Timers for sitting

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  • Shinshi
    Senior Priest-in-Training
    • Jul 2010
    • 3721

    #16
    Originally posted by Shōnin 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


    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi

    For Zen students a weed is a treasure. With this attitude, whatever you do, life becomes an art.
    ​— Shunryu Suzuki

    E84I - JAJ

    Comment

    • Nengei
      Member
      • Dec 2016
      • 1663

      #17
      <------- Jealous bear. If only...

      Originally posted by Shōnin Risa Bear
      Got no smartphone.
      Gassho,
      Nengei
      Sat today. LAH.
      遜道念芸 Sondō Nengei (he/him)

      Please excuse any indication that I am trying to teach anything. I am a priest in training and have no qualifications or credentials to teach Zen practice or the Dharma.

      Comment

      • Amelia
        Member
        • Jan 2010
        • 4982

        #18
        Originally posted by Shōnin Risa Bear
        Now a sit just comes and goes, like Otis on the dock of the bay.
        This is the third reference to this song I have heard in three days... It was in a movie I watched... It was playing at the restaurant I was eating at yesterday... Shonin brought it up today... I wonder how I will hear it tomorrow

        Gassho
        Sat, lah
        求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
        I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

        Comment

        • Meian
          Member
          • Apr 2015
          • 1722

          #19
          With old injuries and other things flaring up, I have not timed my sits for a while -- most days just sitting briefly with 'whatever comes'. I did sit with Insight and with my phone timer, but found the experience of "being timed" too distracting from just existing. Shikantaza seems to provide me the space to simply 'be', in-between managing functional challenges most days.

          Gassho, meian stlh

          Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
          鏡道 |​ Kyodo (Meian) | "Mirror of the Way"
          visiting Unsui
          Nothing I say is a teaching, it's just my own opinion.

          Comment

          • Kotei
            Dharma Transmitted Priest
            • Mar 2015
            • 4231

            #20
            I like the 'side effect' of Insight Timer, being able to drop a short 'thanks for sitting together - have a peaceful day' to other Treeleafers and reading their messages in the 'Treeleaf' group.
            It intensifies feeling 'Sangha' for me.

            Gassho,
            Kotei sat/lah today.
            義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.

            Comment

            • Tairin
              Member
              • Feb 2016
              • 2850

              #21
              Originally posted by Kotei
              I like the 'side effect' of Insight Timer, being able to drop a short 'thanks for sitting together - have a peaceful day' to other Treeleafers and reading their messages in the 'Treeleaf' group.
              It intensifies feeling 'Sangha' for me.

              Gassho,
              Kotei sat/lah today.
              This is the primary reason why I use Insight Timer. Joining the FSR and the SSR Zazenkai isn’t really an option for me but at least with Insight Timer I can check in with the daily sitters there and often sit at the same time as other members so can drop a “Thanks for Meditating with me” note

              It does help feel connected to the other sitters


              Tairin
              Sat today and lah
              泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful Woods

              Comment

              • Jundo
                Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                • Apr 2006
                • 40720

                #22
                However, timers are all well and good, but I always remind folks that Zazen is ultimately beyond all measure and time ... all true, time, yet timeless ...

                Watching The Clock Rackin Up Points

                So many Zen students think that the longer they sit the better. They believe 10 years surpasses 10 months or 10 days, which must be better than 10 hours, which is better than 10 minutes or seconds. They treat Zazen like a taxi meter or points to rack up, the more they sit the closer they are to the goal. They equate more and


                Gassho, J

                STLah
                ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                Comment

                • Chikyou
                  Member
                  • May 2022
                  • 667

                  #23
                  Originally posted by Jundo
                  However, timers are all well and good, but I always remind folks that Zazen is ultimately beyond all measure and time ... all true, time, yet timeless ...

                  Watching The Clock Rackin Up Points

                  So many Zen students think that the longer they sit the better. They believe 10 years surpasses 10 months or 10 days, which must be better than 10 hours, which is better than 10 minutes or seconds. They treat Zazen like a taxi meter or points to rack up, the more they sit the closer they are to the goal. They equate more and


                  Gassho, J

                  STLah


                  Gassho,
                  SatLah

                  -Kelly
                  Chikyō 知鏡
                  (KellyLM)

                  Comment

                  • Risho
                    Member
                    • May 2010
                    • 3178

                    #24
                    Originally posted by Geika
                    I have set my Insight Timer to open on the timer screen. I think it is under options.

                    Gassho
                    Sat, lah
                    Thank you! I didn't even think to check settings.

                    Gassho

                    Risho
                    -stlah
                    Email: risho.treeleaf@gmail.com

                    Comment

                    • Gareth
                      Member
                      • Jun 2020
                      • 217

                      #25
                      Personally I use the timer on my mobile, with the alarm tone set to “chimes”. For shorter sittings, e.g. when I am on my way out to work, I tend to reach the alarm. For longer sittings I deliberately set it longer than I am going to sit.

                      Gassho,
                      Gareth
                      Sat today, Lah

                      Comment

                      • Soka
                        Member
                        • Jan 2017
                        • 165

                        #26
                        I'm another who sits without a timer. For a while I used a stopwatch, so after I was done I could see how long I had been sitting for. These days, other than catching up on Zazenkai on YouTube or sitting with other people, I rarely time myself. I just sit for a while and I'll be done sitting when I am done sitting.

                        Gassho,
                        Sōka
                        sat

                        Comment

                        • Bokugan
                          Member
                          • Dec 2019
                          • 429

                          #27
                          Originally posted by Kotei
                          I like the 'side effect' of Insight Timer, being able to drop a short 'thanks for sitting together - have a peaceful day' to other Treeleafers and reading their messages in the 'Treeleaf' group.
                          It intensifies feeling 'Sangha' for me.

                          Gassho,
                          Kotei sat/lah today.
                          Same here! I find these short little hellos in the Insight Timer Treeleaf group very helpful for my practice. It reinforces that we are practicing together for me. Also very encouraging for my practice to 'see' others keeping at it each day.

                          This is the main reason I keep Insight Timer for my timer. I do not use it every time, but if I have a limited time for sitting before work and whatnot I will kick it on to a preset so I can just sit and not watch a clock.

                          Gassho,

                          Bokugan
                          SatToday
                          墨眼 | Bokugan | Sumi Ink Eye
                          Ryan-S | zazenlibrarian.com

                          Comment

                          • Meian
                            Member
                            • Apr 2015
                            • 1722

                            #28
                            Originally posted by Shōnin Risa Bear
                            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).
                            Hearing is hit/miss since April, tinnitus can be a bit loud at times. 108 with breathing sounds like a grand idea, with how I'm going lately. Been thinking on this, thanks for sharing. [emoji120]

                            Gassho, st-lh
                            鏡道 |​ Kyodo (Meian) | "Mirror of the Way"
                            visiting Unsui
                            Nothing I say is a teaching, it's just my own opinion.

                            Comment

                            • Tai Shi
                              Member
                              • Oct 2014
                              • 3438

                              #29
                              I lead Zazen, and hopefully Shikantaza this morning. I have a beautiful Japanese bell my daughter sent when she first went to Japan to study an teach about 11 years ago in the fall, and the bell is so clear a be beautiful, it is with deep regret people could not hear it as I invited it, first three time to begin, and then once to end. I hope this never happens again, and will be sure to check that you can hear. It hurts me I was remiss. Sitting is the must important part of Treeleaf for me. I enjoy and feel responsible.
                              Gassho
                              sat/lah
                              Peaceful, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆

                              Comment

                              • Tai Shi
                                Member
                                • Oct 2014
                                • 3438

                                #30
                                I very much hope to attend the regular 1 1/2 hour Zazenkai this Friday, and until then I will continue to practice each of the next two mornings where I sit Zazen at 8:30. Every precaution is made for perfect practice but even the best make mistakes in liturgy! I will watch closely that I may learn and do. Sessions are very important and I will be part of the evening Zazen, Shikantaza as well. I have practiced diligently so I might sit in pose of my beautiful straight back chair, proper Dogen fashion. No knees.
                                Peaceful, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆

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