Suggestions for Introductory Topics for our "Beginner's Space"

[Jundo]

Dear All,

Regarding this discussion ...

I am going to see if I can develop one or two more introductory "curricula" within the Beginner's Place, in addition to what we have now:

- A SERIES OF TALKS FOR NEW FOLKS
- Buddha-Basics
- Bodhisattva-Basics

I will be starting a separate thread to ask all our members about what additional topics, not covered by the above, might be included in such an introductory curricula.

What topics would you suggest that might deserve special treatment or mention in some introductory course for newcomers to Treeleaf or to Zazen? All suggestions are welcome. This includes helpful topics for folks who are 'neuro-diverse,' as well as for any newcomers here.

I post below the topics already covered in the above three series, but it is okay if they overlap or want more expansion.

Thank you for your advice.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

=====

- A SERIES OF TALKS FOR NEW FOLKS

SET I - BASIC INTRODUCTION TO THE MIND AND BODY IN ZAZEN
- Zazen for Beginners (1) - Turning Down The Noise (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (2) - Put The Hammer Down (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (3) - Basic Postures and The Mechanics of Sitting (LINK)


SET II - BASIC INTRODUCTION TO "JUST SITTING"
- Zazen for Beginners (4) - Giving Up The Chase (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (5) - The Race To Right Here (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (6) - Acceptance-Without-Acceptance (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (7) - Not Grabbing The Thoughts (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (8) - Alternative Postures of Zazen (LINK)


SET III - TRADITIONAL MODELS of THE MIND IN ZAZEN
- Zazen for Beginners (9) - Drifting Clouds of Thoughts and Emotion (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (10) - Mirrormind (LINK)


SET IV - VARIOUS POINTS ABOUT ZAZEN
- Zazen for Beginners (11) - The Breath (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (12) - Basic Zendo Decorum At Home (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (13) - Anywhere, Anytime INSTA-ZAZEN!© (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (14) - How Long To Sit? INTRODUCING the 15－Minute Sit (LINK)


SET V - ALL THINGS 'AS THEY ARE'
- Zazen for Beginners (15) - Yield, Let Go, Allow (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (16) - Letting The Weather Be The Weather (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (17) - Sitting With Pain & Illness (LINK)


SET VI - THE PRECEPTS, COMPASSION and THE 'BODHISATTVA VOW'
- Zazen for Beginners (18) - Nothing To Fix, So Ya Better Fix It! (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (19) - The Precepts & Wholesome Living (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (20) - Compassion & The Bodhisattva Vow (LINK)


SET VII - FINAL WORDS
- Zazen for Beginners (21) - The True 'Quiet Room' (LINK)

- Zazen for Beginners (22) - End of the Beginningless Beginning (LINK)

- Buddha-Basics

1- Dukkha
2- Four Noble Truths
3- Eightfold Path
4- Right View
5- Right Aspiration
6- Right Speach
7- Right Action
8- Right Livelihood
9- Right Effort
10- Right Mindfulness
11- Right Zazen
12- All Things Are Change (Impermanence)
13- No Self
14- Twelve-Fold Chain
15- Karma
16- Rebirth?
17- Emptiness

- Bodhisattva-Basics

What's a "Bodhisattva"?
Bodhisattva Virtues = Generosity, Morality (Precepts), Patience, Effort, Meditation, Wisdom, Skillful Means, Vow & Commitment, Mystical Powers, Knowledge

The Great Bodhisattvas = Shakyamuni, Mara, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Kannon, Jizo, Maitreya, Vimalakīrti

[Jishin]

I just did some research on the topic. Based upon my familiarity with the videos and the research, I did not find any new topics to address.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Ankai]

Hi.
Have we got any resources that could help beginners who are completely new to Zen and/or Buddhism deal with family and friends?
(I may have missed something that's already there.)

Sat this morning.

[Jishin]

A video like this would be nice:

https://youtu.be/ZVGDzne7cRQ

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Nengei]

Zen practice, two jobs, four kids, and a dog… what gives?

Is Zen relevant in today’s world?

Zen practice can save the world.

One-hour Zen, 10-minute Zen, 5-minute Zen, and 1-minute Zen.

Zen practice, learning, and service.

Taking refuge… what does it mean?

Emptiness… what does it mean?

Just a few suggestions.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

Please forgive any indication that I am trying to teach anything. I am a priest in training with no qualifications for teaching Zen practice or the Dharma.

[Tai Do]

I think the Why Zen Golks FAIL series could be great in an introductory course.

I also think that some talk or video on the home liturgy could be great. I don’t know if others are like me, but I visit there a lot and I have a tendency to feel obligated to do every practice there is instead of focusing on a few more personally significant; sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the number of suggested practices — maybe other beginners and old members are also like me on this.

Gassho,
Tai Do (Mateus)
Satlah

[Ryumon]

Zen practice, two jobs, four kids, and a dog… what gives?

Is Zen relevant in today’s world?

Zen practice can save the world.

One-hour Zen, 10-minute Zen, 5-minute Zen, and 1-minute Zen.

Zen practice, learning, and service.

Taking refuge… what does it mean?

Emptiness… what does it mean?

Just a few suggestions.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

Please forgive any indication that I am trying to teach anything. I am a priest in training with no qualifications for teaching Zen practice or the Dharma.

We’ve covered a number of those topics on the Zen of Everything podcast. It’s a shame that we can’t embed a podcast player in forum posts.

Gassho,
Ryūmon (Kirk)
Sat

[Jundo]

We’ve covered a number of those topics on the Zen of Everything podcast. It’s a shame that we can’t embed a podcast player in forum posts.

Gassho,
Ryūmon (Kirk)
Sat

Well, we can link to episodes, of course.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Chikyou]

One thing I've been a little confused by (but got the hang of through practice) is the ceremony stuff (when/why we bow, what the chants mean etc) and Kinhin (what AM I supposed to be doing with my feet?) Considering that everyone is tiny on my tablet screen in an itty bitty zoom window, it's difficult to see. I'd love to see a video explaining all this (and maybe a camera angle showing what Jundo is actually doing at the altar during ceremony).

Gassho,
SatLah
Kelly

[Tokan]

Hey all

To me the list already in existence seems very comprehensive, having been developed over a period of years, though I guess there is always room for extras. It seems to me that this is perhaps where the sangha buddy programme is perhaps worth expanding, just people who can show you around. If we try to answer every question with a thread we'll end up back where we started I suspect. Just my thoughts.

Gassho, Tokan

satlah

[michaelw]

Would it be possible to introduce new members to sitting by actually sitting or observing others online?
Perhaps a beginners live introductory online sit? Say five then ten minute intervals with questions in between?
Maybe a voiced guide on circular breathing, observing/counting breath, longer out breath, checking posture and other things you are doing but not doing during zazen?
I have been sitting on FSR occasionally for a year and recently joined Kaiku session on Monday and Tuesday
and I am finding very helpful after daily sitting on my own for most of that year.
Then from the Zendo Etiquette thread I find I have not been using best practice so now I get to practice doing it better as well.

Gassho

MichaelW

sat

[Jundo]

Dear All,

As a first step in creating an expanded "curriculum" for new members of the Sangha, and adding some of your other recommendations above, you will notice a new link which reads ...

Other Talks & Discussions - Recommended for Newer Folks
A collection of other past Talks on Shikantaza and Zen Practice which may be of special help to new folks.

... easy to spot, I think, if you scroll down here:

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?171-The-BEGINNER-s-PLACE

It is still under construction, and I have probably added too many topics (and probably missed some other important ones). If you notice any topic missing there, please let me know, and I will add some thing.

I will also be adding threads and talks about many of your suggestions above, such as expanded explanations of some liturgy and rituals.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Ankai]

Hi.
If it's already here, I missed it and I apologize... How about maybe once or twice a month, a "live" sitting group for newbies, with instructions, a ten minute sitting, and discussion? Not, like, deep Dharma talks or teaching or anything, just some direct demonstration, shorter sits and a sense of "Am i doing it right" for the newbies...That's how I used to do the "Sit-A-Long" meetings I facilitated in the old days.
Might also be good for folks in training to get used to leading a bit in a less formal way.
Just a thought.

Gassho
Sat today. Going to sit some more.

-Karl

[Onsho]

When I first joined Treeleaf I required a lot of clarification for the sitting rooms. I joined specifically so that I could sit with other people and the procedure did not fully reveal itself to me with practice.
A guide to sitting room conduct being readily available would have been amazing. While we have all grown very used to the idea, sitting with a priest or people in robes, can be a very significant, exciting, overwhelming and intimidating thing to try out. I was lucky enough that my first few experiences were positive enough for me to keep returning.

"A New To Treeleaf Sitting Room Guide".
-come 2-3 minutes early
-Bow to everyone that is there, and to people that arrive
-Direction for what gassho is
-information on the robe verse
-what is that thing on their head?/ around their neck? Why is it there?
-why do people have these sick names on their zoom screen?
-bow after the robe verse
-brief sitting instruction
-at the end, bow at the two bells
-bow at the sitters
And take what you have not attained off the mat and with you for the rest of the day.

I would be happy to take part in developing such a guide. Easing anxious and awkward feeling folks is important to me.

Gassho
Taihoku
Satlah

[Jundo]

When I first joined Treeleaf I required a lot of clarification for the sitting rooms. I joined specifically so that I could sit with other people and the procedure did not fully reveal itself to me with practice.
A guide to sitting room conduct being readily available would have been amazing. While we have all grown very used to the idea, sitting with a priest or people in robes, can be a very significant, exciting, overwhelming and intimidating thing to try out. I was lucky enough that my first few experiences were positive enough for me to keep returning.

"A New To Treeleaf Sitting Room Guide".
-come 2-3 minutes early
-Bow to everyone that is there, and to people that arrive
-Direction for what gassho is
-information on the robe verse
-what is that thing on their head?/ around their neck? Why is it there?
-why do people have these sick names on their zoom screen?
-bow after the robe verse
-brief sitting instruction
-at the end, bow at the two bells
-bow at the sitters
And take what you have not attained off the mat and with you for the rest of the day.

I would be happy to take part in developing such a guide. Easing anxious and awkward feeling folks is important to me.

Gassho
Taihoku
Satlah

It seems like an excellent suggestion, Tai. Maybe do it first as a paper guide, then maybe it will even lend itself to a short video.

Let me see if any of the priests want to pair with you on drafting something.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah