Curiosity question for members - Why are you here?

[Koushi]

I am curious. Why are you here, at Treeleaf? What are you looking to achieve, to obtain? What do you hope to get out of being a member?

There's not a Soto Zen place within 2 hours of me—4 if you count Atlanta traffic. Toss in some agoraphobia history and sprinkle some other health issues and I'm happy I found the always-on Treeleaf.

To achieve... nothing really. I only hope to give back to the sangha in some beneficial way—and to help keep the lights on for others who need a refuge that isn't readily found close by.

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Meian]

There's not a Soto Zen place within 2 hours of me—4 if you count Atlanta traffic. Toss in some agoraphobia history and sprinkle some other health issues and I'm happy I found the always-on Treeleaf.

To achieve... nothing really. I only hope to give back to the sangha in some beneficial way—and to help keep the lights on for others who need a refuge that isn't readily found close by.

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

Gassho2 stlh

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[Jacob Janicek]

Well one day my mother, bless her heart, believed a divine force was telling her to get pregnant after she had joined a cult...actually that might be a little too far back I think I misunderstood the question. While working in commercial pest control during the pandemic as an essential worker, seeing what human civilization would look like after we're all gone gave me deep existential questions that only several audiobooks could answer while I struggled to drown out the deafening silence of abandoned buildings. I listened to a few books on Buddhism and Zen and was intrigued. I sat with a local group on zoom but they closed down so a quick Google search led me here.

I'm hoping to achieve godhood like King Cyrus I of ancient Persia. While I work on that I'm hoping to learn more about how this "not-self" concept works.

I kind of dig the whole Japanese name thing so I figure I'll at least stick around long enough to find out I can't sew anything to save my life and have some sort of humiliating epiphany.

Gassho,
Jacob Jay
Sat today.
I also lent several hands.

[Koushi]

I figure I'll at least stick around long enough to find out I can't sew anything to save my life and have some sort of humiliating epiphany.

Careful, that’s how a lot of us wind up ordained

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Seiko]

I'll at least stick around long enough to find out I can't sew anything to save my life and have some sort of humiliating epiphany.

Hey Jacob,
I am partially sighted, so my sewing is far from perfect. I would encourage you to give it a try. It's a lovely insightful experience. But I'm not challenging you to a competition for the worst tailor - let's try to improve together instead.

Gasshō
Seiko
stlah

[Rick]

I was first exposed to soto zen during the 1990s in Kent, Ohio. I have lived in SE Virginia since 1999. The closest place I could go is 3 hours away.

Gassho,
Rick

ST
LAH

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[Gareth]

I came to Treeleaf because I was looking for a group of people who thought about life in a similar way. I had also been in a really bad way at one point, and thought that I could eventually learn to help others get out of or avoid similar states. I have settled on just trying to make small changes in the way I interact with the world and improving my practice.

Gassho,
Gareth

Sat today, Lah

[Onki]

I have been an active member of a few different Sanghas but none of them really fit. The last group that I was sitting with was very small. The teacher didn’t have enough experience to help me dive deeper into Zen. It’s actually quite funny; I was a member of the small Sangha and there was going to be a special guest speaker named Jundo from Treeleaf promoting his new book. I went to the talk. Jundo’s words really stuck with me; his presence. I knew that I had to become a part of the Treeleaf Sangha.
I’ve been here since 2020. I’m proud to call Treeleaf my home. I have made wonderful friends here; constantly learning new things every day. I plan on being here for years to come.

Gasshō,

On

Sat today

[Heiso]

Like many others I have a busy job and a young family so can't really get to a bricks and mortar zendo. I thought Treeleaf would be a good stopgap but instead became a home.

Gassho

Heiso
StLah

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[Tomás ESP]

Suffering and finding a way to healing

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH