Home zendo etiquette in a zoom room

[Jacob Janicek]

Ok, so I'm really trying to get these little details down, I've just been kind of playing it by ear until now. Re-watching the zendo at home for beginners video posted in the zazenkai threads, and also re-reading the HOW TO introduction PDF. I'm just needing a little bit of clarification for translating to a zoom room.

What I gather so far, Gassho upon entering the room of course. Then, walk clockwise around the room to the zafu, Gassho toward the wall. Fluff and position the zafu and zabuton, turn clockwise and Gassho again facing the room (the camera?) and then sit. I assume this is when we would sit facing the room (the camera?) until the bell at which point I would rotate clockwise until facing the wall to sit in zazen.

Is that correct? Do I always Gassho toward the room again in the direction of the camera or is it 180 degrees away from the wall as shown in the video? We fluff and position our zafu before the bell right? Are we ever required to stand when waiting for the bell in a regular scheduled sitting that doesn't involve kinhin?

I'm confusing myself but I've always had to ask a bunch of questions like this when learning anything.

Gassho,
Jacob Jay
Sat today

[Bion]

I hope it’s ok if I try to help. For zoom ( so, FSR, SSR) enter, give a gassho to camera and the rest do as you would for a normal sitting, so .. adapt to your room. Standard procedure is : enter room, on the left side, left foot first. Bow in gassho . Walking in shashu, go clockwise, and if passing in front of an altar, give bow in gassho. Don’t take shortcuts diagonally, just circle nicely along the edge of the room. Reaching the zafu, either bow and fluff while holding with 3 fingers, or directly fluff it and if it has a white band behind, rotate until band is facing away from you. Give a gassho… Turn clockwise, gassho towards the room in the opposite direction ( doesn’t need to be facing the camera. In a physical zendo, you bow in the opposite direction from the zafu, though there would be people next to you). Sit down on zafu facing room, then turn clockwise, pushing with one hand and holding zafu with other. Once turned facing the wall, if there is a white band on your zafu, check to see if it is neat and centered. Assume your zazen posture, arrange your clothes neatly, sway a few times left and right and then settle into your posture, hands in zazen mudra. Give a gassho, inhale deeply once through nose and exhale through mouth. The bell will ring as you’re sitting. When finished zazen, after bell rings, give a gassho, sway a bit, then turn clockwise on the zafu, pushing yourself with one and and holding zafu with the other. Get up slowly once you’re facing the room, turn clockwise, fluff the zafu and if there is a white band on it turn it to face to room, bow to the zafu, turn clockwise and bow to the room in gassho and walk to where you need to go ( in shashu - hands folded across tour chest like for kinhin) without taking shortcuts or rushing. Of course, adapt all that to what your body allows you to do. It’s just forms, but like a wonderful dance.

By the way, always lovely when we coincide in the mornings in the FSR

Sat today

FORGIVE THE LENGTH, EVERYONE!

[Jundo]

Yes, do just as Bion describes. I will just highlight a couple of points.

No need to bow at the camera or not at the camera.

We Gassho, fluff the cushion, Gassho again, turn right/clockwise 180 degrees, Gassho again ... sit and (if a wall facer) turn to face the wall (some folks face into the room, looking down towards the floor during Zazen). Be facing the wall or otherwise fully seated, ideally BEFORE the bell even starts ringing.

Forget about the camera. No need to face or not face the camera during Zazen. I recommend not to be facing directly the camera and computer screen.

The only time maybe to stand and face the camera and bow might be in the "Hello" greetings and "Goodbye" at the start and end of Zazenkai if sitting with a group, standing for a Ceremony at the start or finish too.



Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Jacob Janicek]

Yes, do just as Bion describes. I will just highlight a couple of points.

No need to bow at the camera or not at the camera.

We Gassho, fluff the cushion, Gassho again, turn right/clockwise 180 degrees, Gassho again ... sit and (if a wall facer) turn to face the wall (some folks face into the room, looking down towards the floor during Zazen). Be facing the wall or otherwise fully seated, ideally BEFORE the bell even starts ringing.

Forget about the camera. No need to face or not face the camera during Zazen. I recommend not to be facing directly the camera and computer screen.

The only time maybe to stand and face the camera and bow might be in the "Hello" greetings and "Goodbye" at the start and end of Zazenkai if sitting with a group, standing for a Ceremony at the start or finish too.



Gassho, Jundo

stlah

Ok that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up.

Gassho,
Sat today.

[Shōnin Risa Bear]

All this used to happen for me but as Time does its timeless thing with body and brain, it's more and more like a tree than anything a zen person would recognize. I think I would like to be a linden. The wind does nice things with lindens.

gassho
ds sat, lah

[Jundo]

All this used to happen for me but as Time does its timeless thing with body and brain, it's more and more like a tree than anything a zen person would recognize. I think I would like to be a linden. The wind does nice things with lindens.

gassho
ds sat, lah

Of course, if there are health reasons, and if some things cannot be done or need to be done differently, then do them as the body allows. In such case, such doing is a perfect doing.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Shōnin Risa Bear]

ds sat and (i hope) lah

[Onkai]

Do these directions apply if one is already seated on the cushion when the camera goes on? Thank you.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat lah

[Jundo]

Do these directions apply if one is already seated on the cushion when the camera goes on? Thank you.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat lah

Not sure what you mean. Do the bowing and fluffing when you enter and sit, be seated by the time the bell rings.

If there is a Ceremony, get up for that. Not sure what you mean about "when the camera goes on."

Did I miss your point?

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Onkai]

Oh, this might be before turning on Zoom. My misunderstanding.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat lah

[Jundo]

Oh, this might be before turning on Zoom. My misunderstanding.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat lah

Well, it would take quite the acrobat to sit, face the wall, then reach over across the room and turn on Zoom. If you can do it, you might look like this Arhat ...

The Long-Armed Arhat
(Chángshǒu Luóhàn 长手罗汉)

Gassho, J

stlah


tsuku.jpgtsuku.jpg

[Huichan]

I often get ready before turning on zoom or the camera on zoom. The computer is generally within reaching distance, so not a problem. I suppose I do have long limbs but not exactly Dhalsim...


Ross
stlah

[michaelw]

I have taken to turning the tablet camera on after setting up and then leaving the room so I can come back in.(?)
(It sets the scene rather than the lying sideways on my matt reaching for the on button.)
Bow sit and recite verse of the Kesa for my Rakusu and wait for the bell.
If I wanted to light incense when and how is this done?

Gassho

MichaelW

sat.

[Jundo]

If I wanted to light incense when and how is this done?

Oh, any time after you enter the room, but before you sit. Hard to do before you enter the room, or after sitting.

Enter room, walk in Shashu to Altar, bow in Gassho, light candle and incense, step back and bow in Gassho again, head to the Zafu cushion in Shashu.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[MattN]

Thank you for the pointers in this thread, they are very useful.

gassho
Matt

Sat today