Timers for sitting

[Chikyou]

I'm looking for a timer to use during sitting and wanted to know if any Sangha members have suggestions. I'm currently using the Insight Timer app, and I do like it, however, it requires me to break my flow and fiddle with my phone (for instance, I'll be watching one of Jundo's Sit-A-Long videos, and then I'll have to start the app after Jundo rings the bell. It's not ideal.)

I'm considering a sand timer but I will have to keep eyes on it. A simple kitchen timer is far too jarring with its shrill beeps. There are some meditation timers, but they cost far too much in my opinion.

The simplest option is no timer, of course - but I feel I need something to keep track, at least for now (lest I wind up only sitting for 5 minutes or, alternatively, wind up late to work. )

Ideally a timer would be inexpensive, easy to start, and have a soft bell or chime instead of a garish beep.

Gassho,
SatLah

-Kelly

[Shinshi]

I have just used the timer on my phone many times.

There is also an iphone app called Meditation time that is very simple and has worked well for me It gives you a choice of bells.

The plumb village folks have an iphone app but it is more involved.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Bion]

I'm looking for a timer to use during sitting and wanted to know if any Sangha members have suggestions. I'm currently using the Insight Timer app, and I do like it, however, it requires me to break my flow and fiddle with my phone (for instance, I'll be watching one of Jundo's Sit-A-Long videos, and then I'll have to start the app after Jundo rings the bell. It's not ideal.)

I'm considering a sand timer but I will have to keep eyes on it. A simple kitchen timer is far too jarring with its shrill beeps. There are some meditation timers, but they cost far too much in my opinion.

The simplest option is no timer, of course - but I feel I need something to keep track, at least for now (lest I wind up only sitting for 5 minutes or, alternatively, wind up late to work. )

Ideally a timer would be inexpensive, easy to start, and have a soft bell or chime instead of a garish beep.

Gassho,
SatLah

-Kelly

I say: break that flow! [emoji1] For me, it’s always Insight Timer. If not, as Shinshi says: just use your phone timer. Don’t stress over these things. [emoji3526]

[emoji1374] Sat Today

[Chikyou]

I say: break that flow! [emoji1] For me, it’s always Insight Timer. If not, as Shinshi says: just use your phone timer. Don’t stress over these things. [emoji3526]

[emoji1374] Sat Today

Most likely you are right, why acquire something new, when I can be content with what I have?

I do like that Insight Timer keeps track of my sitting days. I have been sitting every day for almost a month. It doesn't feel like it has been that long!

Gassho,
SatLah
-Kelly

Sorry to run long

[Bion]

Most likely you are right, why acquire something new, when I can be content with what I have?

I do like that Insight Timer keeps track of my sitting days. I have been sitting every day for almost a month. It doesn't feel like it has been that long!

Gassho,
SatLah
-Kelly

Sorry to run long

That is a nice feature of it, though some find it to be challenging. I have presets set up on the Insight Timer, so when I sit I just launch a preset and I hit start.. I have bells and duration selected so I don’t have to worry about anything. I have been using it daily for almost 6 years, so I am absolutely biased [emoji1]

[emoji1374] Sat Today


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nengei]

I used Insight for a while, then decided that with it, I am only trying to prove to someone else that I sat. But there is only one person who needs to know that I sat, and that is me!

When I am sitting with the Sangha, I just follow whatever dings and dongs are used in that period. On my own, I usually time my zazen using Zazen Meditation, a free app from Belfast Zen. It has nice bells, is simple to adjust, and is as basic as it gets. If you don't want your phone on when you are sitting, a kitchen timer works great.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Amelia]

Got me thinking about the old Treeleaf timer... back around 2010 we had a little timer page with a burning stick of incense and a bell.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[Chikyou]

Got me thinking about the old Treeleaf timer... back around 2010 we had a little timer page with a burning stick of incense and a bell.

Gassho
Sat, lah

This sounds lovely (real incense is a breathing issue for me indoors unfortunately).

I like Insight Timer generally but it is a little fiddly - there are several screens to get through before I can access my saved timers.

Gassho,
SatLah
-Kelly

[Amelia]

I have set my Insight Timer to open on the timer screen. I think it is under options.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[Onkai]

I open the timer to the preset I want when I first sit down. That way, when a video gets to the zazen part, or I'm ready for group zazen, I just tap the start button.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat lah

[Chikyou]

I have set my Insight Timer to open on the timer screen. I think it is under options.

Gassho
Sat, lah

I'll have to look for that option!

I found an app called "Zen Meditation Timer" which may be the same app Nengai mentioned above. I like it!

Gassho,
SatLah
-Kelly

[bayamo]

I have set my Insight Timer to open on the timer screen. I think it is under options.

Gassho
Sat, lah

i did not know there was an option for that, thanks...
#sattoday

[Tairin]

I have set my Insight Timer to open on the timer screen. I think it is under options.

Gassho
Sat, lah

This is how I have Insight Timer set up. I also have an on phone automation set up so that as soon as I run Insight Timer my phone goes into a focus mode I created called “Zazen” which blocks all notifications while I sit.

If you want to know more about setting up a focus profile on iPhone scroll down this page about half way to “How to automate focus activation”. https://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how...ocus-in-ios-15

I believe Android has a similar capability


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Shonin Risa Bear]

Got no smartphone. Not enough hearing for an oven timer.

Went through a phase where I would roll over one bead per breath, 108 was a done sit (about 20 minutes, very poor lower back).

Now a sit just comes and goes, like Otis on the dock of the bay.

gassho, d shonin sat, some lah

[Bion]

Timers for sitting

Got no smartphone. Not enough hearing for an oven timer.

Went through a phase where I would roll over one bead per breath, 108 was a done sit (about 20 minutes, very poor lower back).

Now a sit just comes and goes, like Otis on the dock of the bay.

gassho, d shonin sat, some lah

I vouch for the Otis zazen!
We get hung up on sitting for a set amount of time, as if 30 minutes of zazen is much more of a good zazen than 10 or 15 and develop this nasty habit of labeling shorter sits as insufficient. I sit without a timer regularly and boy, is it just perfect! [emoji3526]
Thanks for the reminder! [emoji2309]
[emoji1374] Sat Today