general zencraft

[Sydney]

I am attempting to cultivate my ties to Treeleaf, something I've made more difficult than need be for a while now (but sometimes complicating my life is just what I do, so I'm not having a panic attack over it).

Fear of my tendency toward pride in intellectualism tends to interfere with my forum participation, although I'm working on it (slowly).

But on some consideration, I've thought of little things I can do that are meaningful and should help. For example, I've never found a satisfactory way to maintain a copy of the chant book, so I've been working on crafting one by hand. Good ol' pencil on unlined paper, like when I was a kid. It speaks to me.

Having crafted my zafu and zabuton by hand, I know that this sort of effort can continue to touch me as I sit even after years of use.

I confess to feeling intimidated by the prospect of sewing a proper rakusu, but maybe a scary undertaking like that could be incorporated in small chunks into daily practice.

Just sharing some of what's on my mind at the moment. Maybe some bit of it will resonate with someone else out there.

[disastermouse]

Re: general zencraft

I am attempting to cultivate my ties to Treeleaf, something I've made more difficult than need be for a while now (but sometimes complicating my life is just what I do, so I'm not having a panic attack over it).

Fear of my tendency toward pride in intellectualism tends to interfere with my forum participation, although I'm working on it (slowly).

But on some consideration, I've thought of little things I can do that are meaningful and should help. For example, I've never found a satisfactory way to maintain a copy of the chant book, so I've been working on crafting one by hand. Good ol' pencil on unlined paper, like when I was a kid. It speaks to me.

Having crafted my zafu and zabuton by hand, I know that this sort of effort can continue to touch me as I sit even after years of use.

I confess to feeling intimidated by the prospect of sewing a proper rakusu, but maybe a scary undertaking like that could be incorporated in small chunks into daily practice.

Just sharing some of what's on my mind at the moment. Maybe some bit of it will resonate with someone else out there.

I too am about to embark on sewing a rakasu, and it scares the shit out of me.

[ChrisA]

Re: general zencraft

Hi Sydney. Thanks for posting. I like your idea of a hand-written chant book and might just steal it. :wink:

I am attempting to cultivate my ties to Treeleaf, something I've made more difficult than need be for a while now (but sometimes complicating my life is just what I do, so I'm not having a panic attack over it).

Fear of my tendency toward pride in intellectualism tends to interfere with my forum participation, although I'm working on it (slowly).

Do not fear! If you promise to katsu me for pride in intellectualism, I'll promise to katsu you!

[Risho]

Re: general zencraft

I liked writing the liturgy by hand. I wrote it in a journal, and I use the journal when chanting the heart sutra during weekly zazenkai for instance. I think it makes it more personal.

Sewing the rakusu is really an amazing process. I've never sewn first of all .. well maybe a little as a kid, but nothing like this. The next thing you know, my wife are hunting for fabric and a sewing kit. lol From my personal experience, I would just say don't take it too seriously. I mean pay attention to what you are doing but have fun with it.

Gassho,

Risho

[lorax]

Re: general zencraft

Hy Sydney

About sewing the “proper” rakasu. If you have the skills to sew a zafu and zabuton, the technical part of sewing your rakasu will be a piece of cake. It is making that sewing part of your practice that will be the challenge and greatest value. Several years ago when I was preparing for Treeleaf’s first Jukai, I saw the sewing of the rakasu as a major stumbling block. At the time I thought my life was a mess, I believed I did not have the time to work on a ralasu. and for sure I had virtually no sewing skills. I had several discussions with Jundo as to how I could complete this effort. He offered some advise and alternatives, but in exchange asked me to try.

That is what you need to do. Put all the doubts, excuses aside and just try. The sewing was a wonderful addition to my fledgling practice. Finding material out in rural far west Texas, finding dyes that could be blended to create a muted colour, following Taigu’s instructions, practicing stitching, and finally the construction, deconstruction and numerous reconstructions produced a very rugged looking rakasu. I looked at it and felt I could do much better and started all over again. Before the Jukai ceremony occurred, I had completed a second rakasu. But you know what? It was in the first one, with all its flaws, where I sewed in the panel that Jundo gave me and it is the one I wear when sitting zazen.

So it is not the product that is the issue, it is the process or practice involved in creating your personal rakasu, one that will ultimately reflect who you are.

Looking forward to hearing from you on the forum. Please don’t hold back. It can get a bit rough and tumble at times, but in the end we all are learning and becoming more and more a true sangha supporting each other in our practice,

Take care

Jim

[Hoyu]

Re: general zencraft

Chet wrote:
I too am about to embark on sewing a rakasu, and it scares the shit out of me.

Hi Chet,
In what ways?

[Amelia]

Re: general zencraft

I too am about to embark on sewing a rakasu, and it scares the shit out of me.

Good rakasu, bad rakasu-- still rakasu, still nothing.

[Saijun]

Re: general zencraft

I too am about to embark on sewing a rakasu, and it scares the shit out of me.

Hey Chet,

From one who's just finishing up a big sewing project, let me tell you that it's a wonderful practice for shining a light in all those dark little crevices that you didn't know you had (I didn't know I had). Bon courage!

Metta and Gassho,

Saijun.

p.s.--Since we're on the subject, would anyone else be interested in using Google+'s hangout feature for a Treeleaf Fukudenkai during the upcoming Ango?

[Jundo]

Re: general zencraft

I too am about to embark on sewing a rakasu, and it scares the shit out of me.

Good rakasu, bad rakasu-- still rakasu, still nothing.

Yet we work diligently and sincerely to make it good, still something!

A Koan for Life.

[Shohei]

Re: general zencraft

I too am about to embark on sewing a rakasu, and it scares the shit out of me.

Hey Chet,

From one who's just finishing up a big sewing project, let me tell you that it's a wonderful practice for shining a light in all those dark little crevices that you didn't know you had (I didn't know I had). Bon courage!

Metta and Gassho,

Saijun.

p.s.--Since we're on the subject, would anyone else be interested in using Google+'s hangout feature for a Treeleaf Fukudenkai during the upcoming Ango?

Yes

Gassho
Shohei

[Shokai]

Re: general zencraft

Be yourself; just BE !! :roll:

[Taigu]

Re: general zencraft

I strongly advise anybody interested in this question of Zencrafts to read the article of Daido Loori roshi, The Artless Arts of Zen in the following issue of Dharma Eye...As an incredible photographer and an amazing Zen teacher, he puts it exactly right:

http://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/dharma/pdf/18e.pdf

When I was young, I was obsessed by Art, music and Literature, so much so I wanted to be an artist and be seen and recognized as such. Many years went by, and the big dream appears for what it is: a big pile of ...
Failing as a musician and playwriter, rotten novelist, writing clumsy poetry and sewing kesas, I am not trying anymore to be an artist, but to be alive now, moment after moment and listen and see and perceive truly the wonder of all this. Too clumsy to convey it, I just witness and sing along.

Please, welcome. Being indeed. Suchness, raw, undiluted, not masked anymore.

And please, listen to our ancestor Daido Loori, what he says is truly priceless.


gassho


Taigu

[Dosho]

Re: general zencraft

Since we're on the subject, would anyone else be interested in using Google+'s hangout feature for a Treeleaf Fukudenkai during the upcoming Ango?

Count me in.

Gassho,
Dosho

[Taigu]

Re: general zencraft

Depends where and when... But yes, I would like to join too and could maybe help a bit.

gassho


Taigu

[Myoku]

Re: general zencraft

Well, ... whats exactly a Fukudenkai ?
_()_
Peter