Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

[Jundo]

Hi,

Just a reminder that tonight is our monthly Zazenkai, from 9pm to 1am Tokyo time. Please check your local time ...

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=248

... or you may join us for the recorded version.

As well, I am now announcing a special Zazenkai this week, on the evening of Wednesday, July 9th (times to be determined) ... to celebrate our first official visitor to Tsukuba Treeleaf: HANS IS COMING FROM GERMANY!

So, I hope you will sit with Hans and me later this week.

Gassho, Jundo

[Shindo]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Thank you Jundo
I will be there tonight (or this afternoon for me), via Ustream
Kind regards
Jools

ps now just need to get all the housework done

[lindabeekeeper]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Sorry, I have to work so I can't make it. Hope the earthquake in Japan didn't disrupt things too much.

Gassho,

Linda

[Jundo]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Sorry, I have to work so I can't make it. Hope the earthquake in Japan didn't disrupt things too much.

Gassho,

Linda

Hi Linda,

Well, you can sit with the recorded version. No escaping around here! :wink:

http://treeleafzen.blogspot.com/2008/07 ... enkai.html

Felt the earthquake. Not so big. Gassho, Jundo

[Yugen]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Jundo,
I will not be able to sit with all of you today due to home schedule - I am going to try to get Tam outside today and help her with her physical therapy for the knee... also driving three boys around! I will sit later today - I have found a spot in the forest nearby on a ridge above a stream. Cool shade on a hot summer day..

I am glad Hans is visiting, and hope to follow in the not-too-distant future!

In fellowship and Gassho,
Alex

[Eika]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Hi, Jundo.

Quick question:
What do these mean?



Just curious,

Bill

Attached files

[John]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Sorry I always miss these because I have an all-day mindfulness group sitting on the first Sat every month,

Gassho,
John

[Shindo]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Hi Jundo

thanks as always to pulling the Zazenkai together. I was the blue box for 3 or the 4 hours. I started late as I couldn't get the Ustream live stream to work & subsequently nor my linux webcam (in too much of a rush). Strangely, in the other 2 or 3 I have done of these my back aches dreadfully, but this time it was my right knee (I have no idea why) - so by three hours I bailed out (sorry).

I thought that the Jundo & son dharma talk was lovely & I could see it was so hot there you had the window open and the banner was moving. Here, we have had a storm all day - so I sat with the rain and wind whistling around the house.

Thanks again

Jools

[CharlesC]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

.

[will]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Jools
this time it was my right knee (I have no idea why) - so by three hours I bailed out (sorry).

Hi Jools. I don't know if this will help, but my left knee always really starts to hurt into the third round. I just gassho and lift my left knee up (so the leg is bent upright foot close to the other leg) and put my hands on top of my knee. I Pay attention to posture because it's easy to slouch in that position. It's ok after resting like that for a bit. Might help.

Gassho Will

[Jundo]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Hi, Jundo.

Quick question:
What do these mean?



Just curious,

Bill

Hi Bill,

An "official" translation I received from Nishijima Roshi:

The upper one can be read [ZA KAN KUMO OKORU], and it means "Reflecting in the sit, many kinds of clouds manifest themselves vigorously."

The latter one can be read [KAN], which means reflection.

With best wishes Gudo Wafu Nishijima

[Eika]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Thanks, Jundo.



Bill

[Jundo]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

The upper one can be read [ZA KAN KUMO OKORU], and it means "Reflecting in the sit, many kinds of clouds manifest themselves vigorously."

The latter one can be read [KAN], which means reflection.

With best wishes Gudo Wafu Nishijima

Bill,

By the way, both calligraphy are by my "Dharma Grandpa" (Nishijima Roshi's teacher), Renpo Niwa Roshi, who was the Abbot of Eiheiji and head of Soto shu for many years.

http://www.treeleaf.org/niwa.html

Your question inspired me to dig up the original poem that the calligraphy comes from. It is nice. A little detective work led me to the 8th Century Ch'an inspired Chinese poet, Wang Wei ...

Wang Wei (??; simplified Chinese: ??; pinyin: Wáng Wéi, 701–761), sometimes titled the Poet Buddha, was a Tang Dynasty Chinese poet, musician, painter and statesman.... He spent ten years studying with Chán master Daoguang.

The poem is:

??????
??????
??????
??????
??????
??????
??????
??????

and in English ... it is very nice, about someone who found Buddhism in his middle age ...

My Retreat at Mount Zhongnan

My heart in middle age found the Way.
And I came to dwell at the foot of this mountain.
When the spirit moves, I wander alone
Amid beauty that is all for me....
I will walk till the water checks my path,
Then sit and watch the rising clouds --
And some day meet an old wood-cutter
And talk and laugh and never return.

Wang Wei
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-retre ... -zhongnan/

Gassho, Jundo

[Shindo]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

Thank you for the tip Will. I did try all sorts of stretching etc on the day, but to no avail - perhaps it was brought on by a long drive I had done the day before. I did find it quite a difficult sit, I had been busy all morning & my mind resented this dull, painful afternoon. Hey ho...

Best wishes

Jools

[CharlesC]

Re: Reminder: Tonight's Zazenkai/Special Zazenkai

.