Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

[Dosho]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi all,

Sorry for the delay...but here is this week's Tea Party report:

The meeting opened with an annoucement that even though many will be sitting with the recorded version of the retreat, the tea party will go on as scheduled. However, Jundo has requested that only folks who have sat some part of the retreat live attend. A couple people mentioned that they would either not make it or only stop by for a few minutes as they will be sleeping after doing the entire retreat live.

Many topics were discussed, including why more women don't participate in the tea parties (and at Treeleaf and Zen for that matter!), suggested reading from the booklist, various authors such as Norm Fischer and Stephen Batchelor, harvest celebrations, bad jokes, and philosophy (particularly the question of whether it "stinks"). The question was also asked, "If a chicken lays an egg and no one is around to hear it, does it smell like purple?" None of the attendees believed this to be a koan, but perhaps a good start to one.

Once the discussion turned to questions of, "How cold is cold? " and "Is there try or no try?", the gathering concluded.

Gassho,
Dosho

[Dosho]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi all,

Tea Party report is forthcoming...had to take advantage of a sunny day before it turns cold and rainy tomorrow...I have the muscle aches to prove it.

Gassho,
Dosho

[RodAbbott]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Another great Tea Party. Gassho, Rod

[Tb]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi.

Just putting in a reminder of the Treeleaf teaparty , 21.00 (swedish time).

Everybody's welcome.
Same time, same place.
Thank you for your practice.

Note: If you have skype and want to participate, please pm Shohei or Fugen your skypename if you haven't already done so.

Gassho and Mtfbwy
Shohei and Fugen

[RodAbbott]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

I want to thank Fugen, Shohei, Julia, Chet, Stephanie, and Hans for my making first Tea Party welcoming and special.

Gassho, Rod

[Tb]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi
This sunday we had both an Treeleaf beginners mind teaparty and a Treeleaf teaparty.

Here's an summary of what was discussed..

* Practice- our own and others
* Sitting posture
* Ango
* Practicepartner excercises
* Language
* What everybody do, when not at the Treeleaf teaparty
* ADD/ADHD and Medication
* Stephanies visit at Chet, and his birthday
* Perfectionism in practice and the troubles it brings
* Music and age
* The new Shobogenzoversion and Dogen

Thats about it,in a short concise way, i believe.. :roll:

See you next sunday, same time, same place

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Tb]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi.

Just putting in a reminder of the Treeleaf teaparty , 21.00 (swedish time).

Everybody's welcome.
Same time, same place.
Thank you for your practice.

Please also note the Treeleaf beginners mind teaparty, beginning an hour earlier, 20.00, for people new to Treeleaf and people new/not comfortable to the Treeleaf teaparty format.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3118

For anyone of them, please pm Shohei or Fugen your skypename.

Gassho and Mtfbwy
Shohei and Fugen

[Dosho]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi all,

Here's this week's tea party report:

This week's call was well attended and Fugen announced a small change in the format. We now discuss matters of practice up front before we get into any issues of a more social nature. It was thought that sometimes having the two mixed together wasn't the best and the idea seemed to work smoothly. Also discussed was the idea of a beginner's tea party that would take place monthly an hour before the regular call. It is hoped that folks new to Treeleaf, practice, or just the "free for all" that is the tea party can feel more comfortable with fellow newbies. As was mentioned last week, any input is very welcome on how to help new people.

Issues discussed this week included advice on kesa sewing, increasing sitting time gradually, finding peace when we drop things (rakusus!) in the mud, sewing like there is no tomorrow (otherwise known as one day at a time), difficulty in maintaining ango commitments, breaking habits, persistent thoughts during zazen, and how to deal with innapropriate speech, both from others and your own mouth!

Hope to see you all next week!

Gassho,
Dosho

[Tb]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi.

Just putting in a reminder of the Treeleaf teaparty.

Everybody's welcome.
Same time, same place.
Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Dosho]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi all,

Here's this week's tea party report (apologies for the delay):

Much of the discussion was of a social nature, so aspects of practice weren't the primary topic of the day. To that end, the idea of starting a "newbies" tea party was brought up. Ideas were tossed around such as how often...perhaps once a month? What would be the benefit? Would people new to Treeleaf be more interested? Or would it be more attractive to long term folks who just haven't, for one reason or another, felt comfortable coming to the tea party. Same day and time? Ultimately it was decided to seek out any input from our fellow Treeleafers on this (or really any other topic related to the tea party). It was also thought by some that putting matters of practice up at the beginning and then having a more social portion afterwards would perhaps be a better format.

Topics of conversation ranged from adopting cats, to times when we say more than we should to others, Oprah, and a car named Bonkers. I guess you had to be there.

See you next week!

Gassho,
Dosho

[Dosho]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

US and Canada DST is not in effect until November 7th so the party will start an hour earlier

Sunday is November 7th, so DST will be ending overnight for US and Canada...I think. My brain hurts.

[Tb]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi.

A reminder of the treeleaf teaparty sunday 21:00 (swedish time) on skype.

Everybody's welcome.
Same time, same place.
Thank you for your practice.

Please note DST is in effect for some folks so check your time.
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=239
US and Canada DST is not in effect until November 7th so the party will start an hour earlier


Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Dosho]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

Hi all,

We have a very brief report this week, both because there was low attendance due to the holiday and I had to leave early:

We discussed the similarities between Halloween and monks begging for food, since both groups have bowls, wear robes, and get handouts. Would the Buddha egg someone's house if they didn't give him "treats"? Probably not.

Ango and practice partners were discussed...there is still some resistance to talking about Ango experiences, but as Fugen pointed out, our "failings" are how we ultimately strengthen our practice. If we were perfect, what would be the point in practicing?

Some were taking the kids trick or treating, others were getting ready for parties or just handing out candy, so we decided that's probably where most others were today. I had to leave early due to an impending crisis in the household: My eldest son didn't want to wear thermal underwear under his costume. In the end he wore them and good thing too: It was snowing by nightfall!

See everyone next week!

Gassho,
Dosho

[Shohei]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

o.k. wrote that post not two min. ago and forgot what day Sunday was.......My daughters Birthday!! :shock: I will be in the middle of a party then :lol: so........ I will really see you guys the Following week!!
Have a great weekend everyone.
Gassho ~ Dave.

P.s. Happy Halloween everyone (those who celebrate?) Is it only a U.S. thing?

Enjoy the part

P.s. Happy Halloween everyone (those who celebrate?) Is it only a U.S. thing?

LOL Ill come egg your house, burn a stone bridge if you dont hand over the goods...er to my kids :twisted:
(unfortunately that's the yearly koan round here...How to set a stone bridge a blaze?)
Seriously though good question Dave, I know its common in US and Canada (and confirmed for on scary guy in Sweden) how about others?

Gassho
Shohei

[Hogo]

Re: Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

o.k. wrote that post not two min. ago and forgot what day Sunday was.......My daughters Birthday!! :shock: I will be in the middle of a party then :lol: so........ I will really see you guys the Following week!!
Have a great weekend everyone.
Gassho ~ Dave.

P.s. Happy Halloween everyone (those who celebrate?) Is it only a U.S. thing?