Sharing Helpful and Insightful Tips (was The Tea Party)

[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.

[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

[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:

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 , 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

[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

[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.

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)

Another great Tea Party. Gassho, Rod

[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

[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

[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

[Nenka]

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

Many topics were discussed, including why more women don't participate in the tea parties (and at Treeleaf and Zen for that matter!)

Well, I have no webcam and my computer is a 2004 dinosaur anyway :P . We're planning on getting a new machine soon . . . when that happens I hope to check out the tea parties.

[Tb]

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

Many topics were discussed, including why more women don't participate in the tea parties (and at Treeleaf and Zen for that matter!)

Well, I have no webcam and my computer is a 2004 dinosaur anyway :P . We're planning on getting a new machine soon . . . when that happens I hope to check out the tea parties.

Hi.

You don't need an webcam to join.
Its all audio.
As for the computer, well some people still think you should never leave windows XP, but i had an old dinosaur until recently (when it was stolen) and it worked fine!
Maybe we should post some guide to the teaparty?
I'll take it up with Shohei and at the next teaparty...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Dosho]

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

Hi all,

Here is this past week's tea party report:

As the 3rd annual Treeleaf Rohatsu retreat had only concluded a few hours earlier, attendance was light with a couple people that sat live, another who had sat part of the retreat live, and another who will sit it in the coming weeks. There was a discussion of how things might be improved (specifically the layout of the chant book so people don't have to keep flipping around...perhaps a chronological layout?) but also recognition of how much work was put into the retreat by Jundo and Taigu. Perfect.

Perspectives on a few elements of the retreat were mentioned, particularly the difference in the day led by Jundo and the day by Taigu. Different was very good! Oryoki was also discussed: Where to get authentic sets, resources to learn different versions of the ceremony, and getting seconds. One of the attendees, a relative newcomer to Treeleaf, also asked Fugen and Shohei about priest ordination. By this time though the live sitters and the European contingent were getting pretty beat, so the call ended so all could rest up.

Hope to "see" folks this weekend (all audio...no webcam required)!

Gassho,
Dosho