Live sitting half-time stretch etiquette

[Gukan]

I have realised I am avoiding opportunities to sit 'live' (hangouts, zazenkai if I'm awake etc) because I'm worried I won't get through the entire session. Kinda like avoiding trying to jog round the block until you're confident you could run a 10k *facepalm*

I often have to stretch out or swap my legs around after 15 minutes and I'm worried that'll put other people off. I will save you the bother of pointing out that a) other people have plenty of stuff putting them off and my legs can just join the queue and b) it probably isn't that distracting anyway.

Somehow I feel that once I have posted this the fear of wriggling will evaporate and I will be able to click that 'join hangout' button...

*suspense*

Gassho,
sat today, distracted only the cat

[Myosha]

Hello,

Do it. Nothing to lose.


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Kokuu]

a) other people have plenty of stuff putting them off and my legs can just join the queue and b) it probably isn't that distracting anyway.

Everyone should answer their own questions :-)

Have you ever been to a live sit with other people? Blimey, they sneeze, cough, wriggle, breathe *far* too loudly and generally make a nuisance of themselves. Not to mention all those noisy birds, cars, aeroplanes and other things! It's a surprise anyone ever gets through a session ;-)

Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday

[Kyotai]

Thank you Libby, these are good questions.

I had some reservations myself before I began sitting on G+ with others. I think for the most part, it is courteous to mute your microphone especially if there are a lot of background noises during zazenkai. But, like Kokuu said, if you sit in a group in your community, you have to get use to people breathing loudly, farting, getting up and moving about when legs get stiff etc. Also, some people have medical difficulties. Its all practice.

With my own hosted sits, I generally encourage people to come and go as they please. Join in halfway and leave before the end. Or sit the whole thing bell to bell. Some people can't sit the whole 30 minutes or don't have the time and that's fine if you want to just jump in for 5.

I often have to adjust my legs or stretch halfway through a sit when they get too stiff or painful, and will do just that.

Also, most times if someone else is hosting the sit, you don't have to speak at all if you don't want to. So no need to even turn on your mic.

It can be a little weird and awkward at first, but that goes away after time. I think you are right, it is not that distracting anyway.

I use to sit with a live group in the small town where I work. We had 5 of us and we would sit in the evening in the back of a yoga studio. The building was surrounded by apartments, and the one above us always had dogs running up and down the stairs barking and such. We just sat with it all. No problem.

Enjoy your day

Gassho, Kyotai
ST

[Mp]

Hello Libby,

Not too worry, in zazen there is no competition or comparison. Sit how you sit. Sometimes we are still like a mountain, sometimes we wiggle like a worm. Find your balance, breathe, and be right there - if you need to move or adjust, move and adjust. Come back to your stillness and continue ... in time you will find that stillness becomes easier. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Jika]

Hi Libby,

I have not often sat with live Zazenkai, because usually I sleep at that time of night.
But knowing it is recorded bothered me on the few occasions - till I realized, people in the recording are very tiny squares, I can recognize Shingen and Dean (for his shirts), but could not tell you who is moving and who isn't.
And sitting with the Zazenkai, I don't watch the others (we probably are the most boring hangout on G+?), I watch my mind wriggling in wriggliness.
And sometimes my feet too.

I do hangouts on G+ on Thursday, 19:30/7:30pm British time.
You're very welcome to try the hangout button then (PM me your G+ name please, so I can make sure you get a notification)
I am not "official", and be warned, I always ask my sitting companions if they have a bell (I don't) and would like to be time-keeper (30 min).


CU,
Gassho
Jika
#sattoday

[JimH]

I'm way too much of a novice here to make any kind of presumption to offer advice, but I once asked a similar question: "what if I have to move my legs because they fall asleep?". The advice that I got was a smile and the words, "then move your legs". I was also told that if it really bothered me (i.e. felt irreverent or uncool to just move), I could give a quick gassho, move as needed, give another quick gassho, and resume sitting. I sometimes do that at home. Some discomfort might be expected, but too much takes away from the stillness that is the point of sitting in the first place, right?

Gassho
--Jim
SatToday!

[Nindo]

Have you ever been to a live sit with other people? Blimey, they sneeze, cough, wriggle, breathe *far* too loudly and generally make a nuisance of themselves. Not to mention all those noisy birds, cars, aeroplanes and other things! It's a surprise anyone ever gets through a session ;-)

So true!!!
Just move. Nobody will notice, because your mic is off and they are not supposed to look at the screen.

Gassho
Nindo
sattoday

[Frank]

Hello all

When thirsty ... Drink.
When tired ... Sleep.
When you need to wiggle...wiggle

Gassho
Frank

Sat today

[Jundo]

What everybody has said. In our Sangha particularly, one would really have to work hard to disturb (especially with the microphone off). In fact, we have a few people who sit with us specifically because they have health conditions that make it difficult for them to sit still for full stretches, and they find it difficult to sit in a brick and mortar place where silence and stillness is prized.

I really am the only one who needs to keep an eye on the "room", as others face the wall and such. I am reminded, by the way, of an early incident when we started using Google+. In those days, strangers could sometimes drop into sittings. One mysterious fellow got naked and showed his stuff ... and even that went unnoticed by anyone but me I think. But do please keep your clothes on.

This is a good time to repost this, by the way.

Itchy nose, achy leg, earthquake ... when to move, when not?

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?7735-Itchy-nose-achy-leg-earthquake-when-to-move-when-not

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Dainin]

Hi Libby,

I echo much of the excellent thoughts and advice already offered. I had some of the same concerns when I first started sitting with others, whether live or online. I didn't want others to think I wasn't serious or that I couldn't hack it, or whatever. I recently started sitting on a seiza bench (something I never thought would work for me). In the past, I would've been concerned what others would think about this, but not anymore. It's a good way for me to sit. I found all that other stuff was just a lot of head noise.

I am often reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Kodo Sawaki, Roshi: "You can’t even trade a single fart with the next guy. Each and every one of us has to live out his own life."

Remember, it's your practice. There will be some days when everything flows and you feel you can sit forever. Other times, you'll think you can't make it five minutes and you just want to get up and scream. But, I have found what Shingen says is true: “in time you will find that stillness becomes easier.” And I'll add, even during those times when you want to get up and scream.

[Jishin]

One mysterious fellow got naked and showed his stuff ... and even that went unnoticed by anyone but me I think.

Ok. Time to come clean. It was me. Won't do it again.

Gassho, Jishin, ST

[Byokan]

Being still does not mean don't move. It means move in peace. - E’yen A. Gardner

Gassho
Byōkan
sat today

[Gokai]

Hello everyone

Before discovering the TreeLeaf i went about three or four times to sangha that gathered about 100 km from my home (200 km back and forth) and It was the closest sangha. When I got there after work maybe already need to eat my stomach sometimes made some noise when everybody were in silent,but I could hear also other people when swallowed saliva, I saw others to straighten the legs, etc ..It was like Kokuu said.
At first it was a little strange, but as it could happen to anyone present there was no problem. But anyway when it was my belly to make noise I confess I was a little distracted.
But I think that despite these situations it is always very nice to be able to participate in these meetings live on GOOGLE + in Treeleaf.

Sattoday

Gassho, David

[Daijo]

When I was facilitating a sitting group I used to get these questions often. Either it was about "What if "I" make noises, or move, etc..." Or what if "they"....... I always said "we have two jobs in the zendo. One is to not distract others. The other is to not be distracted by others. Just sit, it's all OK. Advice from a novice of course so take it with a grain of salt.

Gassho,
#sattoday
Daijo