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

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Risho
    Member
    • May 2010
    • 3178

    #76
    Words are symbols too. They are shapes with meaning. Now we're just talking semantics. mwahhahh

    Gassho,

    Risho
    Sat Today
    Email: risho.treeleaf@gmail.com

    Comment

    • Joyo

      #77
      I feel a bit shy about posting that I "sat today" However, I look at that and ask myself why do I feel shy? It is all part of the journey, learning, growing.

      Posting if we sat today is a way we can support each other, and focus on our practice. I think it's a fine idea.

      Gassho,
      Joyo
      sat today

      Comment

      • Jundo
        Treeleaf Founder and Priest
        • Apr 2006
        • 41224

        #78
        Originally posted by Dosho
        Gassho,
        Dosho

        I sat today.
        "Sat today". There is no "I" in sitting.

        (Actually, there is no "today, tomorrow or yesterday, beginning or end" in sitting either ... but one must sit today to realize such! )

        Gassho, J

        Sat Today!
        Last edited by Jundo; 11-06-2014, 02:23 AM.
        ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

        Comment

        • Dosho
          Member
          • Jun 2008
          • 5784

          #79
          Originally posted by Jundo
          "Sat today". There is no "I" in sitting.


          Sat (which is only relative to whether there is gravity or not if you want to get picky).

          Gassho,
          Dosho

          Comment

          • Guest

            #80
            Originally posted by Jundo
            Actually, our next plan is to have more and more informal Hangout sittings run by all of you, in all time zones and locations. Anybody in Treeleaf can just start and schedule sittings and invite other members to drop in to sit. We can show you how.

            Of course, it would be great to avoid overlap of times, but wouldn't it be great if we could cover much of the week and many many time zones with all kinds of live sittings? Anybody, if you would be interested in hosting such a group, please do!
            Hi Jundo,

            This is actually something I have been thinking about. I sit with Dosho's group sittings in the evening but tend to not be able to make many of Dosho's group sittings in the morning because of when my son wakes up, so I tend to sit earlier. I was thinking about asking if it would be ok to open a group sitting in the mornings when I sit to see if anyone wants to jump in.

            Gassho
            Bobby
            Sat Today

            Comment

            • Jundo
              Treeleaf Founder and Priest
              • Apr 2006
              • 41224

              #81
              Originally posted by Bobby
              Hi Jundo,

              This is actually something I have been thinking about. I sit with Dosho's group sittings in the evening but tend to not be able to make many of Dosho's group sittings in the morning because of when my son wakes up, so I tend to sit earlier. I was thinking about asking if it would be ok to open a group sitting in the mornings when I sit to see if anyone wants to jump in.

              Gassho
              Bobby
              Sat Today
              Go for it!

              Gassho, Jundo

              Sat Today
              ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

              Comment

              • Dosho
                Member
                • Jun 2008
                • 5784

                #82
                Originally posted by Bobby
                This is actually something I have been thinking about. I sit with Dosho's group sittings in the evening but tend to not be able to make many of Dosho's group sittings in the morning because of when my son wakes up, so I tend to sit earlier. I was thinking about asking if it would be ok to open a group sitting in the mornings when I sit to see if anyone wants to jump in.
                As Jundo said, go for it! There are actually two groups that sit before I do so you should see if their times match up, but if they don't please sit when you are able and see if folks can join you!

                Gassho,
                Dosho

                The thing referred to as "me" positioned my body just so in the infinite space called time.
                Last edited by Dosho; 11-06-2014, 04:35 AM.

                Comment

                • Guest

                  #83
                  Originally posted by Dosho
                  As Jundo said, go for it! There are actually two groups that sit before I do so you should see if their times match up, but if they don't please sit when you are able and see if folks can join you!

                  Gassho,
                  Dosho

                  The thing referred to as "me" positioned my body just so in the infinite space called time.
                  Thank you Jundo and Dosho. The time I would have the group sit in the morning would fall in between the others. It would look something like this. (The times I have listed are based on my time zone which is MST)

                  03:30 AM - 04:00 AM Morning Zazen, Shokai & Myoku
                  04:45 AM - 05:15 AM Morning Zazen, Shugen & Daizan
                  06:00 AM - 06:30 AM Morning Zazen, Bobby
                  07:00 AM - 07:30 AM Morning Zazen, Dosho

                  I am going to start opening a group sit that will probably begin this Monday 11/10/2014. It will be 30mins and start at 6am MST. Anyone who may want to join please feel welcome. I will do another post before the start date to confirm this is when it will begin.

                  Gassho
                  Bobby
                  Sat Today

                  Comment

                  • Shinzan
                    Member
                    • Nov 2013
                    • 338

                    #84

                    _/\_ Shinzan

                    Comment

                    • Nindo

                      #85
                      Originally posted by Kyonin
                      Hi guys,

                      It blows my mind how this topic has provoked such a reaction.
                      Dear Kyonin,
                      the title of the thread says "Sangha Discussion", not "Unanimous Sangha Agreement". It is important that people feel OK with stating concerns or discomfort, even if 99% of the group doesn't have any. I'm sure it is not your intention to kill the discussion, but we have to be careful with such things.

                      Metta & bows,
                      Nindo

                      stbwaptss

                      Comment

                      • lorax
                        Member
                        • Jun 2008
                        • 381

                        #86
                        Aloha Nindo, I am not sure where you find in Kyonin's post any intended or unintentional effect of killing the discussion. There does seem to be some division in individual perceptions of just what practice at Treeleaf involves. Some seem to look to the various venues of the forum as the Sangha's core, while others, place a higher importance on zazen and the dharma teachings. The suggestion of Jundo to sit before posting and note SAT TODAY on our signature line seems to have stimulated a discussion on the basic function of Treeleaf. Some of the posts will make us uncomfortable depending on our view, however that's great since this discussion is forcing us to examine our personal practice as well as the practice of other members of Treeleaf in ways we have not addressed before. Not sure just where this will all go but the important thing is not to take anything personally.

                        Take care

                        Jim (SAT TODAY)
                        Shozan

                        Comment

                        • Oheso
                          Member
                          • Jan 2013
                          • 294

                          #87
                          I keep wanting to stay out of this thread but the level of miscommunication going back and forth from all sides is really astounding to me. I just don't see how this has anything at all to do with "some division in the individual perceptions of just what practice at Treeleaf involves." I think this pertains to the solid-est point of our shared practice, our common ground and basis in the practice of zazen. we're not debating that, how could we?

                          what we are discussing was posted under the title "Sangha Discussion" and feelings were solicited. the ensuing reminds me a bit of a skeet-shoot. my own feelings are that nothing substantial has changed at all, but perhaps subtly and attitudinally. it just seems a little unfriendly and clique-ish. kind of stingy with the water at our water stand down by the riverside. ya gotta sit daily to get in the door of this establishment, its a level of dedication thing, Jove nods to Jove, as one of those Trancendentalists said. that's all.

                          mi ultima palabra, promise

                          gassho, O

                          today, I sat
                          Last edited by Oheso; 11-07-2014, 05:29 PM.
                          and neither are they otherwise.

                          Comment

                          • Biko
                            Member
                            • Sep 2013
                            • 208

                            #88
                            When I read the first post from Jundo proposing this, my first reaction was mild anger. Then I let that rise, observed it and allowed it to dissipate, then examined why I felt angry. It is because I personally have an issue with authority. Or rather, the ego that I allow to take control has an issue with authority. But guess what? For two days now this rule has caused me to sit my ass down and shut the hell up and for that I am grateful. It is difficult being a solitary Zen practitioner because you only have your ego to answer to, and when we are working on the destruction of the ego and all of it's little stories, it will do everything in it's power to not be seen.If you consider Jundo your teacher, then trust him.

                            Sat today!

                            Gassho,
                            Jeffrey
                            "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
                            Henry David Thoreau, Walden

                            Comment

                            • Dosho
                              Member
                              • Jun 2008
                              • 5784

                              #89
                              Originally posted by willow
                              Hi Dosho - in relation to what you express (I understand your reservations) the reason I suggested earlier in the thread the use of the symbol is because words can bring up all sorts of reactions in people.

                              I'm curious - would you still feel like you were back in grade school if you used a symbol instead of words? Would there be any 'I' in this expression at all?
                              Willow,

                              Forgive the delay in responding as I had to give your questions some thought.

                              For me it doesn't really matter if it is words or a symbol. I just feel that sitting should done for its own sake and not to achieve any kind of recognition or status. We are all adults here and I'd much rather there be a dialogue about whether folks are sitting rather than something that amounts to a status update.

                              If over the period of a week one finds that they are posting more than they are sitting, that might indicate that one's practice is out of balance. So, the obvious step would be to talk to Jundo or one of the Unsui about the issue. And if the Unsui or Jundo feels that a particular person is not sitting enough then the concerns should be addressed to that person. To make all sangha members with very different circumstances have to use a blanket response to an issue seems disconnected and I honestly don't think it will lead folks who post too much to post any less.

                              I have pledged to Jundo that I will give the idea a fair trial this month and that's what I plan to do. I think it's wonderful that this has helped your practice, I really do. But I don't think it should be mandatory for everyone. We'll just see how it goes.

                              Gassho,
                              Dosho

                              Sat today.

                              Comment

                              • Kyonin
                                Dharma Transmitted Priest
                                • Oct 2010
                                • 6752

                                #90
                                Originally posted by Nindo
                                Dear Kyonin,
                                the title of the thread says "Sangha Discussion", not "Unanimous Sangha Agreement". It is important that people feel OK with stating concerns or discomfort, even if 99% of the group doesn't have any. I'm sure it is not your intention to kill the discussion, but we have to be careful with such things.

                                Metta & bows,
                                Nindo

                                stbwaptss

                                Hi Nindo,

                                Indeed, it was not my intention to end the conversation. Just tried to explain there is no dark motive behind all this. At least in my point of view.

                                Thanks for the reminder.

                                Gassho,

                                Kyonin
                                #SatToday
                                Hondō Kyōnin
                                奔道 協忍

                                Comment

                                Working...