Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

[Hogo]

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

I am really, really planning on making it this weekend after my ongoing Hiatus. One thing though--I keep spacing out!

Ditto!
I do have family in town but I am really pushing for a bit of free time so am working to join you guys this week. Barring any overrulings by the boss (my wife) I'll see you all then

[Jen]

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

I am really, really planning on making it this weekend after my ongoing Hiatus. One thing though--I keep spacing out! If Fugen or Shohei would be so kind to message me on facebook if I don't have Skype on on Sunday, I'll bring Halloween cookies to the tea party

(ah yes. I am not above bribery!)

[Shohei]

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

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

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

See you then.

Gassho
Shohei

[Jinyu]

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

You speak for me as well on that point Shohei, so let's all hit that reset button and recommit to sit!

And to chant, and to study, and to do samu, ... :lol:

It was a very nice talk yesterday! Sorry for my poor connection... :roll:
Thank you guys!

gassho,
Jinyu

[Dosho]

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

I agree on the reset button its never to late to reset (im hitting it right now!) Im thinking it is too easy to, speaking solely for myself here, to write it off to the reset button to many times.

You speak for me as well on that point Shohei, so let's all hit that reset button and recommit to sit!

Gassho,
Dosho

[Shohei]

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

Well, I would just say "members of the Sangha" ... which includes everyone, from the person who just sat here for the first time today to the teachers and novice priest-trainees, not to forget the Buddha and all Ancestors, the mountains and air and trees. On that last one, sometimes I like "leafers" for our particular Sangha.

Yes that sounds about right, natural. When asked about name calling I thought along the lines of ."my friends"... now the this term is being used by others already but i meant it in a far less formal way I mean ... no high or low, low or high, just "yeah my friends and I were talking..." Sangha members works, well i think (of course imho)

Good chat too, thank you Dosho for *posting! I agree on the reset button its never to late to reset (im hitting it right now!) Im thinking it is too easy to, speaking solely for myself here, to write it off to the reset button to many times.

Gassho
Shohei

[Dosho]

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

Thank you Jundo...

Gassho,
Dosho

[Jundo]

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

Some research on the interweb saw a repeated use of "parishioners" among some Western Zen centers, but most on the call didn't like that term. "Friends" was thought highly of by the group, but a note was made to ask Jundo about the topic.

Well, I would just say "members of the Sangha" ... which includes everyone, from the person who just sat here for the first time today to the teachers and novice priest-trainees, not to forget the Buddha and all Ancestors, the mountains and air and trees. On that last one, sometimes I like "leafers" for our particular Sangha.

I once used the analogy of a ship, in which all of the members are passenger-crew on this same ship we all sail (both passenger and crew at the same time). The job of the ordained folks is to be the cabin boys, bringing fresh towels (cause they have been trained to know where the clean towels are kept) or to be on the bridge keeping the ship afloat and on course (which, in our Practice, is to no destination but right here). All members of the ship, however, are expected to help out and pull their own weight. 8)

Ango was discussed briefly...is there some reluctance to discuss each other's practice? For some on the call, Ango can be "all the things we'd like to do but can't seem to get to". Perhaps we have expectations that are too high? Or are the goals meaningful whether or not we reach them?

Ango is a Practice of wrestling with doing what we want to do, doing what we resist, not doing what we want to do, not doing what we resist. The burdens should usually be set just a little above what we are comfortable with doing, and should include some things we do not wish to do and resist (maybe sewing, work as samu, chanting daily). None of our suggested practices on the original list was set to be so onerous that it could not be done by even someone working two jobs and raising kids ...

I believe that Ango participants should commit to all or most of the following. In all cases, the emphasis will be on increasing ... not raw quantity ... but the sincerity, commitment, vigor and seriousness of what we undertake:

+ Add a minimum of 5 minutes per sitting to however long one's current sitting time, and commit to sit that time - at least daily - without missing a single day. As well, for those who can and whose schedule will realistically allow ... consider adding an additional full sitting period per day to however many times per day one is now sitting Zazen. Whatever your commitment, be realistic about what you can maintain ... and then (absent sheer impossibility) stick with it, without missing a single day

+ Join in each and every 90 minute Saturday Treeleaf Zazenkai, and 4-hour monthly Treeleaf Zazenkai netcast without fail. However, as always, each will be available in recorded form (so may be joined at a time to fit your schedule).

+ Add, if you can, Metta Verse Practice ( viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1199 ) and Nurturing Seeds Practice ( viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1730 ) to your routine each day.

+ Listen, as possible, to each short (usually 5 minutes or so) 'Sit-a-Long' Talk (to be presented by Jundo and Taigu at "Shambhala Sun") during the practice period, also all available in recorded form to meet your schedule. A special series of talks will be presented during the Ango and Jukai period.

+ Join frequently in online discussions in our Forum of the content and Ango experiences, sharing the ups and downs and middles.

+ If technically possible, commit to meet with Jundo or Taigu by Skype video at least once per month during the Ango.

+ If simultaneously studying for Jukai, complete and participate in each of the readings and discussions each week regarding the individual Precepts, as well as complete Rakusu sewing.

+ Make formal study on the meaning and philosophy of Samu (work practice, the central theme of Dogen's "Instructions for the Cook"), and apply such perspectives and attitudes in your family and work duties each day.

+ Commit to give up one or two items or passions one truly loves during the Practice period, for example, sweets after meals, luxurious meals, cigarettes, television, consumer purchases of luxury items.

+ Commit to mindful eating, and silently or orally recite one short meal chant before all meals (here is one I suggest).

(Hands in Gassho) This food comes from the efforts
of all sentient beings past and present,
and is medicine for nourishment of our Practice.
We offer this meal of many virtues and tastes
to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,
and to all life in every realm of existence.
May all sentient beings in the universe
be sufficiently nourished.

+ Commit a portion of your weekly income during the period to extra charitable donations (assuming you have the financial ability). We do not accept any "Dana" financial contributions for Treeleaf, as we now have sufficient resources for what we are doing. However, we do encourage people to make financial donations to charities that help folks, e.g., feeding the poor, finding a cure for a disease. Both donations and Samu work should be a bit beyond the point where it starts to hurt. If you have the time, consider extra volunteer activities in your community as well.

+ Commit to sit our SPECIAL 2-DAY ROHATSU RETREAT (to be held online, currently scheduled for netcast the weekend of December 4 & 5) at the culmination of the Ango. Again, it would be good to participate "live", but all will be available in recorded form to fit schedules. The retreat will likely be similar to last year's schedule and content:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/treeleafzen/2 ... day-j.html

For that reason, if one is not performing what one has committed to do (and absent real extenuating circumstances such as flood or earthquake or martian invasian), one must ask of themselves whether it is a failure of self control and will and discipline and time organization. Seriously. (No different for me, by the way, who wrestles the same way with my perpetual diet). One may avoid several practices (not because one seriously does not have the time), but because one forgets or resists.

The good news is that it is not too late to get back on the wagon, by the way. Right today, right now.

There is "nothing to achieve" in this practice, and "not place to go". But that does not mean we can just sit around, being neglectful. One must bring a great sincerity and diligence to this "nothing to attain".

Gassho, Jundo

[Saijun]

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

Hello,

It was good to join you, even if I had to leave fairly early. Thank you all.

Metta,

Perry

[Dosho]

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

Here's this week's tea party report:

Today's call consisted mostly of social talk as it does on occasion, although some matters of practice were discussed. Fugen asked the group how he, Shohei, and Mongen should refer to members of the sangha as ordained zen priest trainees. Some research on the interweb saw a repeated use of "parishioners" among some Western Zen centers, but most on the call didn't like that term. "Friends" was thought highly of by the group, but a note was made to ask Jundo about the topic.

Ango was discussed briefly...is there some reluctance to discuss each other's practice? For some on the call, Ango can be "all the things we'd like to do but can't seem to get to". Perhaps we have expectations that are too high? Or are the goals meaningful whether or not we reach them?

There were some technical issues throughout the call with some not getting connected at all and others having trouble being heard. Much of the call went into discussions of computers, star trek, being a nerd, video games, and determining if one is "jedi-positive". There was also a brief discussion of zen kids books before the call ended, as it was getting late particularly for the European folks.

See everybody next week!

[Tb]

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

Hi.

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

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)

Here's this week's tea party report:

We started by discussing the light turn out the last couple weeks and how we can encourage more folks to participate. Some people seem to come a few times and then don't come back. Wondering if there's a way to attract more people. However, that turned into a discussion of finding time in the day to do everything we have to do...so, we all have busy schedules.

Some discussion also of the practice partner exercises...are folks reading them? From others who stopped by it would appear the answer is yes, but not many reporting in after doing the exercises. Others (me included) pledge to try better at doing them.

The high level of activity on the "not killing" thread was mentioned, especially in relation to the other precept threads for jukai. This one seems to bring out a lot of differing opinions, heated ones too.

One person noted they had visited their aunt, a carmelite nun, who has extraordinary dedication to her faith. Can buddhists have such dedication when we are asked to regularly question what we believe (exclamation points rather than question marks)?

We learned that one regular at the tea party lives near "the apple market"...fruit stand or convenience store?

The call ended with one person discussing the lack of hope in her country and left the others with little to say, not really knowing how to respond. But the person in question seemed to have hope!

That's the best I can recall from memory....forgot to take notes! See everybody next week!

Gassho,
Dosho

[Dosho]

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

Althought we seem to be bad at reporting what took place at the teaparty from time to time...

I have a sick little one home from school today...report coming soon...so, be patient!

Gassho,
Dosho

[Tb]

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

Hi.

No problem, everybody's welcome whenever and if ever they want to drop in and join the fun.
Althought we seem to be bad at reporting what took place at the teaparty from time to time...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[mydnight]

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

Sorry I keep missing out -- It's not like it is particularly early (1 PM my time), however I usually look at the clock and realize that I've slept in and missed it :S. I really need to reduce my Saturday evening caffeine intake lol (bed-time on weekends often stretches to the five, six, or even seven in the morning mark)

Gassho,