Zazen for Beginners Series: THREAD for QUESTIONS, COMMENTS

[Jundo]

After some reflection, reading the description again and watching the video twice I admit I do not get video 10 "the Mirror" or mirrormind. I understand what is said in the video and about the topic in this thread, but unlike the idea's presented in video 9 about the clouds and the sky, I don't understand how to apply this. I understand the words, but do not know what to do with it?

Yes, we reflect without judgement just what is there. Just as we don't judge the clouds (or thoughts) that pass through our Zazen. We accept.

But, what is the difference between the two or are they the same principle explained another way?

Sorry for running long.

Gassho,

Artien
SatToday

Just sit Zazen, letting things be in the world, not judging or tangled in thoughts, with a radical allowance of all that is ...

... and one is bound to experience what is this "clear mirror." It is as if all the world is held in wholeness and illumination, including us. All things are just "as they are," ups and downs, good and bad, the welcome and unwelcome, beautiful and ugly, all prove Welcome (Big W) in the wholeness of the mirror. The mirror rejects nothing.

Don't worry so much if you can't get your head around it right now. Just sit with such equanimity.

The Blue Sky is just the mirror too, and the clouds of thoughts, of this and that, good and bad, etc., are not rejected by the sky. The clouds ARE the sky. You and I are the sky and clouds. It is precisely the same teaching, mirror and sky, clouds and things in the mirror, just different analogies depicting this wholeness which is separation, separation which is the boundless, clear and open wholeness.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Artien]

Thank you, Jundo.

And thank you too Bion. I like the analogy you presented of doing vs being.

Gassho,

Artien
SatToday

[Artien]

I get it now. 2 days ago I had what you could say was a good Zazen sit. I saw the blue sky and the clouds. I was the mirror. Before it felt like "faking it." when sitting. Havent managed it since, but it's not important. I know it's there now, within me.

So my sensere thank you for your lessons, wisdom and insights.

Sorry to run long.

Gassho,
Artien
SatToday/LaH

[BrianK]

Thank You Jundo. Just watched #6 (watched the other 5 first!). I will practice letting go and not judging, just sitting and accepting, while also still doing what needs to be done in life, "...acceptance without acceptance, inner stillness and outward action combined, allowing and tolerant."

Huge help, thanks again.

Gassho,
Brian

sat today/lah

[Uran]

Hello to the sanga,

I have a question about eyes. I searched much of the forum and did not find this particular question...

When I sit with my eyes open, they get dry and start burning. And then I find that I have to blink a lot and even then they continue stinging. (Perhaps it is that I am in a very dry climate, or just that I am a beginning beginner.)

In Jundo's instruction on how to sit, he says that whatever posture you sit in is the right way if it helps you forget your body. (I think that's the way it was said.)

Does the same hold true of the eyes? If it is very distracting to have them open, is one better served by closing them while holding the intention to not block out the "outside" world?

Apologies for running long.

Thank you 🙏🏼

Aimee B.
sat lah

[Jundo]

Hello to the sanga,

I have a question about eyes. I searched much of the forum and did not find this particular question...

When I sit with my eyes open, they get dry and start burning. And then I find that I have to blink a lot and even then they continue stinging. (Perhaps it is that I am in a very dry climate, or just that I am a beginning beginner.)

In Jundo's instruction on how to sit, he says that whatever posture you sit in is the right way if it helps you forget your body. (I think that's the way it was said.)

Does the same hold true of the eyes? If it is very distracting to have them open, is one better served by closing them while holding the intention to not block out the "outside" world?

Apologies for running long.

Thank you ����

Aimee B.
sat lah

The eyes should be normal, like when driving a car. You seem to be doing, or trying to do, something extreme with the eyes (such as not blink, stare fixedly or the like). Maybe this will help ...

Drivin' Dogen - Understanding "Open Spacious Awareness"

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?16743-Drivin-Dogen-Understanding-Open-Spacious-Awareness

I sometimes comment this too:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 ... "



If you need more specific help, and the problem persists, let me know. Basically, if you don't have such problem when driving or riding in a car, you should not during Zazen.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Artien]

Jundo mentioned my personal mistake; I tried too hard to stare at "nothing" basically forcing my eyes to focus on the wall that's in front of my eyes. That was not conformtable and irritated my eyes. Now I focus much more on my breath (nose) and while doing that I probably relax my eyes further than most people, I can still see through it (I'd say they are about 80-85% closed?). At the same time, it feels natural for my eyes so I just go with it.

Sorry for running long, wanted to add my beginner experience mistake.

Gassho,
Artien
Satlah

[ZenKen]

Anyone got any tips from transitioning from sitting in seiza to burmese? I'm quite an athletic person but have always had awful flexibility...

When I first tried sitting, I got my sitting all wrong (not understanding what 'acceptable' sitting positions were) and was sitting in a generaly cross legged position (I understand why it's not recommended as it was not nice to sit in for such a long period of time...). Once I realised this was wrong, I just sat in seiza, as I couldn't do anything else. I was trying to improve this but quite quickly injured my hip , so held off for a while.

As I don't really have any real medical conditions or bad injuries, feel I should be able to sit in a position that requires more flexibility with a bit of effort. I have a fairly decent knowledge of things like this as I'm a PE teacher and practiced yoga on and off for a few years. Looking more for specific stretches in a yoga routine or modified sitting positions that I could do while reading or relaxing. Or even some tips that might help actually sitting burmese a bit easier.

Just tried sitting in burmese now though, and it's the closest I've ever been to sitting in an almost comfortable position, but wouldn't be able to do it for more than 5 minutes still

* Edited just to say it feels like my right psoas is really tight when sitting burmese, so seems like a problem relating to that

Sorry to run long

Gassho
Ross
stlah

Hi Ross
A lot of people more knowledgeable than I have already responded, and of course Jundo has his own video in the sit-a-long series showing Burmese, but I found this to be quite useful, too, especially re where the weight distribution goes. I was also intrigued by the height of the zafu in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_39Fomv-M

Gassho
Anna
satlah

[Tai Shi]

For sitting with eyes open. This is possible when I sit because my eyes are not all the way open or closed, and I keep my eyes at about 1/4 open, and very occasional blinking is not bad but rather like straitening one's glasses. Not a problem.
Gassho
sat/lah

[Jundo]

Hi Ross
A lot of people more knowledgeable than I have already responded, and of course Jundo has his own video in the sit-a-long series showing Burmese, but I found this to be quite useful, too, especially re where the weight distribution goes. I was also intrigued by the height of the zafu in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_39Fomv-M

Gassho
Anna
satlah

That is a very good video to introduce the Burmese. Thank you.

My only comments are:

- He does say that, before getting an actual Zafu, one may sit on pillows. That is usually not so good unless the pillows, or a blanket (like Kotei makes here: https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...l=1#post280684) are tightly bound and supportive, because ordinary sofa or bed pillows are generally too squishy.

- The most important aspect of Burmese or any of the cross legged postures is getting the knees down to rest comfortably on the ground or Zabuton. Without that, there is strain on the body and the posture is unstable. It is also the most difficult aspect for many of us "thunder thighed" westerners, in my experience. Stretches and giving it time help, but it is hard for many foreigners to attain that nice, stable knee placement shown in the video without time and stretching and patience and, sometimes, losing a few pounds (it is just true.)

Gassho, J

STLah

[Uran]

Good morning, good day, good evening dear friends [emoji92]

To give my mind a quiet point of focus during Shikantaza I sometimes picture the entire cosmos in the egg-shaped space created by my hands. As with the blue sky and the mirror, this imagery brings moments of quiet to my mind. Is there any reason to not include that in my sitting practice?

...

In the beginner video number 14 about the 15 minute sit, there's a recommendation to attend a longer residential Sesshin each year. Is this recommendation for an actual in-person style retreat as opposed to our Rohatsu that is done from home?

If this recommendation is for old-school in person attendence, would it be best to find a soto Zen sangha or would the local mixed Zen center be okay?

Apologies for running long. I am making use of the exception given to beginners.

Gassho [emoji1374]

Aimee B.
sat lah

[Jundo]

In the beginner video number 14 about the 15 minute sit, there's a recommendation to attend a longer residential Sesshin each year. Is this recommendation for an actual in-person style retreat as opposed to our Rohatsu that is done from home?

If this recommendation is for old-school in person attendence, would it be best to find a soto Zen sangha or would the local mixed Zen center be okay?

Hi Aimee,

If someone's life, health, finances, work and family duties can allow, it is highly recommended to go to an extended retreat that lasts for several days, three days, or even a week or so. Online is fine, but residential is really powerful ... getting up with the sun, long hours of Zazen, Oryoki eating, work and more Zazen! If health and such allows, it can be a powerful experience.

Our Rohatsu is great, especially for people who cannot do so. Or even for people who can do so, then do both!

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Chikyou]

Hi Ross
A lot of people more knowledgeable than I have already responded, and of course Jundo has his own video in the sit-a-long series showing Burmese, but I found this to be quite useful, too, especially re where the weight distribution goes. I was also intrigued by the height of the zafu in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD_39Fomv-M

Gassho
Anna
satlah

This video is fantastic!!! He has a new way of explaining that really makes sense to me.

Gassho,
SatLah
Kelly

[Tomás ESP]

While doing Shikantaza, I suddenly realized that all of the noise that I was hearing in that moment was from my own internal monologue. All of the images, self-referential conversation and anxiety dropped away and I was just there, sitting on the zafu, with nothing but the experience of sitting. As a beginner, knowing that there is an internal radio of self-chat that is endless is one thing, but actually experiencing reality without being completely absorbed and enticed by it... gave me confidence in the practice

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

[Jundo]

While doing Shikantaza, I suddenly realized that all of the noise that I was hearing in that moment was from my own internal monologue. All of the images, self-referential conversation and anxiety dropped away and I was just there, sitting on the zafu, with nothing but the experience of sitting. As a beginner, knowing that there is an internal radio of self-chat that is endless is one thing, but actually experiencing reality without being completely absorbed and enticed by it... gave me confidence in the practice

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

Lovely. I am sure that you know Suzuki Roshi's little talks on sound and noise. The sound is vibrations from outside, but the interpretation and emotional reaction is between our ears.

In fact, the vibrations from Suzuki Roshi's mouth via video are interpreted by my brain as Wisdom.

https://youtu.be/pHNyCAJXUXE

Gassho, J

STLah