Proposal for Sangha Discussion: "SAT TODAY!" - Sitting Before Talking

[Jika]

I perceived of "sat today" as having two intentions.
It did not change my sitting practice, Ango was way more powerful in that respect.
But as it seems to help others, the idea is a good addition.
I liked the suggestion of having a very visible open door, maybe a sticky thread, for people who have difficulties with sitting. My practice is only a baby, maybe I'll need that thread one day. A very compassionate idea, as one might also feel inferior and worthless, as if one was the only person encountering that problem.
The second idea was posting less, and in my baby practice sitting and silence do not go hand in hand.
I agree with Sekishi that facetime, sitting together might help.
I struggle with my affection for this sangha, and the request for less words.
My ego is taking sattoday as a teaching, and will try to put words in a form supportive for our practice. Still I fail, like too much here.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Byokan]

Hi All,


I haven’t had any strong feelings either way. It hasn’t really changed anything for me, but then, I’ve been in a time when I am happy to sit. I can definitely see where it would be helpful if I was resisting sitting. If it helps motivate others I’m very happy to do it.


I did have a thought that maybe it could be done intermittently, maybe 3 or 4 times a year, instead of continuously. Just an idea. Probably simpler to just do it continuously, though.


No objections here, happy to keep it going.

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Jika]

Sorry for all the talk. But I'd like to add that in my baby practice experience it would be a pity to emphasize only that sitting is hard and obligatory, and if your monkey mind tells you you can't do it be damned. I respect the importance of shikantaza, but I also experience it as beautiful and loving, simple and welcoming. It is whatever it is, and if one asks it to be an obstacle it certainly can be one. If possible, I'd love ideas to encourage people to see this beautiful, fascinating, embracing side. It motivates me more than threats and could work for others.
Thank you.
Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Ugrok]

Hello !

It did not change anything to my practice, at all.

But it changed the way i view posts on the forum. Knowing that people have sat before they post is a positive thing, i think. I agree with the idea that there is no point in talking about zen etc. if you don't sit. So i vote for the "Sat Today".

Gassho,

Ugrok, s-s-s-s-s-sat today (to be read aloud with a dj voice)

[Daiyo]

Hi,
It has helped me to "not miss" and I think it is positive.
But I'm open to other options.


Gassho,
Walter

#SatToday

[Meishin]

Hi,

It seems to place the emphasis where it should be. Seems to have discouraged this from being merely a philosophy forum. Nothing wrong with philosophy but that's not why I'm here. The routine hasn't changed, but I am more inclined to read forum threads, knowing that we are sharing a practice.

Gassho
John

sat today

[Myosha]

Hello,

It is entirely useless and will be joyfully continued.


Gassho,
Myosha sat today

[Jundo]

Sorry for all the talk. But I'd like to add that in my baby practice experience it would be a pity to emphasize only that sitting is hard and obligatory, and if your monkey mind tells you you can't do it be damned. I respect the importance of shikantaza, but I also experience it as beautiful and loving, simple and welcoming. It is whatever it is, and if one asks it to be an obstacle it certainly can be one. If possible, I'd love ideas to encourage people to see this beautiful, fascinating, embracing side. It motivates me more than threats and could work for others.
Thank you.
Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

Hi Danny,

We always keep the flavor as positive, mostly carrot and little whip around here. It is beautiful, loving, simple and welcoming. But our purpose is to sit Zen before we start discussing Zen.

If someone is new to the Community, or really having a problem to sit, than they would not be kept from the forums.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Jinyo]

Hi,

like many members posting here I've found this proposal really helpful to my practice. From a personal point of view I'm happy for it to continue.


However - there is a little voice niggling in my head that also agrees with some of the earlier comments Dosho and Nindo made. I think if the proposal is introduced as a rule there will be people who it will put off. I'm sure I 'wasted' a lot of time on the message board at the beginning (for more than 3 months) reading more than sitting, offering opinions when it would have been better to be silent, getting caught up in philosophy, etc. But was this part of a process - and would I have been spared that process by a 'rule'? I honestly don't know.


I think if the rule stands it will change the nature of the message board and possibly the nature of the sangha. Now that may be for the best - to abide by the rule means to do things in the correct order and will attract/encourage commited students.

But I don't want to ignore what Dosho said because I think he had a point. Not sure if having a separate thread for members finding it difficult to sit will really address this issue and the subject tends to come up from time to time anyway.

I liked Lisa's suggestion to maybe bring the proposal to our attention intermittently. Perhaps we could do this for a month at the change of each season. I think it would have a more meditative/ rather than rule bound affect and will help new members to integrate and really think about the importance of sitting before chatting.

Gassho

Willow

Sat Today

[Jika]

Thank you, Jundo, I am relieved to hear that.

No problem with the sitting before chatting rule.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Kantai]

Hi!
I'm a bit two parted in this "sat today" question.
On one hand I feel I get a bit "hunted" by it. The days when I don't get to sit for a longer time, even if I do a short sitting, the thought of not doing zazen is nagging on me.

On the other hand it's an encouragement for me to do zazen. Then I naturally don't have to deal with the nagging thought of not doing zazen.
I do this "hunting" be myself so the "sat today" doesn't change that.

Maybe I think it's a bit unnecessary. If Treeleaf was a stone and bricks sangha in the real world (which in a way it is), would we, when meeting at the door before the zazenkai or what else, before greeting each other and change some words ask:
"-Did you sit today?"

Gassho
Kantai
Sat today

[Kyonin]

Hi Kyonin,
what is the literal translation of "Sat today"? The english version does not mention "meditated" or "zazen", either.

Gassho,
Nindo

Hi Nindo!

The literal translation would be: Senté hoy, which doesn't make sense. To sit means just that, to use a chair and there is no zazen meaning into it.

That's why I had to look for something that carried the meaning into Spanish.

Gassho,

Kyonin

#SatToday

[Kyonin]

Hi guys,

This little experiment has helped me to remind myself to sit zazen not only before posting to Treeleaf, but in other situations in life like social networks or even have lunch.

I say lets keep it!

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Nindo]

To sit means just that, to use a chair and there is no zazen meaning into it.

Hi Kyonin,

well, in English to sit means just that, as well. If I said "sat today" to my co-workers, they would say, sure, for almost 8 hours!

Never mind, I was just wondering why the phrase needed to sound "more special" in Spanish than in English...

Gassho,
Nindo

[Jundo]

Hi Kyonin,

well, in English to sit means just that, as well. If I said "sat today" to my co-workers, they would say, sure, for almost 8 hours!

Never mind, I was just wondering why the phrase needed to sound "more special" in Spanish than in English...

Gassho,
Nindo

So, Nindo, may I kindly ask you to note "SatToday" when posting? I see that you are not in your above post. Thank you.

Hi!
I'm a bit two parted in this "sat today" question.
On one hand I feel I get a bit "hunted" by it. The days when I don't get to sit for a longer time, even if I do a short sitting, the thought of not doing zazen is nagging on me.

On the other hand it's an encouragement for me to do zazen. Then I naturally don't have to deal with the nagging thought of not doing zazen.
I do this "hunting" be myself so the "sat today" doesn't change that.

Maybe I think it's a bit unnecessary. If Treeleaf was a stone and bricks sangha in the real world (which in a way it is), would we, when meeting at the door before the zazenkai or what else, before greeting each other and change

Sitting is not a matter of "Long or Short". When we sit, we sit beyond and right through "long vs. short". Nonetheless, we sit for a certain time ... sometimes longer and sometimes shorter, all good sitting. Good longly, good shortly.

Who is the hunter who is hunting, and whom is hunted? Nonetheless, we diligently sit ... catching what cannot be caught.

And, yes, if we were a "bricks and mortars" Sangha we would make sure that we Sat before Chatting. We would probably not encourage folks who simply make a habit of frequently skipping the Zazen sitting, showing up only for the discussion and free coffee and cookies after sitting.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday