Timing your Zazen

[johnny]

Aside from using the meditation timer on this site or others, I'm curious what method everyone here uses to time themselves.

Thanks,

John

[lindabeekeeper]

Hi John,

I've used everything from kitchen timers to the time it takes incense to burn down. I don't recommend looking at a clock or your watch. It's way too distracting.

I don't think it matters much. It is the sitting that is important.

Good luck

Gassho,

Linda

[Eika]

Hi, John. Welcome to treeleaf. I've used incense in the past, but now I mostly use a cheap timer I bought on Amazon that can be made to sound, vibrate, or flash a light. If I can find the link, I'll post it.

[Kelly M.]

Just a dollar store kitchen timer for me.

I also recently found this:

http://www.harmonicsystems.net/buddhabell.html

Its a simple meditation timer programe.

[will]

Modified Treeleaf gong that I posted here( recommended)

Before that a watch alarm. They have some neat gong alarm clocks kicking around. Don't know if you seen those.

G,W

[johnny]

Thanks for all the input!

Will....yes I've seen those....I might spring for one down the road...

Don'tknow....I'm going to search Amazon right now...thanks!

[louis]

my cell phone on vibrate mode, left on my desk.

[Skye]

Good suggestion, Louis. I find most timer alarms rather jarring!

[Stephanie]

1. $100 "Digital Zen Alarm Clock" (until I broke it :lol
2. Incense stick (when I'm where I can burn incense)
3. Treeleaf timer / virtual zendo (love the graphics too)
4. Glancing at cell phone / watch nearby (I've sat zazen long enough that I have a visceral enough feel for the passage of time that I don't have to look so often it becomes distracting)

[Charles]

About half the time I use Jundo's videos, which run for about the length of time I want to sit for.

The rest of the time I use my cell phone's alarm clock function, which thankfully works even when the ringer is turned off.

Louis, I didn't even think to check if the alarm can be set to vibrate instead of ringing. Thanks for the idea. The alarm is indeed jarring.

--Charles

[Bansho]

Hi,

I just use an inexpensive digital stopwatch with a countdown timer.

Gassho
Ken

[Mensch]

Perfectionist that I am, I edited MP3 tracks using Apple's wonderful Garage Band software and free high fidelity singing bowl chimes. I use separate intro-, silence- and ending tracks which can be stacked to any desired length of sitting without increasing memory consumption. Playback at home is done via a tiny battery-powered speaker console that sits on a shelf right behind my head.

I have to say: The sound experience almost beats the real thing and though Uchiyama would probably dismiss it as another zazen "toy", it seems to enhance concentration considerably. (Send me a message if you want to try it.)

When outdoors I simply use my watch.

Gasho.
Mensch

(PS: Proper avatar in the works.)

[Mensch]

:shock: Oops! Software hickup?

[Janice]

I use an enso clock by salubrion http://www.toolsforwellness.com/21470.html

or http://www.salubrion.com/products/en...o-features.php.

I thought the interval timer feature might come in handy for use with exercise. But I have used that feature on occasion to lengthen my zazen-- set the short chime to go off after the first interval at the normal length of my sitting and then set the second interval to go off 5 or 10 minutes later.

You can choose various non-jarring sounds for the alarm like wooden blocks, tingsha, or singing bowls.

[Jundo]

Hey Guys,

Just so everyone knows, if you decide to use the Treeleaf Timers {designed by the great John Simon) they are downloadable for Mp3 players and such ... great for a bit of Zazen when out in the world ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/meditation.html

And, like the universe, it is FREE!

Also, Will, please post the link for your extended version (2x 30 minutes with Kinhin in between). I don't think the link posted.

Gassho, Jundo