ON THE TAB ON LOWER RIGHT FOR 'FULL SCREEN




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF0P72yEshY


FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO JOIN TO SIT LIVE WITH A CAMERA, A LINK TO JOIN WILL BE POSTED BELOW IN THIS THREAD ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE START TIME. JUST CLICK AND JOIN. WE ARE NOW LIMITED TO 10 INDIVIDUALS WITH CAMERAS, BUT ANY NUMBER CAN WATCH LIVE 'ONE WAY' AND SIT-A-LONG VIA THE ABOVE SCREEN. IF JOINING WITH CAMERA, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE IS MUTED::

00:00 – 00:15 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA in English) and Dedication
00:15 – 00:45 ZAZEN
00:45 – 00:55 KINHIN
00:55 – 01:25 ZAZEN
01:25 – 01:30 VERSE OF ATONEMENT & FOUR VOWS

As you can see, our Zazenkai consists of chanting the 'Heart Sutra' in English (the words are at the link below), some full floor prostrations in sets of three (please follow along with me ... or a simple Gassho can be substituted if you wish), followed by our Dedication, Zazen twice for about 30 minutes each, with 10 minutes of Kinhin in between, and we end the sitting with 'The Verse of Atonement' and 'The Four Vows'.

Please join us in the Chanting of the Heart Sutra (although please keep your microphone muted). You can download and print out the Chants we will recite at the following link (PDF):

Chant Book (PDF) (https://sites.google.com/site/jundotreeleaf/Weekly%20%26%20Monthly%20Zazenkai%20-%20Lay%20Version%20-%20Feb2017.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1)

or

Chant Book (SHORT VERSION HTML) (http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?7032-Weekly-Monthly-Zazenkai-Chant-Book-is-Here)

Not everyone realizes that they can join in the Chanting of the Heart Sutra, Verse of Atonement and Four Vows (although we ask that you keep your microphone down). Please follow along with the Chant Book, and let your voice ring!

So, please join us as soon as you can, and we will keep a Zafu open for you.

Remember, when we drop all thought of 'here' 'there' 'now' 'then' ... we are sitting all together!


Gassho, Jundo gassho1

SatTodayLAH

PS - There is no "wrong" or "right" in Zazen ... yet here is a little explanation of the "right" times to Bow (A Koan) ...


https://youtu.be/GR6POpsXh9Q

The other video I mention on Zendo decorum is this one, from our "Always Beginners" video Series:


Sit-a-Long with Jundo: Zazen for Beginners (12) - Basic Zendo Decorum At Home
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?14884-Sit-a-Long-with-Jundo-Zazen-for-Beginners-%2812%29&p=189093#post189093

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo, I will be there live two way. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Doshin]

Been awhile but looking forward to joining, probably one way.

Doshin
St

[Choboku]

Thanks for posting the info! I'll do my best to be on time, one way for sure though. Depends how feisty the kids are about bedtime tonight. :black_eyed:

Sat today, going to sit more later.

[Kyonin]

Hi Jundo,

I'll be there live.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo. I'll join two-way, tech permitting.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/LAH

[Shinshi]

Thank you Jundo. I'll be doing the time warp again. :)

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

(It's just a jump to the left ...)

[Sekishi]

See you all soon.

Gassho,
Sekishi



Sent from my Tricorder using Tapatalk Pro

[Mp]

Hey folks,

Here is the event link for today's zazenkai: https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts/_/ytl/sRL_L7Qz-tEiZSS0ZTxUu35ubebQNdZEkoqv0TbBS0Y=?hl=en_GB&pli=1

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Shokai]

Family time right now, will do this session in the morning. Thank you all for being here

gassho, Shokai

stlah

[Jakuden]

Thank you Jundo, Sekishi and everyone. [emoji120]
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Doshin]

Thank you Sangha. It was good to sit with you again

Doshin
st

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo, Sekishi, and everyone ... lovely. Have a great weekend. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Onkai]

Thank you, everyone. Have a great weekend!

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/LAH

[Kyonin]

Hi guys,

I didn't do the closing verses because when I was sitting the second zazen, my sound died and I couldn't hear the bell. I kept sitting!

Anyway, thanks everyone.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Kotei]

Thank you everyone!
Gassho,
Kotei just sat.

[Kyoshin]

My first zazenkai live! Thanks everybody!
Gassho
Nick

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone! I’ve missed 2 of the last 3 Zazenkai due to summertime travels so it was nice to sit with you all again.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and about to LAH

[Washin]

Thank you everyone.

Gassho
Washin
justsat

[Seishin]

Thank you all, sat over last two mornings.

[Meitou]

Thank you everyone, thank you especially Jundo for some timely words about Kinhin. I have some difficulties with walking meditation, it frequently happens that I have to put a lot of conscious effort into finding a comfortable pace and rhythm - I don't seem to be able to co-ordinate the breath with the pace. Because of that, there's a lot of mental activity going on and I have a problem dropping the conscious effort. Any advice would be appreciated.

Gassho
Meitou
satwithyoualltoday/ lah

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone, thank you especially Jundo for some timely words about Kinhin. I have some difficulties with walking meditation, it frequently happens that I have to put a lot of conscious effort into finding a comfortable pace and rhythm - I don't seem to be able to co-ordinate the breath with the pace. Because of that, there's a lot of mental activity going on and I have a problem dropping the conscious effort. Any advice would be appreciated.

Gassho
Meitou
satwithyoualltoday/ lah

Hi Meitou

Personally i find Kinhin to be "harder" (whatever that means in this context) than Zazen. I think because I am moving there is more going on. But I wonder if that isn't part of the point. If we are supposed to take our Zazen off the cushion and into our daily lives then Kinhin is a great transition. At least that's my novice opinion.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today

[Mp]

I don't seem to be able to co-ordinate the breath with the pace.

Hey Meitou,

Now I am not stealing the lyrics from The Police, as theirs is different =), but have you tried ... Every breath you take to every step you take?

Try breathing in as your back foot is moving to the forward position. Then place the heal down and as you are moving your body forward onto that forward foot, breath out. So in a sense your breathing out, shifting your weight, and finding your balance.

This way each movement leads to the next. Make sense? =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Jundo]

Thank you everyone, thank you especially Jundo for some timely words about Kinhin. I have some difficulties with walking meditation, it frequently happens that I have to put a lot of conscious effort into finding a comfortable pace and rhythm - I don't seem to be able to co-ordinate the breath with the pace. Because of that, there's a lot of mental activity going on and I have a problem dropping the conscious effort. Any advice would be appreciated.

Gassho
Meitou
satwithyoualltoday/ lah

It may be one of those things where, because you are too concerned to "do it right," it becomes hard. I think you are "trying" to do something, and all it is is to take a breath and step ahead. So, Shingen's way is great (what I usually do), but you can be less formal and patterned too, as you like too (I often do that too). After all, you breathe all day (I hope). You walk every day. Hopefully, you breathe and walk every day. There is no trick to this, no right form or mechanism. Very simple:

Just breathe normally (although, we do encourage nice breaths from down in the diaphram, do what you can).

About the time the breath hits the top of the inhalation, take half a step.

That's it. You are now a Kinhin master. No need to stress it or try for a certain rhythm. Just relax and keep moving as if in the ticket line at the movies.

Of course, we hold our hands in Shashu because better than sticking them in the pockets. Eyes half open, just like Zazen (good for avoiding bumping into walls and tables too) :). Mind, the same equanimity of the mirror, and "don't grab the thoughts" of the sky as seated Zazen. Subtly have trust that each step by step is total arrival in the only place to be in that moment, and this place is complete.

Even a toddler can learn to walk so. gassho1 You cannot do it wrong.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Meitou]

Thank you all for the great advice. I agree Jundo, this is all about trying to hard, putting in too much effort and perhaps creating problems where non should exist. I don't drive, I walk everywhere, I love walking so.. [confused]
I have tried the Shingen Method this morning and I can feel that by loosening up a little on the thought process, it will work for me.
Again, thank you all.
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday /walked the walk

[Kokuu]

Lovely, thank you!

I hope you all had a good Obon!

Gassho
Kokuu