The hour of sitting

[Dojin]

Lately i had this wondering. what times do people sit? and how the chosen time effects their zazen.
I sit daily. but i usually sit quite late, around 23:00-24:00 (i dont go sleep early most days). usually a little before bed and after my wife went to sleep and i've finished with everything i wanted to do (including a lot of pointless things that i probably could postpone to a different time in order to sit earlier). i have noticed an interesting thing. the later the hour i sit and the more tired i am the harder it is to sit, physically and mentally. since i start working at 7 in the morning (the shifts start at 7 in the hospitals in israel) i wake up at around 5:40 or so. i dont get much sleep, around 5-6 hours of sleep on most days. when i sit late i tend to be sleepy and at times it seems harder to find comfortable position that i can keep for long (i usually sit 30 minutes). sometimes my mind wont quiet down and sometimes the other way around i tend to turn off in a way. i am still aware but it is like everything goes on and thoughts sometimes arise but i am not there, as if sleeping but not sleeping (its hard to explain exactly).
but when i sit earlier i notice that sitting becomes more natural and easier for me (sometimes there are no absolutes in this practice).
does anyone else notice something like that? and what hours of the day do you all sit usually?
and of course a question for Jundo and Taigu are there any times recommended for sitting and anything like that?

[Jundo]

Hi Daniel,

Well, mornings upon waking and just before bed are most common for folks, though some may sit during lunch break from work and the like (or all of the above! ). Different folks are different, but I think it more likely to be tired, and have trouble keeping the eyes open, at the end of the day. I leave this to everyone's own inclinations.

And of course, we also "sit" Zazen all through the day ... walking, standing, running or reclining ... in all life situations and moments ... with our PATENTED “INSTA-ZAZEN” ©

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?7686-Sit-a-Long-with-Jundo-Zazen-for-Beginners-%28Part-XX%29

Gassho, J

[murasaki]

My point of view is certainly not better that Jundo's, but I would say that I think everyone has to discover their own rhythm, which is unique, and work with it.

Past a certain time, I am too sleepy to sit properly, and my discipline is weak enough that I will skip sitting if I lose track of time or am too busy. But I am working/non-working on that.

(Send me some metta for that...because I am neglecting to take care of myself, which means I am less capable of saving all other sentient beings!

Gassho
Julia

[andyZ]

I think it's important (at least for me) to try to develop a schedule for regular sitting and keep to it. In that way zazen becomes part of my life just as having breakfast and taking a shower. It's important, however, not to see it as yet another chore that has to be done.

[Kyonin]

For me, sitting early fits wonderfully. Everyday at 6 AM. In the morning I feel fresh and there's something about sitting with dawn that makes it very special.

I only sit on the evening for Zazenkai, every Friday evening for me. But this is because it's an important event. Most of the time I'm too tired to sit at nights.

But yes, I think we all have to find the right time.

[RichardH]

During the day , when I get swept up in things, reaching and running.. I'll sit, just for a few minutes, even if it is on a sidewalk bench, or in a noisy cafe.. just to stop running from my own bones.

gassho, kojip

[Emmet]

I like to sit early in the morning. I feed the dogs and let them out, and they go back to sleep. The garbage trucks, lawn mowers, telephones, airplanes haven't started yet; it's peaceful, quiet, and there's something indefinable which I derive from zazen which infuses the rest of my day. As my wife's usually still asleep, I use an incense stick as a timer, without even an inkin bell to disturb the silence.
I also sit at our zendo in the evenings a couple of times a week. Sometimes the exertions of the day make me sleepy, often they've aggravated my arthritis and old injuries enough to make sitting uncomfortable; sometimes painfully so. Sleepiness and pain notwithstanding, it's still good to sit a while.

[Rich]

Early in the morning and about an hour after evening meal usually about 7pm. Insta zazen is always available as jundo said.

[Mp]

Early in the morning and about an hour after evening meal usually about 7pm. Insta zazen is always available as jundo said.

Same here Rich, I sit at 5am when I wake and then an hour or so after supper. I find before bedtime hard as I am too tired. But like Jundo and others have said, anytime, anyplace is a good time to sit.

[Dosho]

I sit whenever I can find time inbetween naps, baseball, soccer, and just time spent with my boys (and my wife when we can find precious quiet moments to ourselves). It isn't easy and I miss some days, but you learn to adapt!

Gassho,
Dosho

[alan.r]

I sit in the morning, usually at about 7 or 7:30 if I teach that day, and then in the evening about an hour before dinner. Like others, for me, the evening sit can digress quickly into the evening nap. I've found that if I can sneak in a quick ten minutes or so of just closing my eyes, even in a chair, before the evening sit, and then get the body up and going some, I'm not nearly as tired during the sitting.

Gassho,
alan

[Risho]

I've been sitting after work lately around 6 or 7pm set. Normally I do prefer mornings.

[Khalil Bodhi]

I usually sit from 4:30am until 5:15am and then at night around 8 or 9pm after the kids are asleep. I've also been trying to fit in a midday sit as I find I completely loose my moorings by noon. Mettaya.

Gassho,

Mike

[Kaishin]

Usually between 8-9pm. I used to sit mornings and prefer it, but lately I can't seem to stop hitting snooze

[AlanLa]

I used to always sit in the morning right after getting up. But in an (non)effort to incorporate sitting throughout the day I now sit in the mornings on weekdays and some time, any time, during the day on weekends. The problem with that is I can sometimes get all caught up in stuff and forget. But that's why I try to do it this way, so I learn NOT to forget. So sometimes I end up sitting right before bed, or (gasp) not at all, though rarely for the latter.