Zazen for Beginners Series: THREAD for QUESTIONS, COMMENTS

[Seishin]

Hi SeaChel and welcome on your first post.

I've just started sitting with a timer a couple of months back. What I tend to do is have the timer set up to include a period for sitting down and getting my posture settled, before my actual sitting time begins. I then start the timer but put it on the floor so its behind me when I sit. That way I know I won't be able to see the count down/up from where I am and it ceases to be a distraction. However, there are still times when my concentration wanders and I start to think about how long I've been sitting or that it can't be much longer until the end - and I'm wishing to continue!

For info I've also just started using Insight Timer, which allows you to select a warm up period before the gong(s) start for "sitting". My old timer allowed multiple "sections" per session, so I used to have a 10s start/get ready (start timer session and put phone/tablet down) 1 min Preparation (sit down and get settled) xx min zazen.

Hope my limited experience is of use to you.

[Kaisho]

Hello. I have a question about general practice. Just finished watching video 3. I use a timer to tell me when zazen is done but I have a habit of wanting to check it many times during practice I guess because I am impatient. Would there be a way to mitigate this that others found useful?
Thanks
Chelsea
Sat2day

My acceptance is always with my pain. If I accept there is no other way, as my doctor has told me and then it is easier to accept who and what I am. I am a man who will always lives with my practice which is pain, and then I forget myself as I have done in writing these sentences. My practice is pain, thank you Daizan for this suggestion, and I forget myself in pain, so does the pain really exist for me? Maybe since I have forgotten myself in pain of just writing, an thus there no contrast, thus no self, no pain.

Tai Shi
sat today
Gassho

Hello Tai Shi,

You are not pain and pain is not you. Pain doesn't make you Tai Shi, but how you manage such moments of pain/discomfort does. Pain is a condition within our lives and is different for each of us. Doing your best to accept and being present in such moments of discomfort can actually reduce that level of pain/discomfort ... it sounds like you are doing a great job at it. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Tai Shi]

My acceptance is always with my pain. If I accept there is no other way, as my doctor has told me and then it is easier to accept who and what I am. I am a man who will always lives with my practice which is pain, and then I forget myself as I have done in writing these sentences. My practice is pain, thank you Daizan for this suggestion, and I forget myself in pain, so does the pain really exist for me? Maybe since I have forgotten myself in pain of just writing, an thus there no contrast, thus no self, no pain.

Tai Shi
sat today
Gassho

[Tai Shi]

Zazen and Kinhin while in the waiting are of my doctor office seemed logical this afternoon. I waited a short time in an open area. I could have spent the time in Kinhin, and in the actual waiting room where I was to see my doctor, I sat quietly and practiced Zazen, Shikantaza, just sitting with my pain.

Tai Shi
sat today
Gassho

[Jakuden]

Listened to and SatToday with "acceptance without acceptance." Seemed appropriate today. I like the notes at the end. Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


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[odiedoodie]

Zazen and kinhin while out and about.
Excellent idea, Jundo!
It's great that I will no longer be wasting time while just waiting, which happens every day.
Thank you for Treeleaf.
Jon T
SatToday

[Jundo]

Dear All,

Kindly post all comments, questions, impressions and objections regarding this Series and any of the videos in this thread. (I have had to do so to keep the lessons in sequence).

If refrencing a particular talk, it woud be nice to mention which one. Thank you so much.

BACK TO SERIES LINK

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday