Morning Routine...

[dharmasponge]

Hello everyone,

I have been using a bit of a mish mash of a mourning re chanting. I'd like to have something a little more structured to start and/or end my sitting with. I know there is the Treeleaf PDF to down load but it seems a bit overwhelming at first glance.. Are there any guidelines or instructions I might access? Are there tunes and tones specific to the Tradition Treeleaf fails from for example?

I sit early each morning thanks to my year old son...my personal 4.30am temple bell.....I am just generally wanting to formalise my practice of late.
Maybe if you feel comfortable saying what you do...?

Thanks...

[Jishin]

Alarm goes off at five. Read for about one hour. Feed the dogs and work out for 15 minutes. Zazen for 30 minutes. Take a bath, eat breakfast, etc. Take the kids to school. Begin work at 8 am.

Gassho, Jishin

[Jundo]

Hi,

Well, one can never go wrong with the Heart Sutra. Or/and, if one wishes, the Verse of Atonement and the Four Vows. Metta Chanting is also a way. Or, Just Sitting chants all, all by just sitting! Many ways according to what one feels.

You may find this thread helpful ...

Recommended 'at home' liturgy

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?8069-Recommended-at-home-liturgy

Gassho, J

[Biko]

I tend to be a complete dullard in the morning and fall back asleep whilst sitting so I tend to just do chants / bows and then sit later in the day or evening. I use the Zen Mountain Monastery Liturgy Manual which has all of the important Zen chants and readings, albeit in slightly different translations.

Gassho,
Jeffrey

[Jika]

Glass of water, Heart Sutra, sitting, metta, verse of atonement, four vows, evening gatha (for personal preference )
Realizing I'm running late, bath and coffee.
Yoga at the train station (standing, as good as possible...)

Gassho,
Danny

[dharmasponge]

Jishin, I bet it takes you ages to order a pint ☺

[Mp]

Hello,

For me I recite the Heart Sutra before sitting (sometimes in English and sometimes in Japanese, BT not at the same time). I sit, then verse of atonement and the four vows at the end. I do this for both morning and evening sits.

Because during the week I sit with a group of folks via Google, I have done my chants before hand and then after the video section.

Happy chanting. =)

Gassho
Shingen

[Joyo]

Hello, wake up at 6am, lemon/apple cider vinegar water, yoga for 1/2 an hr, chant heart sutra, shower, breakfast, walk my dog, and try to remember to chant the metta verse in my car as I'm driving to work

Gassho,
Joyo

[Heisoku]

It's good to see so many of us following a similar routine. I also recite the Heart Sutra followed by a 30 min sit then the Four Vows. Beforehand I also recite the Verse of the Kesa then put on my rakasu, which I find settles any thoughts.
In the evenings I just sit and maybe recite a Metta verse and/or the refuges in Pali. It seems to close the day nicely.
Gassho to all, Heisoku.

[dharmasponge]

I have been reciting the Tassa and Refuge prayers in Pali. Then Migtsema in English finishing with the four immeasurables - in English. Nice to hear what others are doing

[Tb]

Hi.

Depending on the circumstances its a bit different, but i usually wake ut at 6 and then spend time with either my son, if hes home, or meditate/read/something until it either is time to go to work or get up for the day.
I usually also meditate/read on the bus for work.

I am not big for doing the chants, more than the kesaverse when i put on the rakusu, which as Heisoku said, settles the thoughts. So i usually don't do them, except for in my heart, where i do them all the time, other than when i have services on sundays.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Kyonin]

Hi guys,

I wake up at 4:30 AM. Go to the bathroom. Drink water. Make a cup of coffee. Read for about 30 minutes. I set up my zafu and my little Buddha. Sometimes I light incense, depending if I want to offer it to someone or something.

Heart Sutra.

Zazen 50 minutes.

Verse of atonement.

Four Vows.

1 hour of running or yoga, depending of the day. Both are important to me, so they are part of my spiritual practice

Gassho,

Kyonin

[dharmasponge]

Feeling guilty about lack of exercise....ha! Too cold in the UK to do my usual cycling. #toughenup

[RichardH]

I wake up at six to the sound of recorded birds and a shakuhachi flute. There is a bit of staggering around, and then things clear. Coffee is goes on, coffee is drank. I usually sit at 6:45, but if working late the night before it is late morning before lunch. Sitting with a full stomach is sleepy time. At 7:15 the house wakes up and there is someone's overnight dialyses to end, breakfast, teen inertia, clockwatching, and traffic. On weekdays I usually sit on Treeleaf G+... sitting with someone is very powerful and helpful, and I'm not sure why. Sitting together, not talking, just sharing silence, sitting, and a bow, is beautiful and a treasure. All these words divide as much as join in my experience, but sharing zazen and bowing to each other, is priceless. It is the heart of my connection with Treeleaf.

Gassho
Daizan

[Joyo]

On weekdays I usually sit on Treeleaf G+... sitting with someone is very powerful and helpful, and I'm not sure why. Sitting together, not talking, just sharing silence, sitting, and a bow, is beautiful and a treasure. All these words divide as much as join in my experience, but sharing zazen and bowing to each other, is priceless. It is the heart of my connection with Treeleaf.

Gassho
Daizan

I love what you said here, and I feel the same way, it is the heart of my practice.

Gassho,
Joyo