December 20-21st Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai - A Merry Rohatsu & Happy New This Moment!

[Washin]

Thank you Jundo and everyone!
Merry Holidays to all!

Gassho
Washin
ST

[Shonin Risa Bear]

Thanks ever so, Jundo, Kyonin, techies, and all. Sat for the firies

Gassho
Doyu sat and lah today

[Kotei]

Thank you everyone.
Happy Holidays!

Over here, the last movement of Beethoven's 9th is the hymn of the European Union and with that one of the official Symbols of it.
Of course the instrumental version, without Friedrich Schillers's text about the human race becoming brothers(sisters), to not favour a certain language.

https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/anthem_en

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Nenka]

I will also go ahead an post this from a few years ago ...

A Shingon priest in Japan presents this Ceremony to honor Santa Bosatsu (散多菩薩) or “Santa Bodhisattva” ... "Christmas Buddhist Offering (of Merit) to Santa" ...

https://youtu.be/A0CGOFqRM3U

Gassho, J

STLah

Ahhh my Christmas favorite!

I was also intrigued by the video that popped up next on YouTube. It was pretty awesome but I don't get what the audience was laughing about.

Gassho

Nenka

ST

[Jundo]

... It was pretty awesome but I don't get what the audience was laughing about.



ST

ln the club, they invited the audience to come up and offer incense as if at a funeral. Also, the bell ringing got a laugh because it just was cute.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Naiko]

Happy Solstice, and peace and joy to all.
May Anna and her neighbors be safe.
Gassho,
Krista
st/lah

[Tai Shi]

Our daughter arrives in about 24 hrs for our Christmas holiday. I’ll be sitting as I get ready to post this, sitting in my basement easy chair, I feel better and will sit from here! I can easily sit from this downstairs recliner so perhaps this is best! I send you a seasonal greeting!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Geika]

Enjoy your family time, Tai Shi. I have family visiting as well. They're gonna be here for a few weeks!

Gassho
Sat today, lah

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Seishin]

Thank you everyone and seasons greetings.
The Colonel KFC and Santa , never saw that coming but Christmas is finger licking good.
Family arrives late Thursday for their French Xmas.

Peace and safety to all.

Sat

[martyrob]

Thank you, Kyonin, Jundo and everyone.
Been a while since I sat zazenkai; good to be back.
Merry Whatever to everyone.

Martyn
Sat today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone. Wonderful Zazenkai.

Peace on Earth and goodwill to all sentient beings.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Jundo]

As I mentioned in my little talk (from 1:09:00 mark), "Gospelizing" our Buddhist chants is really nothing new. The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (Shasta Abbey, Jiho Kennett Roshi's Lineage) recites most of their chants as evensong (in my understanding, the Anglican version of Gregorian chanting). Here is their Heart Sutra. I think it quite lovely.

http://www.shastaabbey.org/audio/musicGreatwisdom.mp3

Gassho, J

STLah

[Washin]

As I mentioned in my little talk (from 1:09:00 mark), "Gospelizing" our Buddhist chants is really nothing new. The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (Shasta Abbey, Jiho Kennett Roshi's Lineage) recites most of their chants as evensong (in my understanding, the Anglican version of Gregorian chanting). Here is their Heart Sutra. I think it quite lovely.

http://www.shastaabbey.org/audio/musicGreatwisdom.mp3

It's beautiful indeed

Gassho
Washin
sattoday

[Jundo]

If anyone would like to hear much more than anyone really needs about Christmas in Japan, and especially here in Tsukuba where Treeleaf is, my friend Avi wrote this essay ... and it is both a fascinating history and a hoot ...

http://blog.alientimes.org/2019/12/japanese-christmas-a-look-at-the-history-of-japans-celebration-of-western-culture-kurisumasu-yet-again/

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Onka]

Thank you for this Zazenkai.
Today (xmas eve) I went and had a cup of tea with the older bloke I walk with most afternoons. I got to meet his daughter in law who is a sign language interpreter in schools. She has a wonderful outlook on life and encourages her children to be "Deaf Proud" as they should. She's a Christian woman who lives the Christian spirit 24/7. I think we got along well because I try to live a 24/7 life that is respectful of my Buddhist learning to date.
I don't celebrate xmas mainly because it's never been a particularly happy time of the year for me but spending a couple of hours in the company of people with close healthy familial relationships and who love xmas was extremely pleasant.
Tomorrow morning (xmas morning) my partner and I will visit some friends for a cup of tea then head home for a day in air conditioning.
Be well comrades. Stay safe on the roads, be kind to yourself and look out for each other.
Gassho
Anna
stlah