Please sit with Kyonin and our February 19th-20th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai - LIVE FROM MEXICO! ...
Uchiyama Roshi speaks flowers ... Opening the Hand of Thought - Chapter 6 Part 2 ...
On doing good ... SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: GIVING, GENEROSITY and ENGAGEMENT ...
... and in that way, please note our latest project in our Engaged and Charitable Projects Center ... Hungry ...
An inspiring tale of someone who helped do just that ... A day when you hug one kid is a good day ...
A couple of threads on more formal and disciplined or long practice ... not too loose and not too tight ... A request for help for my daily practice ...
... and Too much Zazen? ... (including discussion of sometimes "playing hookie" and taking a break) ...
A film (I am still not completely sure about the ending) reflecting on life and death ... Embracing death ...
... together with Sangha member comfort to someone feeling loss ... Survivor's Guilt ...
Discussion of folks who are very sensitive to the new and shocking images ... For the sensitives ...
... and some shocking images on slaughter houses that will give all meat eaters pause ... Sentient beings are innumerable ...
Questions on why Zen is so Japanese and must it be ... multicultural Zen ...
Request for Sangha approval of Rich to take a seat on the Ethics Committee ...
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.
(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