I encourage looking at these threads, topics and posts today ...
Please sit any place and time our weekly and monthly Treeleaf Zazenkais ... with our monthly Zazenkai beginning a series on the Vimalakirti Sutra
More sittings through the week ... if you feel like joining in with others ...
Jukai (Undertaking the Precepts) Preparation and our Ango (Peaceful Abiding) Season have commenced, with much of the activity here:
We have begun reflections on PRECEPTS I - JUKAI and THE THREE REFUGES ...
Rakusu Sewing will have you in pins and needles ... 2021 Rakusu Sew-a-Long ...
We have begun dancing with Dogen ... The Zen Master's Dance - Introduction ... in the "No Words Book Club" ...
If you have a spare moment ... Being Moderate On This "BE IN THE MOMENT" Thing! ...
AND YET ... such moments "in the moment" are precious and cherished treasures too, please do not misunderstand! ...
Seeing your practice in moments of daily life
And a wonderful essay by Karen Maezen Miller on finding just such treasured moments right at home ... lovely ... Do Dishes, Rake Leaves ...
Zen and grief ... often there is no simple answer in the face of loss of a loved one, except to let grief be grief ... loss be loss ..
A look back at a recent documentary on a Zen guy and his kids ... Zen teachers and teenagers!
... Zen practice and Parenting by Shokaku Okumara
We have many members in recovery from one thing or another ... Returning to Zen and the 12 steps
A question about Right Livelihood ... and Right Hobbies too ...
For our sewers and other who want to go really really scholarly deep in to the history of Nyoho-e ... What is a Tradition?
Folks gather in our Friendly Tea Houses at various time ...
Make no mistake about it ... 'The ZEN of EVERYTHING! Podcast' ... Episode 57 ... Mistakes ...
Get your tongue reciting some Tonglen ... TONGLEN PRACTICE CIRCLE ...
... and quite a few other good little discussions too.
And DON'T FORGET! ... the experiment continues, and we need you! ... A TREELEAF EXPERIMENT with EVERYONE’S PARTICIPATION REQUESTED: “LAH” (Lend A Hand)
I am so glad if this place and the practice are benefiting you. If so, you might consider a DONATION to Treeleaf at this LINK, although there is absolutely no need or requirement to do so. Thank you.
A Re-MINDer on SIMPLICITY:
In a Zen Monastery, SILENCE or A FEW WISE WORDS are cherished over MANY WORDS. Thus, I advise folks to restrain the need to speak unless the heart truly calls. If you find yourself posting many times each day, maybe consider what truly needs to be said ... and when it is best just to answer with silence and an inner Gassho.
SILENCE OR A FEW HESITANT WORDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT OFTEN SPEAK MOST PROFOUNDLY. Post when it is truly important to you and needs to be spoken from the warm heart.
(BUT too much silence or shyness can also be excessive ... so take the Middle Way!)
As a powerful Zen practice about not falling into words and thoughts, simplifying ideas, not getting tangled, we ask people to keep sentences few in posting. However, it is not some law or hard rule at all. If someone really has something in their heart to say, and it is vital and cannot be said more concisely or silently, then say what one is called to say: In such case, no limit on words needed.
As well, to those who may get lost among the many threads and conversations in our Forum, please think of a monastery made of wood or brick, with 100 monks holding 10,000 conversations in the hallways, kitchen, Abbot's rooms and library (I assume no chatting in the Zendo where people sit Zazen).
Would you need or want to hear or join in all or most conversations? Of course not! You would, at best, pick and choose the conversations relevant and helpful to you.
So here too in our Sangha, NO NEED TO READ EVERY CONVERSATION: Try to note the ones that seem helpful to your Practice or interests, leave the rest. The above threads are a few suggestions.
Oh, and we do ask folks to note that they have SAT ZAZEN DURING THE LAST DAY BEFORE POSTING IN THE FORUM (please read about that here):
Gassho, Jundo
(Sorry to run long)
SatTodayLAH
Please sit any place and time our weekly and monthly Treeleaf Zazenkais ... with our monthly Zazenkai beginning a series on the Vimalakirti Sutra
More sittings through the week ... if you feel like joining in with others ...
Jukai (Undertaking the Precepts) Preparation and our Ango (Peaceful Abiding) Season have commenced, with much of the activity here:
We have begun reflections on PRECEPTS I - JUKAI and THE THREE REFUGES ...
Rakusu Sewing will have you in pins and needles ... 2021 Rakusu Sew-a-Long ...
We have begun dancing with Dogen ... The Zen Master's Dance - Introduction ... in the "No Words Book Club" ...
If you have a spare moment ... Being Moderate On This "BE IN THE MOMENT" Thing! ...
AND YET ... such moments "in the moment" are precious and cherished treasures too, please do not misunderstand! ...
Seeing your practice in moments of daily life
And a wonderful essay by Karen Maezen Miller on finding just such treasured moments right at home ... lovely ... Do Dishes, Rake Leaves ...
Zen and grief ... often there is no simple answer in the face of loss of a loved one, except to let grief be grief ... loss be loss ..
A look back at a recent documentary on a Zen guy and his kids ... Zen teachers and teenagers!
... Zen practice and Parenting by Shokaku Okumara
We have many members in recovery from one thing or another ... Returning to Zen and the 12 steps
A question about Right Livelihood ... and Right Hobbies too ...
For our sewers and other who want to go really really scholarly deep in to the history of Nyoho-e ... What is a Tradition?
Folks gather in our Friendly Tea Houses at various time ...
Make no mistake about it ... 'The ZEN of EVERYTHING! Podcast' ... Episode 57 ... Mistakes ...
Get your tongue reciting some Tonglen ... TONGLEN PRACTICE CIRCLE ...
... and quite a few other good little discussions too.
And DON'T FORGET! ... the experiment continues, and we need you! ... A TREELEAF EXPERIMENT with EVERYONE’S PARTICIPATION REQUESTED: “LAH” (Lend A Hand)
I am so glad if this place and the practice are benefiting you. If so, you might consider a DONATION to Treeleaf at this LINK, although there is absolutely no need or requirement to do so. Thank you.
A Re-MINDer on SIMPLICITY:
In a Zen Monastery, SILENCE or A FEW WISE WORDS are cherished over MANY WORDS. Thus, I advise folks to restrain the need to speak unless the heart truly calls. If you find yourself posting many times each day, maybe consider what truly needs to be said ... and when it is best just to answer with silence and an inner Gassho.
SILENCE OR A FEW HESITANT WORDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT OFTEN SPEAK MOST PROFOUNDLY. Post when it is truly important to you and needs to be spoken from the warm heart.
(BUT too much silence or shyness can also be excessive ... so take the Middle Way!)
As a powerful Zen practice about not falling into words and thoughts, simplifying ideas, not getting tangled, we ask people to keep sentences few in posting. However, it is not some law or hard rule at all. If someone really has something in their heart to say, and it is vital and cannot be said more concisely or silently, then say what one is called to say: In such case, no limit on words needed.
A Request to Sangha Members: "Three Sacred Sentences" Practice
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...ences-Practice
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...ences-Practice
* * *
As well, to those who may get lost among the many threads and conversations in our Forum, please think of a monastery made of wood or brick, with 100 monks holding 10,000 conversations in the hallways, kitchen, Abbot's rooms and library (I assume no chatting in the Zendo where people sit Zazen).
Would you need or want to hear or join in all or most conversations? Of course not! You would, at best, pick and choose the conversations relevant and helpful to you.
So here too in our Sangha, NO NEED TO READ EVERY CONVERSATION: Try to note the ones that seem helpful to your Practice or interests, leave the rest. The above threads are a few suggestions.
Oh, and we do ask folks to note that they have SAT ZAZEN DURING THE LAST DAY BEFORE POSTING IN THE FORUM (please read about that here):
Gassho, Jundo
(Sorry to run long)
SatTodayLAH