Sewing the Kesa

[Junkyo]

Sewing the Rakusu during Jukai was both a joyful, and incredibly humbling experience for me. Sewing practice really resonated deeply within me. It has recently come up for me that I would like to sew the Kesa. After chatting with Jundo about it he asked me to also share this as a topic in the forum.

Who has sewn the Kesa? How did the experience affect your practice? What brought you to decide to sew the Kesa?

I think it is wonderful we can share our experiences here and I look forward to learning from yours!

Gassho,

Junkyo
SAT

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[Amelia]

I have begun sewing a kesa. I enjoy doing it, watching the cloth come together from yards, to pieces, and then back together. The effect it has on my practice is a reminder of the repetition of life, how tasks go from starting to going to finished over time, just watching the needle and the stitches. It is sometimes annoying and boring, watching my mind wander to other things it might like to be doing, and realizing that it's all kind of the same. Resistance is also a teacher when sewing.

Gassho

Sat today, lah

[Nanrin]

Geika, thank you for sharing. Beautiful image of cloth together, cut apart, then put back together again.

I have not sewn a kesa yet, but Jundo recently gave me permission to start. I'm looking forward to hearing from more sangha members about their experiences as I start in this endeavor.

Nanrin (Southern Forest)
St

[Kotei]

Hello,

imho, like Zazen, Kinhin, Samu, Long-distance-running , Kesa sewing can help, merging the Self with the Now.
Emptying the mind and merging with the activity.
After preparation of the sewing material, I pause for a moment and sit some minutes Zazen at my sewing place before starting.
The impatient meets the patient. The diligent meets the lazy. The calm meets the agitated. The pedant meets the sloppy. The professional meets the bungler. The balanced meets the aggressive.
All together arguing with the Zen practitioner about the middle way.
Interesting mirror, this sewing business.

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Heiso]

I like the idea of sewing a kesa as I enjoy samu in the garden and long distance running (as Kotei said). I was hoping to start with the next batch of people taking Jukai later in the year but can we start earlier? I have not been blessed with much manual dexterity so may need a head start!

Gassho,

Neil

StLaH

[Jundo]

I like the idea of sewing a kesa as I enjoy samu in the garden and long distance running (as Kotei said). I was hoping to start with the next batch of people taking Jukai later in the year but can we start earlier? I have not been blessed with much manual dexterity so may need a head start!

Gassho,

Neil

StLaH

Hi Neil,

We usually sew the small Rakusu (the abbreviated Kesa worn around the neck) for Jukai. That we usually sew all together at Jukai time. The Kesa sewing folks are sewing a full Kesa. We ask that folks have sewn a Rakusu first.

Gassho, Jundo

[Heiso]

Hi Neil,

We usually sew the small Rakusu (the abbreviated Kesa worn around the neck) for Jukai. That we usually sew all together at Jukai time. The Kesa sewing folks are sewing a full Kesa. We ask that folks have sewn a Rakusu first.

Gassho, Jundo

Ah, I've confused the Kesa with the Rakusu, apologies!

Gassho,

Neil

STLah

[Kyoshin]

I had it in my head that sewing the kesa was sewn for ordination, like the rakusu is for jukai. I'd that not the case?

Gassho
Kyōshin
Satlah

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[Kakunen]

Hi

I sew Kesa (Nyoho-e) after sukke tokudo(home leaving)

I try to share pic after.

Gassho
Sat today
Kakunen

[Nanrin]

I had it in my head that sewing the kesa was sewn for ordination, like the rakusu is for jukai. I'd that not the case?

Gassho
Kyōshin
Satlah

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Nope. Lay people can sew and wear kesa too. (That or I've signed up for more than I was expecting [emoji2]). Several of us who took Jukai earlier are in the process of sewing kesa now. If I remember correctly, lay people wore kesa for zazen back in Dogens day.

I'm glad for this thread - kesa sewing isn't mentioned very often in other threads.

Gassho,

Nanrin

St

[Mp]

Nope. Lay people can sew and wear kesa too. (That or I've signed up for more than I was expecting [emoji2]). Several of us who took Jukai earlier are in the process of sewing kesa now. If I remember correctly, lay people wore kesa for zazen back in Dogens day.

I'm glad for this thread - kesa sewing isn't mentioned very often in other threads.

Gassho,

Nanrin

St

Yes, lay folks can sew and wear the kesa. The process is of course, that one has already taken Jukai and sewn the rakusu. Then if one feels the calling to sew the kesa, then one asks permission from their teacher ... in most cases it is always a yes. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAh

[Kyoshin]

(That or I've signed up for more than I was expecting [emoji2])

I'm pretty sure an American Therevada-Zen priest by accidental ordination would make heads explode in both Thailand and Japan [emoji23]



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[Nanrin]

I'm pretty sure an American Therevada-Zen priest by accidental ordination would make heads explode in both Thailand and Japan [emoji23]



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[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] What a happy morning.

A few family members and friends have seen my rakusu and understand jukai to be a lay ordination, fortunately nobody's head has exploded yet. If I walked into a temple where nobody knew me wearing a full kesa saying I was accidentally ordained as a priest heads might just pop. [emoji15]

Gassho,

Nanrin

St

[Nanrin]

Yes, lay folks can sew and wear the kesa. The process is of course, that one has already taken Jukai and sewn the rakusu. Then if one feels the calling to sew the kesa, then one asks permission from their teacher ... in most cases it is always a yes. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAh

This seems to be an open secret around here. I think it's good to not advertise too much, but it's also good to let people know they can ask every now and then. I asked because I feel strongly about sewing the robe (especially after sewing a rakusu) and I came across Taigu's old posts when he first introduced kesa sewing to this sangha. I am overjoyed to have the chance to sew.

Gassho,

Nanrin
St

[Mp]

This seems to be an open secret around here. I think it's good to not advertise too much, but it's also good to let people know they can ask every now and then. I asked because I feel strongly about sewing the robe (especially after sewing a rakusu) and I came across Taigu's old posts when he first introduced kesa sewing to this sangha. I am overjoyed to have the chance to sew.

Gassho,

Nanrin
St

Enjoy the process ... Seeing a kesa has a lot to share. =)

Gassho
Shingen