April 17th-18th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai - Time to Dance!

[Kotei]

Thank you Jundo, Washin and everyone.
That's a nice cover...

Gassho,
Kotei sat/danced/lah today.

[Jakuden]

To some it might seem odd that we dedicate our sitting to lost loved ones and dedicate merit to those in need, then go on to dance. However, since life and death are Not Two, manifesting the Great Dance is really the most appropriate thing to do of all, isn't it? Please dear Sangha, if the time ever comes where I must sit with you from beyond the visible world, I hope you will dance like no one's watching :-)

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

[Jundo]

To some it might seem odd that we dedicate our sitting to lost loved ones and dedicate merit to those in need, then go on to dance. However, since life and death are Not Two, manifesting the Great Dance is really the most appropriate thing to do of all, isn't it? Please dear Sangha, if the time ever comes where I must sit with you from beyond the visible world, I hope you will dance like no one's watching :-)

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

Precisely. Yes, for me too!

Zazen is a dance of stillness ...

Life is a dance of stillness in motion ...

... in good times and hard times ... keep dancing ...

Gassho, J

STLah

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo, Washin, Sekishi, and everyone. It was great to sit and dance and see that at least twelve other people were practicing together. The dance club version of the Heart Sutra was fun. The talk was helpful for my practice. I look forward to reading your book, Jundo. I like the cover.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat

[Naiko]

Wonderful. Thanks to all. The Heart Sutra dance is a perfect example of why Treeleaf is such a treasure. Cool book cover, Jundo. Hoping this book will finally be my intro to Dogen, whose writings I find intimidating.
Gassho,
Krista
st/lah

[Jundo]

By the way, looks like this Japanese Pure Land priest has us beat on the "techno beats" ... although they could use more dancing ...

It doesn’t take much to notice that techno has taken on a spiritual edge in recent years. From techno meditations to clubs referred to affectionately as “church”, there are plenty of parallels. The divide between the two, however, has been eradicated in at least one instance thanks to the efforts of Japanese DJ-turned-Buddhist priest, Gyōsen Asakura.

Working from Shō-onji (照恩寺) temple in Fukui City, the 49-year-old priest throws off-the-wall “techno memorial services” that blend eye-opening visuals, zen aesthetics and uptempo IDM-like experimental electronic music to induce a state of futuristic mindfulness.

Watch a video for one of the services

https://youtu.be/VdG38fmEDYM

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kokuu]

Well, that was the Zen Master's Dance in several ways!

Thank you all for sitting. And dancing!

Gassho
Kokuu