Often Asked - How-to Join Insight Timer: Treeleaf Group

[Seimyo]

Hi all!
I know there are some folks on Treeleaf including myself that use the 'Insight Timer' app on the iPhone/iPad/Android to track your zazen times. There's a new function that has been added to the app that allows the user to join 'groups' of other Insight Timer users. I've taken the liberty of creating a Treeleaf group that will allow us to more easily identify our fellow Treeleafers within the app. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, click here.

Simply touch on the 'Insight Connect' button on the main menu. This will take you to the 'community' page where at the bottom of the screen you should see 'Groups', touch there. Browse the available groups until you find Treeleaf and join! Have fun.

Gassho,
Seimyo

[Koshin]

I just joined... once you find the group, click on it, it will open a new screen with the description of the group, and the join button will be below

Great idea Seimyo

Gassho

[Sydney]

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to join this group!

I was mystified, but it turned out I had to just wait for a few hours before a [Join Group] button appeared when I visited the Treeleaf group page.

[Seimyo]

Sorry. It does seem like their system takes a long time to update. Know that it will eventually show up.

Gassho.
Seimyo

[Daitetsu]

For those having difficulties registering:

1) On the start screen: Select “Insight Connect”.
2) Select icon “Groups” below on the screen that appears.
3) Scroll down. Select Search button. In field “Search Groups” enter Treeleaf.
4) “Treeleaf Zendo” is displayed on top. Select it.
5) On the next screen scroll down and select “Join this group”.

Done!

Normally, I use a different app (Zazen Meditation Timer for Android), but from time to time I will use Insight Timer on my iPod touch (offline though).

Gassho,

Timo

[Mp]

I've just been trying to set this up - is the Treeleaf group still there?

I have the latest Insight Timer app on iPhone, but I can't find the Insight Connect button. And some options in the app are producing error messages (eg "The page you were looking for doesn't exist).

Any help much appreciated!

Gassho,
Nick

Sat today & LAH

Hello Nick,

It sure is ... Here is a screenshot on an Android device...hooe this helps.

You can see I am on the third icon from the left on the bottom ... In the search box tyoe Treeleaf Zendo and you should see it like the post above. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Taiten]

Hi Shingen,

Thanks so much for the screen-shot - it showed me what was meant to happen! I'd tried the group icon (inbetween the timer and the person) and the app was giving me an error message instead of the screen you posted.

Fortunately, un-installing the app and then re-installing it has fixed it

Gassho,
Nick

Sat today & LAH

[Mp]

Hi Shingen,

Thanks so much for the screen-shot - it showed me what was meant to happen! I'd tried the group icon (inbetween the timer and the person) and the app was giving me an error message instead of the screen you posted.

Fortunately, un-installing the app and then re-installing it has fixed it

Gassho,
Nick

Sat today & LAH

Awesome Nick, glad two minds coming together fixed it. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Byokan]

The only question I'm left with is... why this app?

Is the interactive component simply that after sitting you can post a message to the treeleaf group on the app saying that you sat? Or is there more to it?

I've normally been using an app called Belfast Zen which has a much more minimalist interface which I like.

Gassho,
Nick

Sat today & LAH

Hi Nick,

For me there are a few reasons to love Insight Timer. One is accountability, reporting that you did sit today. Another is offering your sit to others, in a way, encouraging and motivating them to sit too. Another is being able to see who's sitting - live - at the same time, which is a nice feeling. Also I just really like the bells. They're nice, and I can program a full zazenkai with bells and whistles and clappers and not have to fiddle with it. And it's also a little more casual atmosphere there, you can chat a bit about things you wouldn't necessarily start a thread for here, like, just the weather where you are, or how your day is, or your miserable cold, the kind of thing you'd chat about while walking out of the zendo maybe.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat + lah

[Tairin]

Hi Byokan,

Thank you

Much to reflect on. It took me a long while to stop beating myself up when I didn't meditate that day or that week, and I was reacting against having 'progress' and 'milestones'. But perhaps I could hold these things lightly...

Gassho,
Nick

Hi Nick

I’d strongly suggest you turn the milestones off and ignore all the other statistics that IT provides. If you are like me you’ll find all the striving for achievement to be more of a hindrance than a help with your practice.

Gassho
Warren
Sat today

[Byokan]

Hi Byokan,

Thank you

Much to reflect on. It took me a long while to stop beating myself up when I didn't meditate that day or that week, and I was reacting against having 'progress' and 'milestones'. But perhaps I could hold these things lightly...

Gassho,
Nick

Ah yes, the milestones! Lots of people find them motivating, some people find them oppressive. You can turn them off in the options. I have.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat + lah

[Jundo]

Hi Nick

I’d strongly suggest you turn the milestones off and ignore all the other statistics that IT provides. If you are like me you’ll find all the striving for achievement to be more of a hindrance than a help with your practice.

Gassho
Warren
Sat today

Yes, yes. Sit diligently, each day, but without measure or milestones. This is vital. Please see here ...

SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: - Watching The Clock Rackin Up Points

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13634-SIT-A-LONG-with-Jundo-Why-Zen-Folks-FAIL%21%21-%285%29-Watching-The-Clock-Rackin-Up-Points

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

PS - Insight is great. Weren't we also going to revive our old, minimalist, Treeleaf Timers? It might be good to just get those up on our homepage somewhere, just for people who do want just the "bells with no whistles."

[Sekishi]

One is accountability, reporting that you did sit today. Another is offering your sit to others, in a way, encouraging and motivating them to sit too.

I want to second Byokan’s observation here.

IT has helped me with a little motivational boost from time to time (“but I don’t WANNA sit!”). For Ango last year I vowed to sit every day without fail. IT helped because of the accountability. Then they introduced the “365 days of sitting” group this year so I kept going to help motivate others in their practice.

I find it positive, but if it seems too complicated or the “gold stars for sitting” is crazymaking, that’s OK too.

Gassho,
Sekishi #sat







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[Sydney]

I was mystified, but it turned out I had to just wait for a few hours before a [Join Group] button appeared when I visited the Treeleaf group page.

I'll say this much for the Insight Timer. I dropped off the face of the earth for a while (like I do) and yesterday I was able to just log back in and sit in a connected way without much fuss.

By this morning's sit, I had halfway figured out how it all worked again & saw that I had been sitting concurrently with a couple of leafers.

Setting up to use a camera and getting into a hangout is a bit more overhead.

Syd
SatToday

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[Byokan]

...
Setting up to use a camera and getting into a hangout is a bit more overhead.

Syd
SatToday

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Oh believe me Syd, when I tell you that if I can do it... ANYONE can do it. For real. I am the least technological person on the planet. I don't even have a smartphone. Jump in whenever you're ready, you'll find lots of support here.

About timers: I love the Insight Timer and use it for my main daily sit, but I use others too. This one's nice and simple, just a timer:

http://www.onlinemeditationtimer.com/

Agree with you Nick, there are lots of ways to get ourselves to the cushion and lots of ways to support others. First and foremost is just getting the rump onto the cushion. Whatever works today to support that is the best way.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat + lah