Zazen for Beginners Series: THREAD for QUESTIONS, COMMENTS

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  • Tomás ESP
    Member
    • Aug 2020
    • 575

    Thank you very much for your input Bokugan (beautiful Dharma name by the way, loved the story you shared on the forum about it).

    And Jundo, what you share resonates so much with me. Embracing all of it. I can feel you love life in a deep and meaningful way, with all its nuts and bolts. This is what I aspire to, not to make Samsara into Nirvana, but to recognize that Samsara is already Nirvana (just to take up the classical formula), to really live deeply. Really grateful for your sharings

    Gassho, Tomás
    Sat

    Comment

    • Tai Shi
      Member
      • Oct 2014
      • 3414

      I'm happy for your appreciation of music, a way of speaking quite beautiful. I have been a lover of music since grade school, sure people who play musical instruments feel deeply about music. I remember when our 5th grade class went to a concert, how I was swept up in The New World Symphony. Dogen must have had musical appreciation.
      Gassho
      sat/ lah
      Peaceful, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆

      Comment

      • Beautyseeker2224
        Member
        • Jan 2022
        • 4

        Jundo, your comment about how "somedays we will have bad days of zazen and somedays we will have good ones, but it is still zazen." Really hit home for me. In many areas of my life, I have been waiting for perfection in order to start. I realize that things can never be perfect . Thank you for all that you do.
        Floyd
        ST

        Comment

        • Jundo
          Treeleaf Founder and Priest
          • Apr 2006
          • 40288

          Originally posted by Beautyseeker2224
          Jundo, your comment about how "somedays we will have bad days of zazen and somedays we will have good ones, but it is still zazen." Really hit home for me. In many areas of my life, I have been waiting for perfection in order to start. I realize that things can never be perfect . Thank you for all that you do.
          Floyd
          ST
          In our practice we leap through human subjective judgements and dichotomies of "good vs. bad" "perfect vs, imperfect" and all measure of "flaws" ...

          ... and thus discover a kind of Big P Perfection that shines right through all human times of good or bad, perfection and imperfection. It is kind of a light which shines even through the flaws. The bad days remain, the problems of life remain ... but so does the light.

          Gassho, J

          STLah
          ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

          Comment

          • DGF
            Member
            • Feb 2022
            • 118

            hello Jundo Sensei,

            thank you for the lesson, it is really helpfull.
            i have a question I betray meself that my eyes are moving more to chest level height after a while. when i realize this i correct them. are there any focus points or is that not a problem?

            Thank you,

            Diana
            *SatToDAy*

            Comment

            • Jundo
              Treeleaf Founder and Priest
              • Apr 2006
              • 40288

              Originally posted by DGF
              hello Jundo Sensei,

              thank you for the lesson, it is really helpfull.
              i have a question I betray meself that my eyes are moving more to chest level height after a while. when i realize this i correct them. are there any focus points or is that not a problem?

              Thank you,

              Diana
              *SatToDAy*
              Hi Diana,

              The eyes may travel in their ordinary way, not fixated, resting here and resting there. I compare it to normal vision when driving a car. No need to do anything strange with the eyes. Generally, we are looking about 45 degrees downward, looking down toward the floor or at an open wall, but not trying to be so precise about it.

              The only difference from normal vision is that we don't think much ABOUT what we might see. Here is what I usually say on this:

              I just sit, looking out through my half open eyes, no differently than if I were sitting at my kitchen table looking at the room or driving a car looking at the road. If looking at the wall, I am just looking as if looking at any scenery. Normal vision, but I just am not particularly thinking about, pondering or concentrating on what I am seeing. I describe it as "staring at everything and nothing in particular". My eyes take in the room or the floor or wall quiet naturally, but I do not latch onto anything mentally to think about what I am seeing. For example, my eyes may rest on a chair or on some spots on the wall, but I just do not get lost in thoughts such as "ugly chair, need to go chair shopping" or "those dots look just like a giraffe"

              My focus just wanders from point to point to point quite naturally, resting where they rest, on this or that, then moving on when they move on.

              What a room looks like before Zazen ...


              What the room looks like during Zazen (but just not thinking particularly thoughts like "ugly sofa, nice chair, wish I were outside, need to clean this dirty floor ... "


              Gassho, J

              SatTodayLAH
              ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

              Comment

              • DGF
                Member
                • Feb 2022
                • 118

                Thank you very much Jundo Sensei


                Diana
                SatToDay

                Comment

                • Tomás ESP
                  Member
                  • Aug 2020
                  • 575

                  Re-visited the beginners section, one lesson a day. Really worth re-watching if your practice is shaky (or not!)

                  Gassho, Tomás
                  Sat

                  Comment

                  • DGF
                    Member
                    • Feb 2022
                    • 118

                    goodmorning/day/evening,

                    maybe i missed it while searching my way in this school, when do i have to Start Zazen online or Zazenkai? is it after all the beginners series?


                    SatToday
                    Diana

                    Comment

                    • Bion
                      Treeleaf Unsui
                      • Aug 2020
                      • 4520

                      Originally posted by DGF
                      goodmorning/day/evening,

                      maybe i missed it while searching my way in this school, when do i have to Start Zazen online or Zazenkai? is it after all the beginners series?


                      SatToday
                      Diana
                      Oh no! You can join at any time, Diana! Just look at the NOW page and join whatever scheduled sit you wish!! Please do! [emoji3526]

                      [emoji1374] Sat Today
                      "Stepping back with open hands, is thoroughly comprehending life and death. Immediately you can sparkle and respond to the world." - Hongzhi

                      Comment

                      • Jundo
                        Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                        • Apr 2006
                        • 40288

                        Originally posted by DGF
                        goodmorning/day/evening,

                        maybe i missed it while searching my way in this school, when do i have to Start Zazen online or Zazenkai? is it after all the beginners series?


                        SatToday
                        Diana
                        And you do not "have to," although it is strongly encouraged. It is just wonderful to sit with other folks as a group.

                        Gassho, Jundo

                        STLah
                        ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                        Comment

                        • DGF
                          Member
                          • Feb 2022
                          • 118

                          Thank you sensei and Bion, as soon i finished the beginners series i like to sit with others.

                          Gassho
                          Diana
                          SaToDay
                          Last edited by DGF; 02-20-2022, 03:25 PM.

                          Comment

                          • Bion
                            Treeleaf Unsui
                            • Aug 2020
                            • 4520

                            Originally posted by DGF
                            Thank you sensei and Bion, as soon i finished the beginners series i like to sit with others.

                            Gassho
                            Diana
                            SaToDay
                            Find a scheduled sitting that works for you and the next time you sit, just go to the Free Sitting Room ( I believe that is a good habit to develop, truly [emoji1]) cause you never know who might already be there sitting or who might come in while you sit and offer you company and also have the lovely surprise of receiving your company.

                            [emoji1374] Sat Today
                            "Stepping back with open hands, is thoroughly comprehending life and death. Immediately you can sparkle and respond to the world." - Hongzhi

                            Comment

                            • DGF
                              Member
                              • Feb 2022
                              • 118

                              hello everyone,

                              i wanted to share something i dont really know where to post it,
                              i had a very nice Zazen. while just sitting, something popped up i kept it a side for later. so now

                              this came up:

                              you dont have to be on a mountain,to be on a mountain!

                              Gassho,
                              Diana
                              SaTTODay

                              Comment

                              • Bokugan
                                Member
                                • Dec 2019
                                • 435

                                Originally posted by DGF
                                hello everyone,

                                i wanted to share something i dont really know where to post it,
                                i had a very nice Zazen. while just sitting, something popped up i kept it a side for later. so now

                                this came up:

                                you dont have to be on a mountain,to be on a mountain!

                                Gassho,
                                Diana
                                SaTTODay


                                Wonderful insight!

                                Gassho,

                                Bokugan
                                SatToday
                                墨眼 | Bokugan | Sumi Ink Eye
                                Ryan-S | zazenlibrarian.com

                                Comment

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