Over the last week or two I have been trying to be a bit more formal in some of my daily zazen sessions. In the past (some years ago) I was very resistant to the ceremony side of things but I have come to see how various forms are a help along the way, although I don't always like them. Encountering and dropping mental resistance is good practice. I doubt I'll ever learn more than a few of the detailed forms that Dogen wrote about, but I'd like to know some of the basics out of respect.
Trouble is I've never been to a brick-and-mortar zendo to watch what happens. I've tried to use our weekly zazenkai and Jundo's videos as a guide, but it's hard to see what's going on my phone's screen. I'm coming two years here and I'm still following along like a lost child every zazenkai.
I think I understand how to do the basic elements (gassho, putting on robes, etc.) separately, but I don't get how to put them together. I assume that the general order of things goes something like this:
1. Gassho, enter meditation room
2. Walk to front of shrine, gassho
3. Prostrations?
4. Put on Kesa/Rakusu (I keep it on my cushion, might need to store it elsewhere so I start with this step)
5. Light candles/incense
6. Gassho
7. Chant heart sutra? Do we usually sit or stand when chanting? I've been wondering which is the norm ever since I joined but have yet to figure it out.
8. Bow in gassho? prostrations?
9. Go to seat (my space just enough room to sit or stand, so not much walking to do)
10. Bow towards sitting space, bow towards room, sit down
11. Adjust robe/clothing, settle down into zazen posture
12. Sit for set time
13. Gassho, 4 vows
14. Turn around, stand up, squeeze zafu, bow towards zafu and room
14. Put out candle
15. Boogie on out
16. Maintain practice throughout day and life
If anyone can help get that list straitened out I would be very grateful. All of the ceremony is certainly not necessary - most days I just plop down and sit however I am - but I'd like to learn how to do the forms and not just muddle through our zazenkais.
Gassho
Nanrin
Sat today
Trouble is I've never been to a brick-and-mortar zendo to watch what happens. I've tried to use our weekly zazenkai and Jundo's videos as a guide, but it's hard to see what's going on my phone's screen. I'm coming two years here and I'm still following along like a lost child every zazenkai.
I think I understand how to do the basic elements (gassho, putting on robes, etc.) separately, but I don't get how to put them together. I assume that the general order of things goes something like this:
1. Gassho, enter meditation room
2. Walk to front of shrine, gassho
3. Prostrations?
4. Put on Kesa/Rakusu (I keep it on my cushion, might need to store it elsewhere so I start with this step)
5. Light candles/incense
6. Gassho
7. Chant heart sutra? Do we usually sit or stand when chanting? I've been wondering which is the norm ever since I joined but have yet to figure it out.
8. Bow in gassho? prostrations?
9. Go to seat (my space just enough room to sit or stand, so not much walking to do)
10. Bow towards sitting space, bow towards room, sit down
11. Adjust robe/clothing, settle down into zazen posture
12. Sit for set time
13. Gassho, 4 vows
14. Turn around, stand up, squeeze zafu, bow towards zafu and room
14. Put out candle
15. Boogie on out
16. Maintain practice throughout day and life
If anyone can help get that list straitened out I would be very grateful. All of the ceremony is certainly not necessary - most days I just plop down and sit however I am - but I'd like to learn how to do the forms and not just muddle through our zazenkais.
Gassho
Nanrin
Sat today
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