[ARTS] (NOT) A Shakuhachi

[Gean]

A little post 4-hour Zazenkai tune I freestyled.

The birds outside were a little louder than usual, distracting me every now and then from just sitting, so I had to join in kind after the ceremonies.
This isn't a Shakuhachi, this is in fact a Chinese Xiao but the similarity is almost indistinguishable in my humble opinion.
I own two of these, the other plays in a higher key. I play this along with the Dizi (I own three keys), Bawu (two keys), Xaphoon, Taishogoto, and an Erhu.


What do our venerable Sensei opine on the matter of music as a medium of zazen?

Gassho,
Gean

SatLaH

[Bion]

Oh, that´s wonderful Gean! (by the way, how do you pronounce your name?? )
The birds, the Xiao sound, the rooster, the melody... It´s absolutely wonderful! And thank you so much for your presence at Zazenkai.. it was great to sit together and dance together as well!
Our own Kotei plays the shakuhachi!!!

Gassho
sat lah

[Gean]

Thank you venerable teacher Bion! Supposedly my cousins gave me my nickname as Ji-An but everyone I know has been pronouncing it as Jiyan so I got used to it haha.
I'd love to get my hands on a Shakuhachi some day, but the Xiao is a great alternative.
I look forward to hearing more zazenkai from you, Jundo, and all our venerated teachers this coming year.

Gassho,
Gean

SatLaH

[Bion]

Thank you venerable teacher Bion! Supposedly my cousins gave me my nickname as Ji-An but everyone I know has been pronouncing it as Jiyan so I got used to it haha.
I'd love to get my hands on a Shakuhachi some day, but the Xiao is a great alternative.
I look forward to hearing more zazenkai from you, Jundo, and all our venerated teachers this coming year.

Gassho,
Gean

SatLaH

Oh.. I love Ji-An . I´ll be using that
Oh please, do not look at me as a teacher! I'm just a monk, learning. But I´d be happy to be a friend! How was the experience of zazenkai? Was it your first monthly one?

Gassho
sat lah

[Gean]

Yes as a matter of fact it was! I've attended several zazenkais before, last week with you giving the end of the year dharma talk. I'm surprised four hours of zazen wasn't as tedious as I was afraid it would be when I actually just sat.

Gassho,
Gean

SatLaH

[Kotei]

Hi Gean,

beautiful...
I believe the Xiao has some more holes, right?
The Shakuhachi has only 4 on the front and a 5th for the thumb on the back. I expect some different technique for the same notes and pitch range, using partly covered holes and different blowing angles more extensively on the Shakuhachi?

I don't see playing similar to our Shikantaza, but I believe all making music or emerging in doing arts or sports or even work (Samu) can have a certain meditative aspect to it.
I am playing Honkyoku, "original pieces" on the Shakuhachi, once composed and played by the Fuke shu, a former Zen sect in Japan, that used them for this purpose.
The different schools within it have very different styles, but I think it quite recognizable in the more basic ones, that there are those meditative qualities.
Like those pieces having no absolute time measure or clear rhythm, but a phrase being as long as one of your individual breaths. The way how it is played doesn't interrupt the airflow too much.
It seems by design very much made for experiencing the very moment, instead of having a usual time, rhythm and melody structure, that connects the moment to the past and future.

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Bion]

Yes as a matter of fact it was! I've attended several zazenkais before, last week with you giving the end of the year dharma talk. I'm surprised four hours of zazen wasn't as tedious as I was afraid it would be when I actually just sat.

Gassho,
Gean

SatLaH

I know you´ve done weekly ones before. I wasn´t sure if this was your first monthly. It can be intimidating, but then.. it turns out to be less so once we are doing it! It definitely helps to be do it together!

Gassho
sat lah

[Gean]

Hi Gean,

beautiful...
I believe the Xiao has some more holes, right?
The Shakuhachi has only 4 on the front and a 5th for the thumb on the back. I expect some different technique for the same notes and pitch range, using partly covered holes and different blowing angles more extensively on the Shakuhachi?

I don't see playing similar to our Shikantaza, but I believe all making music or emerging in doing arts or sports or even work (Samu) can have a certain meditative aspect to it.
I am playing Honkyoku, "original pieces" on the Shakuhachi, once composed and played by the Fuke shu, a former Zen sect in Japan, that used them for this purpose.
The different schools within it have very different styles, but I think it quite recognizable in the more basic ones, that there are those meditative qualities.
Like those pieces having no absolute time measure or clear rhythm, but a phrase being as long as one of your individual breaths. The way how it is played doesn't interrupt the airflow too much.
It seems by design very much made for experiencing the very moment, instead of having a usual time, rhythm and melody structure, that connects the moment to the past and future.

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

That is very interesting, if circumstances would allow it, I would love to learn at some point.
And yes the Xiao I have has 8 holes including the thumb hole. It was a bit challenging to blow on at first but eventually I got it and here we are now haha!

Gassho,
Gean

SatLaH

[Roo]

Oh, that sounds lovely! I think music is a great form of meditation, but certainly doesn't replace "just sitting". When you get so experienced, it becomes a sort of effortless action!

Gassho, Austin

Sat lah