Information on our Weekly and Monthly Zazenkai

[Jundo]

Calling All Sitters ...

We have a live, weekly, aprox. 90 minute group sitting EACH FRIDAY (with a longer 4-hour retreat on the first Friday of each month), though actually Saturday early morning in some times zones, led by Jundo and another weekly aprox. 75 minute group sitting EACH SUNDAY morning, EU time, led by our priests in Europe.

You can find the local times for these events in our Treeleaf Practice Calendar here: http://www.treeleaf.org/now

The Zazenkai is also streamed lived on our YouTube channel here: TREELEAF YOUTUBE

However, if it is not possible for you to join 'live' in your location at the appointed times, FEAR NOT, as the entire sitting will be recorded in REAL TIME and available for full participation ON DEMAND at any time after that, no different from the 'live' sitting. (the links will be posted each week in this forum).

The schedule for our weekly 90 minute Zazenkai is as follows:

15' CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA iIN ENGLISH AND DEDICATION)
30' ZAZEN
10' KINHIN
30' ZAZEN
5' FOUR VOWS, & VERSE OF ATONEMENT

The schedule for our weekly 75 minute Sunday Zazenkai is as follows:

30' ZAZEN + 5' VERSE OF THE OKESA
10' KINHIN
20' ZAZEN
15' CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA IN JAPANESE AND ENGLISH, VERSE OF ATONEMENT & FOUR VOWS)

As you can see, our weekly Zazenkai consists of two periods of zazen, kinhin and chanting the 'Heart Sutra' in English or Japanese, some full floor prostrations in sets of three (please follow along with the officiant ... or a simple Gassho can be substituted if you wish)

The 4-hour monthly Zazenkai retreat on the first Friday / Saturday of each month runs as follows:

50' CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA IN JAPANESE / SANDOKAI IN ENGLISH) & ZAZEN
10' KINHIN
30' ZAZEN
20' KINHIN
40' DHARMA TALK & ZAZEN
10' KINHIN & HOKEY-POKEY DANCE
35' ZAZEN
15' KINHIN
30' METTA CHANT & ZAZEN, VERSE OF ATONEMENT, FOUR VOWS, & CLOSING

As you can see, there will be 5 periods of Zazen, most 30 minutes long. In between each period of Zazen, there will be a few periods for Kinhin walking (which will also serve for any needed bathroom breaks).

The chant book used for these events (weekly and monthly are a little different) are available at THIS LINK:

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...t-Book-is-Here

I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU POSITION YOUR ZAFU ON THE FLOOR IN A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE NOT STARING DIRECTLY AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, BUT CAN GLANCE OVER AND SEE THE SCREEN WHEN NECESSARY. YOUR ZAFU SHOULD ALSO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE COMPUTER SCREEN WHILE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ZAFU FOR THE CEREMONIES, AND HAVE ROOM FOR BOWING AND KINHIN.
[b]

Please be patient with technical glitches and little annoyances ... as all are just part of the experience and practice!

I hope you will join us ... an open Zafu is waiting.

Gassho, Jundo