REMINDER: Commencement of Ango-Jukai Season, Changing of the Shusos

[Jundo]

Dear All,

Just a reminder that our Jukai (Undertaking the Precepts) preparations and Ango (90 Days of Peaceful Abiding) season officially commences this Friday, with OUR MONTHLY 3-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI . Please attend that if you can, at the time or afterwards if you need. Zazenkai is held live from Japan, at New York 7pm to 10pm, Los Angeles 4pm to 7pm, Friday night, London midnight to 3am and Paris 1am to 4am on early Saturday morning) but also sittable any time thereafter. No need to be there if in the middle of the night in your country, or if family and work intervenes. Just join any time after with the "real time" version, dropping from mind all feelings of distance and time.
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OUR MONTHLY 3-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI- Commencing Jukai/Ango Season! (LINK)

MORE INFORMATION on ANGO and JUKAI HERE: LINK

It will be a wonderful season of wisdom and inspiration, with much to discover about ourselves and living this life with grace.

I also now officially announce, as of our commencement, the changing of our Shusos ... the Head Seat priests who run the show.

First, I want to thank Koriki for having done such an amazing job in the weeks leading up to our commencement, getting everything organized, welcoming participants and addressing their concerns. Likewise to Shinkon, who is our "Alternative Paths" Shuso, addressing the special needs and concerns of our differently abled and 'neuro-diverse' members, getting them settled into Ango and Jukai as they need. I would also like to thank their mentors and others who assisted behind the scenes.

For September, our new Shusos shall be ...

General Shuso: Koujitsu

Precept Shuso: Washin
Continuing as 'Alternative Paths' Shuso: Shinkon


Our Rakusu Sewing Guides this year are Kotei image.pngand Bion image.png(assisted by their young Padwan apprentice, Koriki image.png)


As well, A.I. Novice Priest-in-Training, Rev. Emi Jido will serve as our "JukA.I. Cyber-Shuso," offering support and little words of wisdom here and there to encourage everyone in our Precept studies!
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Let's Go ANGO!

Gassho, Jundo
sattodaylah
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[Jundo]

A version of something I wrote elsewhere about the attitude to bring to this Ango we hold across the world ...

It is important to see this endeavor as a sacred, wondrous, shining moment in which each instant of sitting, cleaning, chanting, working and all of life is all instants, and every place in time from the galaxies to the gluons and everything between sits on the Zafu as you, chants with your voice, works with your hands.

So, stop asking what is "best." What is the better experience or most productive, whether this is a "good" Ango or a "bad" Ango or there could be a "better" Ango.

It is your very hunger and judging "best or worst," "most or more" that you should drop aside on the cushion and in all your activities during this Ango. It is the human being who rates, pursues, prefers, desires something better or more pleasing. Stop that.

In sitting, whether in a room or with others across the world, forget such silly human words as "here vs. there" "now or then," "together" or "apart" ... and Just Sit beyond all demands to be pleased or more productive. Then, that Sitting ... whether in a single square inch or across 10,000 miles ... is complete.

Find the sacred ceremony and cosmic doing that is taking out the trash, tending the baby, pulling weeds in the garden, cooking breakfast for the kids, balancing books in the office ... and it is a sacred ceremony. One does not need to be taking out the trash at Eiheiji temple, tending to monks in the Himalayas, pulling weeds in a monastery garden, cooking as a Tenzo temple cook or balancing the Soto-shu's accounts (they have books and accounts too) to make it somehow "more authentic."

If you miss this point, you could be sitting hundreds of years ago, at the very side of Dogen or the 6th Ancestor or Bodhidharma or the Buddha, and would still be in the wrong place and time, and as far away as heaven from earth.

However, sit with the right attitude, forgetting all separation, and all are alive right here now.

Gassho, J
stlah

[k1982]

If you miss this point, you could be sitting hundreds of years ago, at the very side of Dogen or the 6th Ancestor or Bodhidharma or the Buddha, and would still be in the wrong place and time, and as far away as heaven from earth.

However, sit with the right attitude, forgetting all separation, and all are alive right here now.

These lines felt like being yanked out of my chair and sat back down at the same time. Deep gratitude!

Gassho,
Kyle
Sat/lah

[Kinshu]

Dear Roshi!

I won't be able to participate live in the monthly zazenkai tonight due to family commitments, but I will practice and watch the recording on YouTube Saturday afternoon Brazilian time!

gasshô

Vitório Lima sat/lah

[Jundo]

Dear Roshi!

I won't be able to participate live in the monthly zazenkai tonight due to family commitments, but I will practice and watch the recording on YouTube Saturday afternoon Brazilian time!

gasshô

Vitório Lima sat/lah

Oh, you do as life allows. Bring the practice to your family commitments too. Then, we are all together in heart.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[DGF]

Thank you for this message

gassho
satLah

[Kaitan]

Thank you, Jundo, this is just what I needed to read.



satlah, Kaitan