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Thread: Social distancing and online sanghas.

  1. #1

    Social distancing and online sanghas.

    Hi all,


    I wanted to share this article with all of you because Treeleaf has been a true pioneer in this area: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/online-sanghas/


    Gassho,
    Seibu
    Sattoday

  2. #2
    Thanks for sharing and Treeleaf is the leader.

    Three of the Sanghas I have sat with over the years in New Mexico are now on Zoom. Upaya is in the first week of a three week Spring Practice via Zoom. I have been surprised at what I have participated in with Treeleaf the last 5 years was so quickly adopted. I think the technology (eg Zoom) arose at the right time.

    I wonder what the future will bring. Social distancing is here for a long time. Will the numerous Sanghas continue forward with this new way for them? If so it will surely allow many more to follow in the path.

    Doshin
    St

  3. #3
    Hah, not exactly what I said when she interviewed me I think ... but close enough.

    Gassho, Jundo

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  4. #4
    See what the future brings... I imagine many things that were 'impossible!' yesterday are becoming all of a sudden, possible. Seeing this in education too as various courses go online.
    gassho,

    sean

  5. #5
    Treeleaf Sangha: online before it was cool.

    Gassho

    Nenka
    ST

  6. #6
    online hipsters!

    Gassho,

    Heiso

    StLah

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Nenka View Post
    Treeleaf Sangha: online before it was cool.

    Gassho

    Nenka
    ST
    Hahahahaha exactly!

    Gassho,
    Seibu
    Sattoday/lah

  8. #8
    Treeleaf Sangha: online before it was cool.

    Gassho

    Nenka
    ST
    Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
    Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
    ----
    I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
    and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

  9. #9
    I mean it's funny, but I'm serious too. A decade ago people would get really upset by the very idea of an online sangha. It's interesting to watch times change, and to see people who used to say "You can't do that!" asking "How do we do that?"

    Gassho

    Nenka
    ST

  10. #10
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    Quote Originally Posted by Nenka View Post
    I mean it's funny, but I'm serious too. A decade ago people would get really upset by the very idea of an online sangha. It's interesting to watch times change, and to see people who used to say "You can't do that!" asking "How do we do that?"

    Gassho

    Nenka
    ST
    There's still a LOT of Zen comrades who dismiss or have been openly critical of Treeleaf and others who offer online teaching and community.
    As I said after Jukai, I openly challenge anyone anywhere to criticise the level of connection or teaching we get here at Treeleaf. I further challenge any IRL Sangha to demonstrate that our access to an incredible amount of theory, teachings and history resources 24/7, access to Teachers, Priests, Unsui and fellow Sangha members all around the world 24/7, access to our teacher via Skype almost daily and the ability to sit Zazen with Sangha members at any time of the day does not surpass them.
    It's not a competition but I'd suggest that any one of us here at Treeleaf become more well-rounded in terms of our practice for having access to any of the above in addition to us coming together from all across the world.
    I hope this doesn't come across as aggressive but I am very protective of this space that Jundo Roshi founded and so many others help maintain.
    Gassho
    Onka Anna
    Last edited by Onka; 04-09-2020 at 11:01 PM.
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  11. #11
    Spirituality in general is a basic need now a days. I am glad we can be of service for those who need a little help from home.

    Thank you for all you do, Jundo.

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Sat/LAH
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Onka View Post
    There's still a LOT of Zen comrades who dismiss or have been openly critical of Treeleaf and others who offer online teaching and community.
    As I said after Jukai, I openly challenge anyone anywhere to criticise the level of connection or teaching we get here at Treeleaf. I further challenge any IRL Sangha to demonstrate that our access to an incredible amount of theory, teachings and history resources 24/7, access to Teachers, Priests, Unsui and fellow Sangha members all around the world 24/7, access to our teacher via Skype almost daily and the ability to sit Zazen with Sangha members at any time of the day does not surpass them.
    It's not a competition but I'd suggest that any one of us here at Treeleaf become more well-rounded in terms of our practice for having access to any of the above in addition to us coming together from all across the world.
    I hope this doesn't come across as aggressive but I am very protective of this space that Jundo Roshi founded and so many others help maintain.
    Gassho
    Onka Anna
    Your thoughts are exactly the same as mine.
    Thank you, Jundo and everyone in Treeleaf, for bringing the opportunity to unite together as a Sangha as real as real can be.

    Mateus
    Sat/LAH
    怠努 (Tai Do) - Lazy Effort
    (also known as Mateus )

    禅戒一如 (Zen Kai Ichi Nyo) - Zazen and the Precepts are One!

  13. #13
    I find myself helping my wife go online. She is Greek Orthodox and their Easter is a week later than others. She has got me being her IT person to put her Face Book Account on a laptop and set up a Zoom account so she can participate with her religion’s activities. So, one side of the house is online with Sangha sits and Dharma talks and the other side is also burning incense and doing what they do. A new world. Our dogs will wander between differing paradigms.

    Doshin
    St

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Nenka View Post
    Treeleaf Sangha: online before it was cool.

    Gassho

    Nenka
    ST
    Exactly We probably still will not be accepted by all mainstream brick-and-mortar Zen institutions, but it is undeniably nice to see them get a little peek into our world.

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday

  15. #15
    Gassho all
    Now Anglican churches here in the UK are finding the community benefits of conducting online services. Thanks Jundo for leading the way.
    May you all stay safe, well and happy.
    Gassho
    Heisoku
    ST


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Heisoku 平 息
    Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home. (Basho)

  16. #16
    I'm very interesting in how many Zendos will retain an online practice component after this. Like Onka said above, the 24/7 support you get here is so much more comforting for me personally. Thank you for being a pioneer Jundo! Deep bows.

    Gassho,
    Tyler

    SatToday

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by TyZa View Post
    I'm very interesting in how many Zendos will retain an online practice component after this. Like Onka said above, the 24/7 support you get here is so much more comforting for me personally. Thank you for being a pioneer Jundo! Deep bows.

    Gassho,
    Tyler

    SatToday
    I want to say that many of these communities will need to do more than just sitting online. Yes, "just sitting" is the heart of a Soto Zen Sangha, whether a western group or a monastery in Japan ... but there is much more that needs to be done to maintain community, namely, the social aspects as well as the other little studies, events and happenings of Buddhist community life. That is why we have this forum for sharing and communication, plus our study activities and complementary practice groups (e.g., art circle, Tonglen group, sewing circles etc.) Unless they do more than just Zoom sitting, they will struggle to maintain community after awhile. I have tried to get that message across to other Sangha which have asked my opinion.

    By the way (unfortunately it was lost when we had a little human error with recording Doyu Shonin's Ordination into the Suzuki Lineage this week), but the great Hozan Alan Senauke, a legend who is one of the original San Francisco/Berkeley Zen Center crowd from the 60's, witnessed the online Ordination ceremony and made some really beautiful and rather surprising comments at the end, noting how moved he was at the realness of the moment, and crediting us as the pioneers who opened the path when others doubted. He did not have to say so, and I was very moved to hear him take time to recognize Treeleaf like that.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  18. #18
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    I want to say that many of these communities will need to do more than just sitting online. Yes, "just sitting" is the heart of a Soto Zen Sangha, whether a western group or a monastery in Japan ... but there is much more that needs to be done to maintain community, namely, the social aspects as well as the other little studies, events and happenings of Buddhist community life. That is why we have this forum for sharing and communication, plus our study activities and complementary practice groups (e.g., art circle, Tonglen group, sewing circles etc.) Unless they do more than just Zoom sitting, they will struggle to maintain community after awhile. I have tried to get that message across to other Sangha which have asked my opinion.

    By the way (unfortunately it was lost when we had a little human error with recording Doyu Shonin's Ordination into the Suzuki Lineage this week), but the great Hozan Alan Senauke, a legend who is one of the original San Francisco/Berkeley Zen Center crowd from the 60's, witnessed the online Ordination ceremony and made some really beautiful and rather surprising comments at the end, noting how moved he was at the realness of the moment, and crediting us as the pioneers who opened the path when others doubted. He did not have to say so, and I was very moved to hear him take time to recognize Treeleaf like that.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    I've said for some time that I challenge anyone anywhere to question the connection and realness of our Practice here.
    It is terrible and fantastic that it has taken a truly global pandemic to bring us together. Not only that, it has taken a pandemic for some folk to remove their blinkers and see that there are always alternatives for how things can be done. Furthermore, these alternatives don't have to erode the fabric of their source.
    Gosh darn it I love people who have the courage to try something different.
    Gassho
    Onka
    st
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by TyZa View Post
    I'm very interesting in how many Zendos will retain an online practice component after this.
    Me too. It really gets more people involved in the Dharma who simply didn't know where to go, or perhaps were nervous or a bit lazy about finding a group.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    I want to say that many of these communities will need to do more than just sitting online.
    I agree! I feel that perhaps they may find it beneficial to try and keep some other resources and events online, and keep up the momentum of reaching and helping the sangha.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    By the way (unfortunately it was lost when we had a little human error with recording Doyu Shonin's Ordination into the Suzuki Lineage this week), but the great Hozan Alan Senauke, a legend who is one of the original San Francisco/Berkeley Zen Center crowd from the 60's, witnessed the online Ordination ceremony and made some really beautiful and rather surprising comments at the end, noting how moved he was at the realness of the moment, and crediting us as the pioneers who opened the path when others doubted. He did not have to say so, and I was very moved to hear him take time to recognize Treeleaf like that.
    That is so touching. It's really nice to have someone say it, especially when they don't have to. In a way, it's kind of a Zenny joke that we had a techno hiccup, when we are usually so organized about these things, right when the spotlight was on us. At the end of the day, it does not matter, and we still got a thumbs up. and most important, Shonin was ordained.
    Quote Originally Posted by Onka View Post
    It is terrible and fantastic that it has taken a truly global pandemic to bring us together. Not only that, it has taken a pandemic for some folk to remove their blinkers and see that there are always alternatives for how things can be done.
    I have a lofty hope that a lot of things will change. We are all reflected in Indra's Net. Too bad it took a crisis, but I guess it takes what it takes. Everything is as is.

    Gassho
    Sat today, lah

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