Zazen for Beginners Series: THREAD for QUESTIONS, COMMENTS

[Bat5jamma]

Just finished watching Beginners Zazen I

(Sat during video)

[Jundo]

Just finished watching Beginners Zazen I

(Sat during video)

[Guest]

Hi, I am Sodo. I have sat for many years. I was trained in a hardcore monastic lineage and very lax lay lineage. What I like about our practice is that wonderful posture. At first, you hate it. It is so confining and so strict. Why does that attending monk keep constantly correcting my posture? The posture settles the mind; and, one day, you find that balance point and drift into being before thinking. Jundo, I really wanted to break that blender, lol!

Bows,
Sodo

[Guest]

Sodo here. I love the simplicity. How the barriers drop with our practice. Ahhh, there is so much subtlety: one starts to feel the Universe as their skin, feel the energy of life. Then, when the brain has dropped into the body a bit more; and one starts feeling bodymind as a whole on the cushion : one begins the journey into the subtle energetic movement of perception and cognition. This is a rabbit hole that a patient Osho spends years helping a student to investigate how they know anything at all.

[Jundo]

Hi, I am Sodo. I have sat for many years. I was trained in a hardcore monastic lineage and very lax lay lineage. What I like about our practice is that wonderful posture. At first, you hate it. It is so confining and so strict. Why does that attending monk keep constantly correcting my posture? The posture settles the mind; and, one day, you find that balance point and drift into being before thinking. Jundo, I really wanted to break that blender, lol!

Bows,
Sodo

Hi Sodo,

In our Sangha, we emphasize that each student should find their own (often changing) postures suited to their body, not necessarily a "one size fits all" Lotus. When the sitter finds a posture that feels stable, balanced, comfortable, allowing long sitting ... then it is good.

I often recommend this book by Mr. Johnson ...

Book Recommendation: - THE POSTURE OF MEDITATION (LINK)

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[Guest]

Thy only thing that I have to oadd is that we will physical tension in a moment that may not completely drop away: an angry boss screaming at us. I agree that Shikantaza in the moment is to go into the direct experience of bodymindworld tension. Anzan would say notice if the tension changes in that moment. Mindfully experience the physical tension of bodymind and wait to notice the softening of physical experience of anger, then, respond...Nice message.

[Jundo]

Thy only thing that I have to oadd is that we will physical tension in a moment that may not completely drop away: an angry boss screaming at us. I agree that Shikantaza in the moment is to go into the direct experience of bodymindworld tension. Anzan would say notice if the tension changes in that moment. Mindfully experience the physical tension of bodymind and wait to notice the softening of physical experience of anger, then, respond...Nice message.

Hi Sodo,

In Shikantaza, there is no need to go to the "direct experience of bodymindworld tension." There is nothing to notice about changes in that moment. Just Sit, in equanimity even with the passing sensations and emotions, with full trust that the sitting is complete and there is nothing lacking, nothing in need of change. The thoughts and emotions of the "bodymindworld" are just passing weather.

Gassho, Jundo
SatTodayLAH

[Guest]

Wow, in the midst of a tough moment. It is skillful to notice when the tension softens before you act. If you act in the tightest moment of the tension, it may be a more ignorant response!

Sodo

[Jundo]

Wow, in the midst of a tough moment. It is skillful to notice when the tension softens before you act. If you act in the tightest moment of the tension, it may be a more ignorant response!

Sodo

Yes. Agreed. But not DURING Shikantaza on the cushion.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[Guest]

I see; okay! Thx!

[Jundo]

Yes. Agreed. But not DURING Shikantaza on the cushion.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

In life, we learn to be mindful of the tricks and traps that mind brings sometimes: How we fall into excess desires or addictions, anger, jealousy and such. We should be mindful of what triggers this in us, be aware when the mind is trying to sucker us in to such harmful thoughts. We learn to not "jump on board," like a passing train of thoughts and emotions that we just do not get on and go for a ride with. We let them be, let them pass like the weather.

But in sitting Zazen, we just let the thoughts and emotions come and go, not getting on board, but without need to focus on or pay attention to them directly. Just "pay em no nevermind," and sit in the radical equanimity, wholeness and completion of sitting just to sit, nothing lacking from this sitting, each moment of sitting a complete Buddha's sitting.

On the cushion and off are a bit different, because off the cushion we are more back to the world of things to do, things to judge. On the cushion, there is nothing more to do, and the only judgement is the wholeness and perfection of just sitting.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Green Ben]

Working my way through these talks, watched third one last night, and found it particularly informative. Been sitting for decades, but just based on what I could cobble together from books. Generally sit full or half lotus, had never used a cushion until a couple nights ago. The tongue placement tip, such a little thing, but immediately noticeable improvement.

I've generally meditated with eyes closed, though on occasion with eyes open but vaguely unfocused (generally if sitting outside, for some reason). Wall-facing, eyes 1/3 open, looking down at 45 degree angle, these are all new to me, and a touch challenging, as building any new habit can be. Will be interested to see how it effects my practice once I'm used to it.

Gassho

stlah

[Jundo]

Working my way through these talks, watched third one last night, and found it particularly informative. Been sitting for decades, but just based on what I could cobble together from books. Generally sit full or half lotus, had never used a cushion until a couple nights ago. The tongue placement tip, such a little thing, but immediately noticeable improvement.

I've generally meditated with eyes closed, though on occasion with eyes open but vaguely unfocused (generally if sitting outside, for some reason). Wall-facing, eyes 1/3 open, looking down at 45 degree angle, these are all new to me, and a touch challenging, as building any new habit can be. Will be interested to see how it effects my practice once I'm used to it.

Gassho

stlah

Boy, those are all pretty basic Zen instructions from all teachers I know ... about the use of a Zafu cushion, the tongue placement, etc.

Your comment is a bit like saying, "I have had my pants falling down for 30 years. Wish I had heard about this "belt" thing earlier."

Gassho, Jundo

stlah

[Green Ben]

Boy, those are all pretty basic Zen instructions from all teachers I know ... about the use of a Zafu cushion, the tongue placement, etc.

Your comment is a bit like saying, "I have had my pants falling down for 30 years. Wish I had heard about this "belt" thing earlier."

We do what we can, where we can, with what we have. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That being said, Thanks for the belt! Do suspenders come up in later lessons, cause I'm over 50 and have a dad gut.

Gassho

stlah

[Green Ben]

4th and 5th lessons tonight. Chef's kiss, no notes.

Gassho

stlah