WHAT IS ZEN? - Chap 2 Zazen - P. 17 to end.

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  • Jundo
    Treeleaf Founder and Priest
    • Apr 2006
    • 40622

    WHAT IS ZEN? - Chap 2 Zazen - P. 17 to end.

    I am pleased to announce that SUSAN MOON has agreed to lead a Zazenkai as a Guest Teacher sometime very soon. We are working out the details now. I will also soon be recommending her other book on aging and disablility, THIS IS GETTING OLD (I am just in the middle). It is great, funny and poignant. That book makes clear that one should sit Zazen in the posture that the body and health allows.

    For today, we turn to the rest of Chapter 2, from Page 17 to the end.

    Comments on some points he discusses:

    While we usually seek to sit in a quiet and comfortable room, because stillness in environment helps the mind settle, we actually sit where we are, in whatever condition, as it is. In fact, I recommend to seek out and sit in a disturbing or busy environment every few weeks.

    — A Quiet Room. Most days, we’d best sit Zazen in a quiet room, with little noise and few distractions. The reason is simply that a peaceful, still, quiet environment helps us allow the mind to become peaceful, still and quiet, with thoughts and emotions drifting away as the mind settles down. But once in awhile, maybe every


    Most teachers recommend not closing the eyes. 1/3 open, neither running from the world, nor running towards it.

    On time, whether sitting for 1 minute or 1000 years, please remember to sit beyond time. It may sound strange, but every moment holds all time, and is beyond time too. So, we sit each day for some minutes in order to settle, and realize such fact.

    Norman says, like me, "there's no such thing as good better best Zazen." In fact, when sitting beyond good vs. bad, then "good" Zazen is good and "bad" Zazen days are good.

    Notice that he says "Zazen is a religious act," and that is so no matter what happens so long as you make a sincere effort. I believe that this is the same as what I usually say about sitting Zazen as a sacred act, the one act needed in that moment in the world world, that is complete and whole no matter what happens.

    He discusses preferences. I like to say that Zen is not learning to live with no preferences. It is much more subtle. It is learning to live with no preferences AND having preferences (although not their prisoner) all at once, as if seeing the world through two eyes that bring clarity when open together. No Preferences and Preferences at once, as one.

    Gassho, J

    SatTodayLAH
    Last edited by Jundo; 07-22-2018, 02:40 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE
  • Rich
    Member
    • Apr 2009
    • 2614

    #2
    Excellent. Looking forward to Susan Moon

    SAT today

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
    _/_
    Rich
    MUHYO
    無 (MU, Emptiness) and 氷 (HYO, Ice) ... Emptiness Ice ...

    https://instagram.com/notmovingmind

    Comment

    • Hoko
      Member
      • Aug 2009
      • 458

      #3
      It's nice to set aside some time each day to having the goal of no goal; to take a break from "getting something" in exchange for our time and effort.

      Gassho,
      Hōkō
      #SatToday
      LAH

      Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
      法 Dharma
      口 Mouth

      Comment

      • Mp

        #4
        This is awesome news that Susan Moon is coming, thank you Jundo. =)

        Gassho
        Shingen

        Sat/LAH

        Comment

        • Meitou
          Member
          • Feb 2017
          • 1656

          #5
          Great news about Susan Moon, I'm a big fan. I love that book too.

          Gassho
          Meitou
          satwithyoualltoday/lah
          命 Mei - life
          島 Tou - island

          Comment

          • Onkai
            Senior Priest-in-Training
            • Aug 2015
            • 3066

            #6
            Thank you, Jundo. I look forward to the zazenkai led by Susan Moon. I also enjoyed the second half of the second chapter of the book we are reading here.

            Gassho,
            Onkai
            Sat
            美道 Bidou Beautiful Way
            恩海 Onkai Merciful/Kind Ocean

            I have a lot to learn; take anything I say that sounds like teaching with a grain of salt.

            Comment

            • Troy
              Member
              • Sep 2013
              • 1318

              #7
              Yes, Susan Moon!


              Sat2day

              Comment

              • Beldame
                Member
                • Jan 2018
                • 38

                #8
                I am glad we are reading this book...which is especially useful to me as someone just getting underway. I was a little bit surprized to read the discussion about individuals who have sat zazen many years sometimes reaching a point where it was no longer the right practice for them. That is, it doesn’t surprise me that people, even long-time practitioners, would have an on-again off-again relation to zazen...but I was caught by surprise at the way Fischer spoke about the case of someone reaching a point where not sitting anymore might be, so to speak, a good choice. (I appreciate that he takes a very open approach to how people understand their own relation to Zen.)

                Gassho—
                Deborah

                SatToday
                Last edited by Beldame; 07-26-2018, 03:43 AM.

                Comment

                • Washin
                  Senior Priest-in-Training
                  • Dec 2014
                  • 3803

                  #9
                  I'm looking forward to sitting zazenkai with Susan Moon.
                  And I'm enjoying this book pretty much. Thank you Jundo.

                  Gassho,
                  Washin
                  sat, no lah yet
                  Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
                  Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
                  ----
                  I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
                  and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

                  Comment

                  • Eishuu

                    #10
                    I noticed that he mentioned returning to the breath quite a few times, 'focus', and 'concentration' and that you 'keep trying'. This sounds like it is slightly different from what we do.

                    I liked what he said about preferences. I've noticed recently in daily life that I don't react as much to things and seem more centred. I'm finding it a bit disconcerting, as though there is something missing that I'm used to, like there's less 'me' there. I'm used to feeling things much more. Is this a normal experience with regular practice?

                    Gassho
                    Eishuu
                    ST/LAH

                    Comment

                    • Jundo
                      Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                      • Apr 2006
                      • 40622

                      #11
                      Looks like Susan Moon will be here August 4th. Details to come.

                      Gassho, J

                      SatTodayLAH
                      ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                      Comment

                      • Mp

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Jundo
                        Looks like Susan Moon will be here August 4th. Details to come.

                        Gassho, J

                        SatTodayLAH
                        Awesome! Thanks for making this possible Jundo.

                        Gassho
                        Shingen

                        Sat/LAH

                        Comment

                        • Troy
                          Member
                          • Sep 2013
                          • 1318

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Eishuu
                          I've noticed recently in daily life that I don't react as much to things and seem more centred. I'm finding it a bit disconcerting, as though there is something missing that I'm used to, like there's less 'me' there. I'm used to feeling things much more. Is this a normal experience with regular practice?
                          This has been my experience too. Events in life are less likely to send me to emotional extremes and high jack my brain for long periods of time. I actually prefer it this way because I find it a peaceful way to live. I was surprised in the book when he said some practitioners stop meditating after years of meditation. Zazen is central to my practice and well being, it is hard to imagine this ever being the case for me but who knows.


                          Sat2day

                          Comment

                          • Seishin
                            Member
                            • Aug 2016
                            • 1522

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Eishuu
                            I noticed that he mentioned returning to the breath quite a few times, 'focus', and 'concentration' and that you 'keep trying'. This sounds like it is slightly different from what we do.

                            I liked what he said about preferences. I've noticed recently in daily life that I don't react as much to things and seem more centred. I'm finding it a bit disconcerting, as though there is something missing that I'm used to, like there's less 'me' there. I'm used to feeling things much more. Is this a normal experience with regular practice?

                            Gassho
                            Eishuu
                            ST/LAH
                            The references to focus and concentration stood out for me as well. Those terms seem at odds with sitting as it is or suchness. But I get the returning to the breath element, as I find sometimes its the only way to get rid of a sticky monkey.

                            As to preferences, I also found this a useful description. I too have been trying to accept and let go of all the little things that I used to find irritating or that made me out right angry. Its work in progress and I guess always will be but I like the way he covered the subject.


                            Seishin

                            Sei - Meticulous
                            Shin - Heart

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                            • Rosui
                              Member
                              • Jul 2018
                              • 38

                              #15
                              Last part was really nice.

                              Gassho
                              Rosui
                              st

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