This Holiday Shopping Season: We Don't Really Need "Zen Stuff"

[Jundo]

Dear All,

This is the time of year of gift buying and giving, and often that will include the various Buddhist "things" that we might wish for our houses ... the incense burners and bells, the robes and cushions and statues.

Well, let us keep such purchases in perspective, not be too attached to such things. We really do not need any of that to sit Zazen. For thousands of years, robes and statues and such have served to help create a "sacred space" in the mind and heart. A bit of incense, some Buddhist artwork or beads or bells, can create a bit of a feeling of "special time" for our sitting ... and they are aesthetically pleasing ... but I do not feel that any special bell or robes or the like are really necessary for Zazen. Perhaps they are little reminders that we are putting the world's duties and concerns down for a time ... but really anything that goes "ting-a-ling" or any comfortable clothes will do. Any open space is a space to sit and open the heart, even if it does not look like some sacred temple in Tibet. So, I do not see the particular need for a "genuine" bell or incense burner or "Zen robe".

Maybe the Buddhist magazines are a bit too filled these days with "Asian" stuff that becomes just more decorative items to collect, and we must avoid that.

On the other hand, I live in an old Japanese house filled with old Buddha statues I pick up here and there, and I have a Zendo filled with drums and bells, and I wear robes ... but none of those things are really the point. I like some items as art, but I must remember not to be too attached to any of it. I must remember not to be attached to things. We do not have to have any of this "stuff" to practice Zazen, and really they are just works of art, links to our heritage or mental "reminders" to the heart. You can chuck them all away if you want too. None of it is really necessary.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kotei]

Kotei sat/lah today.

[Horin]

So true, jundo! thanks!

Gassho

Ben

Stlah

Enviado desde mi PLK-L01 mediante Tapatalk

[Daitetsu]

Thank you, Jundo!

Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

[Nenka]

May we also gently suggest to our gift-buying loved ones that we have enough Hotei and meditating frogs?

Gassho

Nenka

ST

hotei.jpg

[Rich]

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[Michael Joseph]

A wonderful reminder. Thank you.

Gassho,

Hobun

STLAH

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[Tairin]

Gret reminder Jundo. Thank you.

Kosho Uchiyama held sesshin coined as "sesshin without toys.” I often modify this to “Zen without toys”. My Zazen space at home consists of two zabutons and two zafus. One for me and one for my wife.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Kyonin]

Thank you Jundo.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Washin]

Gassho
Washin
ST

[Onka]

I don't celebrate xmas at all and have no biological family to speak of but I'm open to receiving some Zen/Buddhist texts, books on Buddhist/Zen hermits and Zen/Buddhist poetry if anyone feels that they haven't spent enough this year haha.
Gassho
Anna
stlah

[Kyōsen]

Way back in 2004, my newly-separated mom moved my brothers and I into our new home and she sat us down and said she didn't think she could afford Christmas that year. My brothers and I were all relieved and we each confessed that we weren't really into gifts - we all had jobs and so if there was anything we really wanted we could buy it for ourselves - what mattered to us most was spending time together at Christmas and having a family dinner. My mom was so happy to hear her sons just wanted to have a nice dinner together and from that day on, that became our tradition - no more stuff, just together-ness.

Many years later I met the man who has become my husband and in the first year of our relationship I let him know how I felt about Christmas - that I'm not really into gifts and that after a decade and a half of working in retail I was actually kind of "sick" of Christmas in general. He was completely fine with that, being an earth-worshiping neo-pagan himself. He and I, instead, celebrate the Winter Solstice and it was on the Solstice that we chose to get married. We thought it was a great way to celebrate the return of daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. Instead of getting each other gifts, we go out for a nice dinner and then we make an offering of lights.

This year, Lama Tsonkhapa Day in the Tibetan tradition coincides with the Winter Solstice (which doesn't happen very often since the Tibetans, like many cultures, use the Lunar Calendar). So this year we get to celebrate Solstice, Anniversary, and Lama Tsongkhapa Day and there's a zazenkai as well! This Holiday Season is turning out to be full of meaning without the shopping or giving of objects. Instead, we offer light, love, and wishes for the well-being of everyone.

Gassho
Sen
Sat|LAH

[Doshin]

Way back in 2004, my newly-separated mom moved my brothers and I into our new home and she sat us down and said she didn't think she could afford Christmas that year. My brothers and I were all relieved and we each confessed that we weren't really into gifts - we all had jobs and so if there was anything we really wanted we could buy it for ourselves - what mattered to us most was spending time together at Christmas and having a family dinner. My mom was so happy to hear her sons just wanted to have a nice dinner together and from that day on, that became our tradition - no more stuff, just together-ness.

Many years later I met the man who has become my husband and in the first year of our relationship I let him know how I felt about Christmas - that I'm not really into gifts and that after a decade and a half of working in retail I was actually kind of "sick" of Christmas in general. He was completely fine with that, being an earth-worshiping neo-pagan himself. He and I, instead, celebrate the Winter Solstice and it was on the Solstice that we chose to get married. We thought it was a great way to celebrate the return of daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. Instead of getting each other gifts, we go out for a nice dinner and then we make an offering of lights.

This year, Lama Tsonkhapa Day in the Tibetan tradition coincides with the Winter Solstice (which doesn't happen very often since the Tibetans, like many cultures, use the Lunar Calendar). So this year we get to celebrate Solstice, Anniversary, and Lama Tsongkhapa Day and there's a zazenkai as well! This Holiday Season is turning out to be full of meaning without the shopping or giving of objects. Instead, we offer light, love, and wishes for the well-being of everyone.

Gassho
Sen
Sat|LAH

Thank you for sharing. What a beautiful way.

Doshin
St

[Onka]

Way back in 2004, my newly-separated mom moved my brothers and I into our new home and she sat us down and said she didn't think she could afford Christmas that year. My brothers and I were all relieved and we each confessed that we weren't really into gifts - we all had jobs and so if there was anything we really wanted we could buy it for ourselves - what mattered to us most was spending time together at Christmas and having a family dinner. My mom was so happy to hear her sons just wanted to have a nice dinner together and from that day on, that became our tradition - no more stuff, just together-ness.

Many years later I met the man who has become my husband and in the first year of our relationship I let him know how I felt about Christmas - that I'm not really into gifts and that after a decade and a half of working in retail I was actually kind of "sick" of Christmas in general. He was completely fine with that, being an earth-worshiping neo-pagan himself. He and I, instead, celebrate the Winter Solstice and it was on the Solstice that we chose to get married. We thought it was a great way to celebrate the return of daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. Instead of getting each other gifts, we go out for a nice dinner and then we make an offering of lights.

This year, Lama Tsonkhapa Day in the Tibetan tradition coincides with the Winter Solstice (which doesn't happen very often since the Tibetans, like many cultures, use the Lunar Calendar). So this year we get to celebrate Solstice, Anniversary, and Lama Tsongkhapa Day and there's a zazenkai as well! This Holiday Season is turning out to be full of meaning without the shopping or giving of objects. Instead, we offer light, love, and wishes for the well-being of everyone.

Gassho
Sen
Sat|LAH

I love that you got married on the Solstice Sen! Beautiful.
Being anarchists, my partner and I chose May Day as our significant day almost 15 years ago now. Each year we listen to Paul Robeson and other music with a revolutionary spirit, and try to find some quiet time to reflect on the blessing of our paths crossing when they did.
Happy anniversary Sen, may you and your husband continue to grow together.
For anarchy and peace
Gassho
Anna
stlah

[Jundo]

... Each year we listen to Paul Robeson and other music with a revolutionary spirit ...

Oh, I just love this. Even anarchists have their holidays and carols.

Gassho, J

STLah

[serenewolf]

Last year when my grandma passed away we sold our house and moved into an rv to do some travelling. We had to get rid of a lot and i am so glad we did. Learning to live without excess has been a valuable lesson. This will be our first holiday season without gifts and we are very happy for that. I am still learning about the various holidays and traditions and want to say thank you for sharing your stories, traditions, and knowledge and i hope everyone has a great season.
Gassho
David
Sat

[Kyōsen]

I love that you got married on the Solstice Sen! Beautiful.
Being anarchists, my partner and I chose May Day as our significant day almost 15 years ago now. Each year we listen to Paul Robeson and other music with a revolutionary spirit, and try to find some quiet time to reflect on the blessing of our paths crossing when they did.
Happy anniversary Sen, may you and your husband continue to grow together.
For anarchy and peace
Gassho
Anna
stlah

Thank you, Anna! My husband and I have had the pleasure of learning a bit about anarchist philosophy through the YouTube channel Philosophy Tube and we both find it to be very compelling. I think I can see how Zen would be a natural fit for an anarchist! And I love that your special days are in May which is a wonderful month for many reasons - including the weather (I believe that's why some Celtic cultures considered May to be the beginning of Summer).

Gassho
Sen
Sat|LAH