I encourage looking at these threads, topics and posts today ...
STARTING TODAY! ... a wonderful new book for our "Beyond Words & Letters" Book Club ... INSIDE THE GRASS HUT: LIVING SHITOU'S CLASSIC ZEN POEM by Ben Connelly.
Please sit with our February 27th-28th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai ...
Reflections on death, loss, grief and living life ... Grief and Coming back ...
A lovely talk by Norman Fischer on sticking with this Practice, posted by Shingen ...
Alan Watts--you are god in the dance of life ... (and the What's What about Alan Watt)
Dreamy electric dreams within dreams, the future of Zen, SF, telepathic incense lighting (and my slightly creepy crush on a machine) ... Of Buddhabots and Dharmadroids ...
A couple of quick questions on why and what is Ordination ... and that word "monk" ...
Don't try to quiet the mind by force ... just let the mind quiet ... Two "basic" questions about zazen
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.
(too much silence or shyness can also be excessive ... so take the Middle Way!)
Also, 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 THE PREVIOUS DAY BEFORE POSTING IN THE FORUM (please read about that here):
Gassho, Jundo
SatToday!
STARTING TODAY! ... a wonderful new book for our "Beyond Words & Letters" Book Club ... INSIDE THE GRASS HUT: LIVING SHITOU'S CLASSIC ZEN POEM by Ben Connelly.
Please sit with our February 27th-28th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai ...
Reflections on death, loss, grief and living life ... Grief and Coming back ...
A lovely talk by Norman Fischer on sticking with this Practice, posted by Shingen ...
Alan Watts--you are god in the dance of life ... (and the What's What about Alan Watt)
Dreamy electric dreams within dreams, the future of Zen, SF, telepathic incense lighting (and my slightly creepy crush on a machine) ... Of Buddhabots and Dharmadroids ...
A couple of quick questions on why and what is Ordination ... and that word "monk" ...
Don't try to quiet the mind by force ... just let the mind quiet ... Two "basic" questions about zazen
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.
(too much silence or shyness can also be excessive ... so take the Middle Way!)
Also, 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 THE PREVIOUS DAY BEFORE POSTING IN THE FORUM (please read about that here):
Gassho, Jundo
SatToday!