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Thread: ATTENTION: Special Zazenkai SUN. June 21st with Writer-Zen Historian Barbara O'Brien

  1. #1

    ATTENTION: Special Zazenkai SUN. June 21st with Writer-Zen Historian Barbara O'Brien


    Dear All,

    I am pleased to announce that Buddhist writer, blogger and Zen historian Barbara O'Brien will be joining us for a very special Zazenkai and Talk on SUNDAY June 21st, LIVE from Missouri, USA and Treeleaf Tsukuba.

    More about Barbara, and her wonderful book on the history of Zen, THE CIRCLE OF THE WAY ...

    BARBARA O'BRIEN has been practicing Zen Buddhism since the 1980s. She works as a journalist, reporting primarily on religion in America. In addition to Circle of the Way, she is the author of Rethinking Religion: Finding a Place for Religion in a Modern, Tolerant, Progressive, Peaceful and Science-affirming World and has written about Buddhism for many outlets including About.com, The Guardian, Tricycle, and Lion's Roar.
    My [Jundo's] personal review of Circle of the Way:

    A Unique and Valuable Book for New and Old Zennies: The Circle of the Way - A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World

    This book fills a very important niche, and I would like to encourage all Zen folks, the rather new or very experienced, to read it. For people new to Zen and wanting to know about its history and origins in India, China and Japan, the book provides an extremely well-researched yet easy to read, reasonably short but amazingly comprehensive, serious in content while very often fun and funny, wide ranging introduction to Zen's roots and development right down to modern times and Zen's coming west. It is a serious history book, yet not a heavy read.

    However, even for long time Zen practitioners, the book is chock full of fascinating information, perspectives and summaries of the latest research on our history and practices, and even someone who has read 1000 Zen books and sat Zazen for decades will learn quite a bit I feel. (I did.) The author, whom I consider to be one of the most reliable sources of information about Zen and other Buddhist traditions through her many blogs, feature writings and articles (someone whom I have read for many years via a variety of Buddhist websites and magazines) really knows her Zen stuff.

    The book is also quite unique in presenting the Soto Zen Buddhist approach to practice quite fairly and accurately, and side-by-side with its presentation of Rinzai Zen ways and other flavors of our traditions, showing the commonality and contrast. She also knows the face of Zen that transcends all differences and time. Perhaps none of the books of prior generations, such as the two volume "A History of Zen Buddhism" by Father Dumoulin, the works of D.T. Suzuki and the like, managed this quite as well. Also, those books are now quite out of date and rather parochial in scope, while this new volume presents the results of current scholarship and a more objective and factual understanding of Zen's roots. It is unique in being quite honest (unlike those other histories which often lacked the latest information, and could be a bit romantic in their style) in presenting a candid and open take on our history which seeks to separate fact from fiction or myth, historical event from mere legend or doubtful claim, discussing both light and shadows. She is also honest about gaps in our knowledge and the questions about which people disagree. It is refreshing. Nonetheless, the author, Barbara Hoetsu O'Brien, is a long time practitioner herself, and thoroughly honors and cherishes our ways, holding them in the greatest reverence. She has been around the Buddhist block. Thus, Barbara somehow succeeds in presenting a modern and honest take on Zen's past while celebrating and loving the beauty of this Way.

    I highly recommend this book to all without reservations, and I hope everyone will read it soon.

    https://www.shambhala.com/the-circle-of-the-way.html
    The festivities for our Zazenkai will begin at 10:00 AM US MISSOURI TIME SUNDAY 6/21 (that is 11am in New York, 8am in California, London 4pm and Paris 5pm, all SUNDAY June 21st).

    THE ZAZENKAI WILL BE VISIBLE AT THOSE TIMES and AFTER HERE:


    Our sitting schedule will look like the following: About 25 minutes of Zazen, a Talk by Barbara for about 30 minutes, and some Questions from our Treeleaf participants. I anticipate the the event will be about 90 minutes or so.

    FOLKS HAVING QUESTIONS FOR BARBARA CAN PRIVATE MESSAGE ME DURING THE Q&A PORTION HERE (PM to JUNDO), and I will check from time to time, and ask as many questions from viewers as possible.

    I hope that we will have a big turnout, with many folks joining us "two way" too (instructions below).

    Let's all get together to welcome Barbara and learn a little about our history!

    Gassho, Jundo

    HOW TO JOIN THE ZAZENKAI '2-WAY':


    You can join the Zazenkai two-way in the Scheduled Sitting Room using Zoom any one of the following ways:

    - Use this direct link: https://zoom.us/j/4834831244
    - Open Zoom and join with this meeting id: 483 483 1244
    - Go to Treeleaf NOW and select the Scheduled Sitting Room: treeleaf.org/ssr
    - If prompted for a password, use: dogen

    Notes:

    - When you first join, you'll need to choose an audio source (usually you can simply select "Join with Computer Audio" on desktop or "Call using Internet Audio" on mobile).

    - You can switch between the "speaker view" (the default view) and "gallery view" (a grid / tic-tac-toe style view):
    -- On desktop, click the "gallery view" / "speaker view" toggle button on the top right
    -- On mobile, swipe right for "gallery views" -- only 4 participants are shown at a time on mobile, so keep swiping right to go through different groups, swipe left to go back to the "gallery view"

    - You can mute, unmute, etc. with the control bar on the bottom of the screen
    -- On desktop, hover the mouse over the window and the control bar should pop up
    -- On mobile, tap the screen and the control bar should pop up
    -- On mobile, so that your own picture does not take up one of the four slots you see, you can tap for the control bar, then tap "... menu" and select "Remove myself from gallery view"

    - If you are on a slow Internet connection and are experiencing drop-outs, try turning off video (you can always turn it on for a bit at the beginning and end to say hi and bow to everyone)
    STLah

    Last edited by Sekishi; 06-21-2020 at 02:25 PM. Reason: Added youtube live video.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    Amazing, I'm reading this now.

    Gassho

    Heiso
    StLah

    Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Thank you!
    Looking very much forward to it. The book is on the reading stack.
    Gassho,
    Kotei sat/lah today.

    義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.
    Being a novice priest doesn't mean my writing about the Dharma is more substantial than yours. Actually, it might well be the other way round.

  4. #4
    Looking forward to it, should be a wonderful time!

    Gassho,

    Joshua
    SatToday/LaH

    Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Thank you, Jundo. This will be a wonderful event. I enjoyed Circle of the Way a few months ago and will re-read it soon.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    Sat/LAH
    美道 Bidou Beautiful Way
    恩海 Onkai Merciful/Kind Ocean

    I have a lot to learn; take anything I say that sounds like teaching with a grain of salt.

  6. #6
    Thank you Jundo.

    I enjoyed reading this book immensely - it is so informative and concise.

    Unfortunately, I'm working until 1800 GMT on that Sunday. I'll definitely watch the recording.

    Gassho,
    Van
    Satlah

    Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    That sounds great! I'll try to be there (here?) this Sunday.

    Gassho,
    ST
    "Zazen is good for nothing."
    — Kōdō Sawaki (1880-1965)

  8. #8
    Read and enjoyed the book.

    I am enrolled in a Zoom day event on climate change but when done there I plan to watch the recording of the special zazenkai.

    Thanks Jundo for bringing her to us.

    Gassho
    Doahin

  9. #9
    Member Yokai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
    Thank you Jundo for arranging this. 3am-ish here so will sit recorded.

    I'm enjoying Barbara's book. Informative and amusing!

    Gassho, Chris satlah

  10. #10
    I'll be out of town unfortunately but look forward to join after the fact -- definitely putting this on my "to read" list (which seems to be growing out of control lately, but that's not a bad thing at all!)

    Gassho,
    Ryan
    Sat Today

  11. #11
    Just a little bump, remember this for Sunday ... the place to be, and the tickets are free.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  12. #12
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    I'll be unable to be there live as I need to be up early in the morning. Will sit and listen later.
    Gassho
    Onka
    ST

    Sent from my SM-A205YN using Tapatalk
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  13. #13
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Hi all,

    I'll be there as "host" this morning, but I need to be at my office computer which does not have a camera, so I'll be an inanimate rectangle.

    Gassho,
    Sekishi
    #sat
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  14. #14
    Will have to sit with the video. Thanks for this opportunity! _()_

    gassho
    shonin sat/lah today
    Visiting unsui: use salt

  15. #15
    Thank you, Barbara, Jundo, and everyone. This was a delightful special zazenkai, and enhanced my understanding of The Circle of the Way. I'm so glad we can practice and study together.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    Sat
    美道 Bidou Beautiful Way
    恩海 Onkai Merciful/Kind Ocean

    I have a lot to learn; take anything I say that sounds like teaching with a grain of salt.

  16. #16
    Thank you Barbara and Jundo and everyone who made this possible and attended.
    Time to start reading the book, that already sat a while on the top of the stack.
    Gassho,
    Kotei sat/lah today.

    義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.
    Being a novice priest doesn't mean my writing about the Dharma is more substantial than yours. Actually, it might well be the other way round.

  17. #17
    Thank you Barbara and thank you Jundo for arranging this event. Barbara's talk was wonderful and I particularly like that it came down to the last question which was essentially what we believe to be what Buddha said; "Don't just believe what I've told you; test it out for yourself to find the/your real truth."

    gassho, Shokai
    stlah
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  18. #18
    Thank you Jundo for arraigning this and thank you so much Barbara for your fantastic talk. That was wonderful.

    Thanks too to all the attendees.

    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  19. #19
    Thanks to Barbara, Jundo and all who put this together.

    Gassho
    ST/lah
    James

  20. #20
    Thank you Barbara, Jundo and all for this great opportunity. There were many wonderful new insights to be had.

    Gassho,
    Rob

    SatToday


    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
    聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

  21. #21
    Wonderful Zazenkai! Thank you Barbara for coming, Jundo for making it possibe
    and everyone for taking part in the event.

    Gassho
    Washin
    sat/lah
    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'.

  22. #22
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    I can't find the YouTube link for this Zazenkai and talk.
    Gassho
    Onka
    Sat

    Sent from my SM-A205YN using Tapatalk
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  23. #23
    Hi Onka,

    The link at the top of the page works for me. I just clicked on it and the video starting playing.

    Here is the link in case it helps.



    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  24. #24
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    Quote Originally Posted by Shinshi View Post
    Hi Onka,

    The link at the top of the page works for me. I just clicked on it and the video starting playing.

    Here is the link in case it helps.



    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    The link at the top of the page didn't work for me through tapatalk but your link works fine. Thanks Shinshi.
    Gassho
    Onka
    st

    Sent from my SM-A205YN using Tapatalk
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  25. #25
    This was great, thank you. I look forward to reading The Circle of the Way.

    Gassho

    Nenka
    ST

  26. #26
    Member Yokai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
    Thank you Barbara, Jundo and all. There's so many interesting insights and issues raised.

    It's wonderful to get a sense the of great tapestry of zen into which we are being woven.

    Gassho, Chris satlah
    Last edited by Yokai; 06-22-2020 at 09:09 AM.

  27. #27
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    Just in case YouTube comments aren't read I want to thank Barbara for her brilliant talk, the excellent questions asked by comrades Kokuu, Hensho, Sekishi and others, and Jundo for organising it. Thanks too go to the tech Ninja's who keep me connected with my Sangha and facilitate me being able to listen to and sit with honoured guests.
    Gassho Onka
    ST
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  28. #28
    Wonderful teaching, thank you Barbara. Thank you Jundo for organising this meeting.

    Gassho
    Van
    Satlah

    Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk

  29. #29
    Thank you

    Doshin
    St

  30. #30
    Member Seishin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    La Croix-Avranchin, Basse Normandie, France
    Thank you everyone.

    Sat


    Seishin

    Sei - Meticulous
    Shin - Heart

  31. #31
    Thank you - really interesting.
    Have ordered book.

    Jinyo

    Sat today

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