Getting the most out of community

Mp · 06-18-2017, 10:35 PM

Hello Paul ... what is it that you are looking for? Are you looking to connect more with others? Or are you looking to deepen your practice? Have you looked at our sitting calendar and maybe you can connect up with one of us, so then you can have that more personal connection. Thoughts?

Sitting Calendar: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...GmRaNGoGw/edit

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

**PClark1** · 06-18-2017, 11:02 PM

Originally posted by Shingen

Hello Paul ... what is it that you are looking for? Are you looking to connect more with others? Or are you looking to deepen your practice? Have you looked at our sitting calendar and maybe you can connect up with one of us, so then you can have that more personal connection. Thoughts?

Sitting Calendar: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...GmRaNGoGw/edit

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for, but connecting with others and ways to deepen my practice are both welcome.

I missed the sitting calendar. That would help a lot. For all the awesomeness of the forum, I still kinda feel like I'm out on a limb by myself.

Thank you for the link.

Gassho
Paul

Sat today

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Mp · 06-18-2017, 11:10 PM

Originally posted by PClark1

I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for, but connecting with others and ways to deepen my practice are both welcome.

I missed the sitting calendar. That would help a lot. For all the awesomeness of the forum, I still kinda feel like I'm out on a limb by myself.

Thank you for the link.

Gassho
Paul

Sat today

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We are all out on a limb and yet we are all on the same limb together. =)

It is important to motivate oneself to sit and practice, but it is also important to come together and support one another. So maybe sitting live with other sangha member's is what is needed for you now.

I know for me just knowing that person or persons is there gives me that connection and in some ways, helps deepen our connection to our own practice. Also, take what you are learning on thw cushion out to the world through volunteering and the like ... you will be amazed how that too deepens and connects one to their practice.

One last thing too is patience. Allow you practice to unfold in its normal way, it natural form...it will come. Remember there is no where to go and nothing to obtain and yet in the same moment we obtain all that is needed to obtain. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

**PClark1** · 06-18-2017, 11:14 PM

Shingen,

Thank you for your input and suggestions. I very much appreciate it. I looked over the sitting calendar. May I join you on Mondays and Wednesdays? For the next two weeks my school schedule would let me do those two days.

Gassho
Paul

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Mp · 06-18-2017, 11:17 PM

Originally posted by PClark1

Shingen,

Thank you for your input and suggestions. I very much appreciate it. I looked over the sitting calendar. May I join you on Mondays and Wednesdays? For the next two weeks my school schedule would let me do those two days.

Gassho
Paul

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Your very welcome ... I will add you to my list so you get notifications, then come and sit when you have time. If you have any questions, ee can always chat after zazen too. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

**PClark1** · 06-18-2017, 11:20 PM

Originally posted by Shingen

Your very welcome ... I will add you to my list so you get notifications, then come and sit when you have time. If you have any questions, ee can always chat after zazen too. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday/LAH

Thank you, very much. I look forward to sitting with you tomorrow evening.

Gassho,
Paul

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**Byokan** · 06-18-2017, 11:28 PM

Hi Paul!

I'd say, the number one thing to keep in mind is that Treeleaf is a place of practice. The primary practice is sitting. Everything we do here is to support and encourage our practice. Sounds like you sit regularly and that's great!

By the way, lots of us sit with the recording, and after a while you'll probably find that it becomes "real" to you, feels like it is happening now... you might find yourself smiling along and nodding and even waving to the other faces on screen! Time does not matter; we are together. I do have great gratitude to the folks who are able to sit live, though... without them there would be no recording!

The other really important thing is to bring the practice off the cushion and into your everyday life with family and at work, etc. Figuring out how to do that is what we're mostly doing and talking about on the forum. Your presence here helps others more than you can know. Sharing your experience, along with the occasional word of support or friendship, means a lot. Just being here quietly and listening is good too. This is Sangha, and it rocks.

There's a wealth of information and guidance for study here if you're so inclined. There's something for pretty much any interest related to the Dharma. The great thing is you can take it all at your own pace. The reading list is a good place to start on your own, but there is also ongoing Art practice, poetry, the book club, Coffeehouse, sewing, Oryoki, etc. There are more intellectual threads discussing the Sutras. Browsing back through the older threads or searching on a word that interests you can uncover a lot of great stuff. Anything that interests you and supports your life of practice is good. If life seems too busy and overwhelming to take on any of that, just focus on sitting and come back to the extras when you have the time and interest. There's a natural ebb and flow to these things, and it's okay.

Our 90-day Ango comes around in September. It's a period of intensified practice, and if you choose to take part in that you'll find your hands and your life and your heart very full!

Hope that helps. But, really, to answer your question more simply: the thing you can do to make the most of your access to this community, I think, is to just show up, reach out for whatever support you need to keep practicing, and you support others in their practice, however you can.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat + lah

**PClark1** · 06-18-2017, 11:39 PM

Thank you, Byokan. I will spend more time exploring the forums.

Gassho,

Paul

Sat today

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**RichardH** · 06-19-2017, 01:04 PM

Hello Paul. I find getting the most out of this community is an ongoing experiment. We are a new kind of community that has advantages and disadvantages over "brick and mortar" communities. Our connections can be throughout the day and week, with the community always here, as we ride around in each other's pocket devices. We can share daily practice, as well as the ups and downs of daily life, with Sangha friends around the world. Yet, communicating via text or live feed can also have its problems. The little nuances of body language are maybe not so clear, and it might be easier to have a misunderstanding that would not occur "in the flesh".

So, I think for all of us this is an ongoing experiment in community, and making the most of community. It is evolving and it will change as the medium develops. Definitely sitting with others on a live feed is essential at this point.

Gassho
Daizan

Sat today/LAH

**PClark1** · 06-19-2017, 01:56 PM

Daizan,

Thank you for your insight on this. I do hope that no one has taken my questions as criticism of this community, in any way. I find it to be a wonderful resource with a never ending chain of the most supportive people I've ever met. I am very happy for the opportunity to be a part.

It says a lot for the quality of effort that goes into this that, without having met any of you in person, I feel completely at home here.

Thank you all,

Gassho
Paul

Sat today LAH

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**Zenmei** · 06-19-2017, 03:47 PM

Getting the most out of community

Originally posted by PClark1

Daizan,

Thank you for your insight on this. I do hope that no one has taken my questions as criticism of this community, in any way. I find it to be a wonderful resource with a never ending chain of the most supportive people I've ever met. I am very happy for the opportunity to be a part.

It says a lot for the quality of effort that goes into this that, without having met any of you in person, I feel completely at home here.

Thank you all,

Gassho
Paul

Sat today LAH

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It's exactly as Daisan said, this is an experiment. We're doing something new here. Questioning and criticizing are essential, or we'll never know what works and what doesn't.
That said, I don't think you came across as critical in any way.

Gassho, Zenmei
#sat

**Kokuu** · 06-19-2017, 04:16 PM

Hi Paul

Aside from what has been suggested there are two things that have helped deepen my sense of community around here which are related:

1. Ango - this is the traditional 90 day practice period which we begin sometime neaar the beginning of September. During this we deepen our practice and, most crucially with respect to this, have an Ango partner with whom we communicate on a near daily basis about our practice, life and various Ango tasks we are given. This tends to deeply connect you with one other person in the sangha and after a few Angos you have a few deep connections.

2. Find people whose comments you like in the forum or you just like the feel of and write to them. Not everyone will be up for becoming a Zen penpal because we all differ in terms of our time commitments but I have yet to find a Treeleaf member who doesn't write back in a friendly way and some communications have gone on to become phonecalls and Skype chats. These behind the scenes connections really help me to feel part of the community by having friends here.

As with any new community, it takes a while to become part of the furniture but it does happen. Keep chatting on the forums and showing up for the Google+ sits and Sunday afternoon Coffee Party and you will soon feel at home!

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/stillnoLAH-

**Kyonin** · 06-19-2017, 04:40 PM

Hi Paul,

As you may know by now, this is a sangha like any other sangha, but the main difference is that we are open all the time and you will find people from a lot of countries connected at the same time. Believe me, you'll never feel alone

What else to do here? Of course you can post in the forums after sitting zazen. Also you can sit with a lot of friends all over the planet, read a book in our reading circle, go back in time and read the many conversations, go watch a movie from the many recommendations you can find, connect with someone you feel is akin to you, participate in our weekly zazenkai.

Each year we do Ango and our retreat in December, but they are a little far away in time.

But whatever you do, please don't forget that we sit daily and we never forget to lend a hand to others.

Hope you enjoy your time here with us

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

**PClark1** · 06-19-2017, 05:16 PM

Wow, I am not used to such kindness and helpfulness. Thank you all, so much for your help and support. I will dive much deeper into the forums and start getting to know people better.

Gassho
Paul

Sat today LAH

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Getting the most out of community

Getting the most out of community

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