Chanting & Zazen Circle (Mo thru Sa)

[Seiko]

Chanting & Zazen Circle

This zazen circle begins on 1st March 2021. Please do join us at 8pm, Monday to Saturday.
The circle is open to everyone and all who chant and sit together here are equals.

Initially, the sessions are being led by Ryokudo and Seiko. We have chosen Sandokai to begin chanting together. Feel free to suggest other chants for the circle to adopt.

Sandokai is on page 4 of the Treeleaf Chant Book here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/17pu...w?usp=sSandoka

The initial plan:
8pm GMT - Chant Sandokai.
Zazen – 27 minutes.
Closing chant/thanks/goodbyes.
Depart 8.45.

The chants being used will be posted on this thread on a Sunday.

It would be wonderful to have you with us, please pop in when you can.

As we hope you can see, we envisage this as a community driven venture, so any volunteers to lead the circle will be encouraged and nurtured.

We look forward to seeing you.

Gassho,

Ryokudo and Seiko

[Nengei]

8 pm UDT?

Gassho
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Risho]

This sounds really cool!

gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Kotei]

Thank you Seiko, looking forward to join here and there.

It's 8pm UTC (the time standard) and should be the same time as GMT (the timezone), until the end of March where daylight saving changes it to BST.
It will show up in the Calendar for easier timezone translation soon!

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

8 pm UDT?

Gassho
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Bion]

Chanting & Zazen Circle (Mo thru Sa)

So is everyone to keep their microphones on and chant simultaneously or is everyone chanting by themselves, mic off and just the host chants out loud?

[emoji1374] SatToday

[Risho]

So is everyone yo keep their microphones on and chant simultaneously or is everyone chanting by themselves, mic off and just the host chants out loud?

[emoji1374] SatToday

I don't know if it would get insane on zoom, but I'd personally like to have our mics on - I think we'd need to wear headphones though to mute out any ambient sound that could cause feedback.

Gassho

Risho
-st

[Shoka]

If you do leave all the mics open, regardless of headphones or not, you will be hearing background noise, lag and interference. It is lovely through even in the chaos.

There isn't a good way to battle lag which will make some people always sound behind or ahead. My brother is a music teacher and has been teaching from home for the last year.... they still haven't figured out a way to actually get the kids playing together.

But for your purposes as long as everyone knows that is going to happen, and there is nothing "wrong"; then you can enjoy what comes out. This is the main reason to mute everyone during the zazenkai's and other ceremony because it can become very chaotic.

Gassho,
Shoka
(she/her)
sat/lah

[Risho]

If you do leave all the mics open, regardless of headphones or not, you will be hearing background noise, lag and interference. It is lovely through even in the chaos.

hahahah I knew you'd say that

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Ryokudo]

So I guess mics off then unless we feel like experimenting on the day

Gassho

Ryokudo

[Sekishi]

I think we'd need to wear headphones though to mute out any ambient sound that could cause feedback.

Agreed. Without headphones feedback is inevitable. Feedback with network lag is such a fun and wild beast - "MOAR ECHO!!! echo!!! e.c.h.o..."

I think it would be a fun experiment to have mics on. The biggest issue I personally run into in that type of situation is that the human brain does not do well when reciting if time shifted versions of the thing being recited is fed back into the ears. It is like an automatic 50 point IQ hit!

Anyhow, have fun and experiment, and I'm sure a method will present itself. Thank you all for practicing together.

Deep bows,
Sekishi

[Seiko]

Thank you to everyone posting here. Ryokudo and I have summoned every ounce of courage we can, in order to bring this idea to the table. So far, the level of response is heart warming.

Mics on, mics off - let's see how it goes. We are keen on good intention and already know our chanting voices are imperfect. Perhaps a little feedback and distortion might enhance the sounds we make. In either case, we'll let you know during each session whether it's mics off or an "open mic night".

See you there!

In Gassho
Seiko
stlah

[Seiko]

Week commencing 1st March 2021 (GMT):

This, our first week, we begin by chanting Sanki Raimon together before Sandokai.

Sanki Raimon

I take refuge in buddha.
May all beings
embody the great way,
resolving to awaken.

I take refuge in dharma.
May all living beings
deeply enter the sutras,
wisdom like an ocean.

I take refuge in sangha.
May all beings
support harmony in the community,
free from hindrance.

Sandokai can be found in the Treeleaf Chant book - that we use for Weekly and Monthly Zazenkai.

In Gassho
Seiko
stlah

[Risho]

Whoever implemented the treeleaf now calendar; fantastic work; thank you!

Seiko this is in the heart of my workday; will you be posting recordings?

gassho

risho
-stlah

[Seiko]

Whoever implemented the treeleaf now calendar; fantastic work; thank you!

Seiko this is in the heart of my workday; will you be posting recordings?

gassho

risho
-stlah

Hello Risho,
Yes the regional time differences can be a barrier to overcome. In choosing this time we were hoping to provide accessibility for people in UK and Europe, but of course everyone is invited and welcome.

I am not sure how to arrange to post recordings. I can put that question to Shoka and Sekishi.

In Gassho
Seiko
stlah

[Risho]

nah no worries; Iunderstand; I’ll join when I can