Free Sitting Room

[Shinshou]

Hello all, does anyone still use the Free Sitting Room? I swear I haven't encountered anyone there in at least three weeks. Maybe I'm just sitting at an odd time?

Dan
ST

[Kyonin]

Hi Dan,

I just got back home from the retreat with Jundo. I used the room today and (as in other days) I sat super early and was the only one there.

I think we are using the room, but at different times.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Seishin]

Guess its all down to timezone. There's three to four of us who sit together around 0730 UK / 0830 Central Europe but when I've sat late evening (say 2330 in France) I've normally been on my own. However, "sat in Zendo" is a common comment, when folks post their zazen sessions on Insight Timer.

But regardless of time we sit together. Zendo/FSR or not.

STMIZ / lah

[Eishuu]

I often sit with Toby and sometimes Marcus and Enjaku in the mornings UK time, but I've often sat at other times and rarely encountered anyone. I get the impression people are using it but at different times.

Gassho
Lucy
ST/LAH

[Meian]

I have Sat there alone at various times, but that never bothers me. Most of my friends globally are in different time zones, so i am used to "time zone hopping." I actually prefer lone sitting in my off times, since at other times I'm sitting in a large group.

Gassho
Kim
St/lh

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[Kyotai]

I use it. I would say I see someone about 10% of the time.

Gassho, Kyotai
ST

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[Jundo]

I use it. I would say I see someone about 10% of the time.

Gassho, Kyotai
ST

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We just have to get more folks in there, thus increasing the chances of folks sitting with others!

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Daitetsu]

Hi Dan!

I use the Free Sitting Room almost every day. However, I have always been the only one there, too.
This is probably due to my time zone (Germany, CET). When I look at comments in Insight Connect, people seem to be using the Free Sitting Room quite often.
Like Jundo said, the more people go there, the higher the probability of encountering someone.

But anyway - are we ever truly alone?

Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

[Tairin]

I usually sit with my wife and so I haven't used the free sitting room much but when I have used it there is about 25% chance I encounter someone. On the other hand I always sit with the Insight Timer and it tells me that I almost always sit concurrent with other TreeLeafers. It may just be a matter of time for adoption.

But consider the math. How many active TreeLeafers are there? They are spread all over the globe There are 38 different time zones which means 38 different times people could sit at 7am assuming everyone sits at 7am. I am not trying to be negative and dismiss the value of the free sitting Zendo but unless you live in one of the densely populated time zones like Eastern Time and you sit in the morning (which seems to be the preferred sitting time) you have a low probability of encountering anyone in the room.

If I recall the discussion I think Toby, Lucy and Marcus all sit together in the FSZ daily but they did have some discussion to align their time. Maybe use Insight Timer to see who else is sitting at approximately your time and see if you can line up.

Gassho
Warren
Sat today

[Seishin]

I usually sit with my wife and so I haven't used the free sitting room much but when I have used it there is about 25% chance I encounter someone. On the other hand I always sit with the Insight Timer and it tells me that I almost always sit concurrent with other TreeLeafers. It may just be a matter of time for adoption.

But consider the math. How many active TreeLeafers are there? They are spread all over the globe There are 38 different time zones which means 38 different times people could sit at 7am assuming everyone sits at 7am. I am not trying to be negative and dismiss the value of the free sitting Zendo but unless you live in one of the densely populated time zones like Eastern Time and you sit in the morning (which seems to be the preferred sitting time) you have a low probability of encountering anyone in the room.

If I recall the discussion I think Toby, Lucy and Marcus all sit together in the FSZ daily but they did have some discussion to align their time. Maybe use Insight Timer to see who else is sitting at approximately your time and see if you can line up.

Gassho
Warren
Sat today

Warren

I think there maybe quite a few members of the Insight Treeleaf group who are not forum members here. I've been asked a few time via IT msg or daily posts, about the Zendo or FSR and I've always referred folk to Treeleaf.org, in the hope that a) they're members but didn't see this thread or b) are only aware of Treeleaf on Insight. I hope this may have encourage folk to join the Sangha. I sit with quite a few Insight Leafers, when our times over lap (probably around 10 or so) but only a few use the FSR. Marcus, Lucy and I aligned by chance. Marcus starts a bit earlier than me and Lucy a little after but we frequently sit together, with no planning - it just happened and seems to be fairly normal these days. Some time Uggy drops in and also Kotei and sometimes Taiyo (but I know he's a fair bit earlier when working). All of this just happens and it would be nice if more of then 'Leafers on Insight would "dial in" but as I've said many times, we are all sitting together regardless of where and when.

I've not had a chance to read the latest Recommended Threads from Jundo, so apologies if the FSR use has been covered but maybe this just needs a bump again to get folk using the Hangouts Rooms. We seem to have overcome the initial teething problems, which may have put folks off. So maybe we need to emphasis the positives here and encourage folk to take part and sit with others.

From a personal view, once I've set up Insight and the Hangouts Call, joined, bowed and settled down in Shikantaza, I'm pretty much zoned out, as in just sitting and often miss folks joining or leaving, so don't find it intrusive, distracting or feel self aware. I just sit with the technology around me - heck even more so with the Zazenkai recordings (One Way, Live or On Demand) playing on the PC. So I'd encourage Sangha members to try it out if they've not done so already. There are plenty of us who've been using it now for weeks, who can help with technical advice if folks encounter problems or are just unsure what to do.

So come on in, the waters warm and the natives are friendly.

Sat This Morning In Zendo / LAH

[Jakuden]

My daughter will be off to college next week and I plan to use her room for sitting... up until now I have had no private space to sit. So I hope to be using the room with you all soon!
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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[Eishuu]

My daughter will be off to college next week and I plan to use her room for sitting... up until now I have had no private space to sit. So I hope to be using the room with you all soon!
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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Be lovely to see you in there, although we are probably in very different time zones. I don't really have anywhere private to sit...I usually sit in our lounge and my husband often forgets and wanders in. The cat is usually there too.

Gassho
Lucy
ST/LAH

[Washin]

Hello Dan,

I usually sit in the Free Sitting Room Mon-Fri at 7.00am Eastern European Time
except one day a week when I join Shingen's group which starts at 5am EET.
And I often sit with Tayio.

Gassho
Washin
sat and lah

[Ryudo]

Hi Dan and all others,
I am in a different time zone too. Living in the Balearic Isles of Spain my timezone is "Paris" time.
Daily I start sitting around 08:00 or sometimes a bit later. Often with the company of Lucy and Toby and sometimes Richard or Kotei and sometimes I sit alone.
It is all fine.
Feel free to join us and have a great day !

Gassho
Marcus
SatToday

[Meian]

We will be doing some upgrades and changes in schedules/routines soon (schools, devices, etc). After that I hope to use FSR/Insight concurrently without my devices misbehaving on me. For me I think it's a memory/storage problem (old devices, relatively speaking).

Gassho
Kim
St/lh

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