2021 Spring Retreat Main Page, June 4-6

[Jakuden]

Welcome to the 2021 Spring Retreat Main Page

We are very pleased to be able to come together this weekend for a retreat. Unlike other events, the Spring retreat is an "always live" event. Most will NOT be recorded, but will run just over 24 hours straight! No matter your time zone, no matter for what duration, please join us LIVE!
The monthly 4-hour zazenkai will kick off the event (join as normal in the SSR). This will be the only portion of the retreat which is recorded.

While there will be an extensive schedule below, we don't want anyone to sit with us for the whole 24 hours. Please join us as you can, and feel free to build your own retreat joining us for portions when it is possible. Some might join for one sitting, or do some samu with the kids, others maybe able to join for several hours at a time. The point is to join as you can, where you can, when and how you can. Take what life is giving you right now and make it a part of the retreat. We are all in this together and it is all a part of practice. There are tips and pointers in a post further down in this thread.

OF COURSE, EVERYTHING IN MODERATION ... if the sitting ever feels too much, be sure to walk lots and lots of Kinhin (even if during a sitting period). And if the whole retreat becomes too much, or you feel ill, you may slow down ... , spread things out, shorten the sittings ... or STOP! Be sure that you have someone close by whom you can call, or who can check on you from time to time. If there is any question about health, do not take any chances!


LINK TO RETREAT CHANT BOOK DOCUMENT IS BELOW:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

Spring Retreat Schedule:

IF YOU HAVE A RAKUSU OR OKESA, PLEASE RECITE THE ROBE VERSE AND PUT IT ON PRIOR TO THE ZAZENKAI AS USUAL.

All Times are approximate, calculated from UK Time (Pacific Time and ET in parenthesis).
All sittings and samu will be in the "Scheduled Sitting Room", Tea and Coffee in the "Meeting Room".
All activities are listed in the calendar / Treeleaf NOW (which should display with your local timezone).


Unit 1: Start of Retreat 4-Hour Zazenkai
Sat 12:00 midnight (Fri 4:00 pm PT, 7 PM ET) – Sat 3:50 am (Fri 7:50 pm PT, 10:50 PM ET)

12:00 - 12:50: Ceremony (Heart Sutra in Japanese/Sandokai/Male Ancestors in English) & Zazen
12:50 - 01:00: Kinhin
01:00 - 01:30: Zazen
01:30 - 01:50: Kinhin

01:50 - 02:30: Zazen
02:30 - 02:40: Kinhin

02:40 - 03:15: Zazen
03:15 - 03:30: Kinhin
03:30 – 03:50: Metta Chant & Zazen, Verse of Atonement, Four Vows

Unit 1 / June Monthly Zazenkai Recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsoC6K-XNBQ

Unit 2: Zazen
Sat 4:00 am (Fri 8:00 pm PT, 11 PM ET) - Sat 5:50 am (Fri 9:50 pm PT, 12:50 AM Sat ET)

4:00 - 4:30: Zazen
4:30 - 4:40: Kinhin
4:40 - 5:10: Zazen
5:10 - 5:20: Kinhin
5:20 - 5:50: Zazen

Unit 3: Shakyo Period (All Silent Practices)
Sat 6:00 am (Fri 10:00 pm PT, Sat 1 AM ET) - Sat 6:50 am (Fri 10:50 pm PT, Sat 1:50 AM ET)

6:00 - 6:50: Join with any silent practice Shakyo, sewing, samu, sitting, reclining sitting.

Unit 4: Zazen
Sat 7:00 am (Fri 11:00 pm PT, Sat 2 AM ET) - Sat 8:50 am (Sat 12:50 midnight PT, 3:50 AM ET)

7:00 - 7:30: Zazen
7:30 - 7:40: Kinhin
7:40 - 8:10: Zazen
8:10 - 8:20: Kinhin
8:20 - 8:50: Zazen

Unit 5: Oryoki
Oryoki: Sat 9:00 am (Sat 1:00 am PT, 4 AM ET) - Sat 9:50 am (Sat 1:50 am PT, 4:50 AM ET)


9:00 - 9:15: Prep and set-up time
9:15 - 9:50: Oryoki

Unit 6: Samu
Sat 10:00 am (Sat 2:00 am PT, 5 AM ET) - Sat 10:50 am (Sat 2:50 am PT, 5:50 AM ET)

10:00 – 10:50: Samu

Unit 7: Tea and Coffee Time
Sat 11:00 am (Sat 3:00 am PT, 6AM ET) - Sat 11:50 am (Sat 3:50 am PT, 6:50 AM ET)

11:00 – 11:50: Join us in the Meeting Room to chat and be together.

Unit 8: Zazen and Short Ceremony
Sat 12:00 noon (Sat 4:00 am PT, 7 AM ET) – Sat 1:50 p.m. (Sat 5:50 a.m. PT, 8:50 am ET)

12:00 – 12:25: Zazen
12:25 – 12:35: Kinhin
12:35 – 12:50: Zazen
12:50 – 1:00: Kinhin
1:00 – 1:50: Ceremony (Differently-Abled Lineage) and Zazen, Metta Chant, Verse of Atonement and 4 Vows.

Unit 9: Oryoki
Sat 2:00 pm (Sat 6:00 am PT, 9 AM ET) - Sat 2:50 pm (Sat 6:50 am PT, 9:50 AM ET)

2:00 - 2:15: Prep and set-up time
2:15 - 2:50: Oryoki

Unit 10: Samu
Sat 3:00 pm (Sat 7:00 am PT, 10 am ET) - Sat 3:50 pm (Sat 7:50 am PT, 10:50 am ET)

3:00 – 3:50: Samu

Unit 11: Zazen
Sat 4:00 pm (Sat 8:00 am PT, 11 AM ET) - Sat 6:50 pm (Sat 10:50 am PT, 1:50 PM ET)

4:00 - 4:30: Zazen
4:30 - 4:40: Kinhin
4:40 - 5:10: Zazen
5:10 - 5:20: Kinhin
5:20 - 5:50: Zazen
5:50 - 6:10: Kinhin
6:10 - 6:20: Zazen
6:20 - 6:30: Kinhin
6:30 - 6:50: Zazen

Unit 12: Tea and Coffee Time
Sat 7:00 pm (Sat 11:00 am PT, 2 PM ET) - Sat 7:50 pm (Sat 11:50 am PT, 2:50 PM ET)

7:00 – 7:50: Join us in the Meeting Room to chat and be together.

Unit 13: Zazen Sat 8:00 pm (Sat 12:00 noon PT, 3 PM ET) - Sat 9:50 pm (Sat 1:50 pm PT, 4:50 pm ET)

8:00 – 8:25: Zazen
8:25 – 8:35: Kinhin
8:35 – 9:05 Zazen
9:05–9:20 Kinhin
9:20–9:50 Zazen

Unit 14: Oryoki
Sat 10:00 pm (Sat 2:00 pm PT, 5 PM ET) - Sat 10:50 pm (Sat 2:50 pm PT, 5:50 ET)

10:00 - 10:15: Prep and set-up time
10:15 - 10:50: Oryoki

Unit 15: Samu
Sat 11:00 pm (Sat 3:00 pm PT, 6 PM ET) - Sat 11:50 pm (Sat 3:50 pm PT, 6:50 PM ET)

11:00 – 11:50: Samu


Unit 16: Zazen
Sun 12:00 midnight (Sat 4:00 pm PT, 7 PM ET) - Sun 1:50 am (Sat 5:50 pm PT, 8:50 PM ET)

12:00 - 12:30: Zazen
12:30 - 12:40: Kinhin
12:40 - 1:10: Zazen
1:10 - 1:20: Kinhin
1:20 - 1:50: Zazen



Unit 17: Closing Ceremony
Sun 2:00 am (Sat 6:00 pm PT, 9 PM ET) - Sun 4:00 am (Sat 8:00 pm PT, 11 PM ET)

2:00 – 2:50: Ceremony (Heart Sutra in English, Women Ancestors) & Zazen
2:50 – 3:00: Kinhin
3:00 - 3:30: Zazen
3:30 - 3:50: Kinhin, Metta, verse of atonement and 4 vows

Post Retreat Happy Hour
Sun 4:00 am (Sat 8:00 pm PT) - Sun 5:50 am (Sat 9:50 pm PT)

4:00 – 5:50: Join us in the meeting room for a post retreat happy hour.


HOW TO JOIN THE RETREAT:

You can join the Spring Retreat Live in the Scheduled Sitting Room using Zoom any one of the following ways:

- Use this direct link: https://zoom.us/j/4834831244
- Open Zoom and join with this meeting id: 483 483 1244
- Go to Treeleaf NOW and select the Scheduled Sitting Room: treeleaf.org/ssr
- If prompted for a password, use: dogen

Notes:

- You can switch between the "speaker view" (the default view) and "gallery view" (a grid / tic-tac-toe style view):
-- On desktop, click the "gallery view" / "speaker view" toggle button on the top right
-- On mobile, swipe right for "gallery views" -- only 4 participants are shown at a time on mobile, so keep swiping right to go through different groups, swipe left to go back to the "gallery view"

- You can mute, unmute, etc. with the control bar on the bottom of the screen
-- On desktop, hover the mouse over the window and the control bar should pop up
-- On mobile, tap the screen and the control bar should pop up
-- On mobile, so that your own picture does not take up one of the four slots you see, you can tap for the control bar, then tap "... menu" and select "Remove myself from gallery view"

- If you are on a slow Internet connection and are experiencing drop-outs, try turning off video (you can always turn it on for a bit at the beginning and end to say hi and bow to everyone)

Note: Unlike other Treeleaf events, this Retreat will not be recorded. Please join the zoom room to take part. You are welcome to join with your camera off if you prefer to not be on camera, but we do love seeing all your smiling faces.

Gassho,

Treeleaf Priests and Unsui
sat

[bluemountain]

Great!

I'll try to be there

Gassho

Bernie

Sat

[Jakuden]

Here are some pointers and tips for attendance:

Hello all,

If you have been around Treeleaf you might have taken part in our annual Rohatsu Retreat which is a traditional formal retreat. This year’s Spring Retreat is going to be treated as an informal retreat. While at any multi-day Sesshin or shorter ‘Zazenkai’ (which mean, respectively, ‘gathering the heart-mind’ and ‘coming together for Zazen’) of even one day, we separate ourselves for a time from our daily affairs, and seek a quiet place… we know that this is a time when separating ourselves might not be possible. But we hope that everyone can still come together and follow the spirit of the gathering together and sitting with this moment and what is right now.

Below are some pointers and tips for the retreat, but please modify as necessary.

1. TRUE QUIET:

For this retreat determine what is a good amount of quietness for you, and what is happening right now. Maybe just giving up social media for the day, and only talk when necessary. Not allowing your mind to wander off and talk away while doing activities, but instead focus on them with wholeheartedness. Or perhaps take up the vow of great silence for the day and try not to talk at all or only in a whisper.


2. SCHEDULE AND SEATING ARRANGEMENTS:

Since this retreat is running continuously please join as you can with the live events in the Schedule Sitting Room (unless another room is noted in the schedule). Sessions will not be recorded, so please join the zoom room live. You are welcome to join with your camera off. Please remember to mute yourself.

Most events start at the beginning of the hour. Feel free to join any session for any amount of time, leaving during Kinhin or a break period. The Ceremonies and the only activity that will run through the entire hour.

Please sit near enough to your computer that you can clearly hear and see the netcast. There is no need to have the computer right in front of you, and when sitting Zazen, you should not be looking at the computer screen at all. However, your computer should be placed in such a way that, from your Zafu, you can clearly see the screen by turning your head (because there will be ceremonies, meals and the like where watching the screen from your seat will be necessary)

3. ROOM & CLOTHING:
Arrange a room and space for sitting if that is possible, if it isn’t we don’t mind pets running around, toys scattered on the floor and life occurring as we sit.

Please join with dark and modest clothing as possible.

4. WATCHES & COMPUTER SETTINGS:

Watches should not be worn during zazen, but can be close by (in case the internet drops).

It is very important that you set your computer to not have a Screensaver or “Stand By/Hibernate” function.


5. PROMPTNESS AND ATTENDANCE:

While we would love to see everyone be able to join us for the entire retreat, we know that isn’t possible (not even for all the Unsui and Priests). Please join as you can. For a single zazen, samu or even a Tea House.


6. MEALS:

Oryoki meals will be done 3 times during this retreat. If you have not done Oryoki with us before please join and follow along. The leaders will be giving directions to follow.

Please review these notes HERE on making an Oryoki kit if you don’t already have one.

7. KINHIN:

Kinhin will be completed with all sittings. Kinhin can also be used as a time for bathroom breaks or for entering and leaving the retreat.

8. SAMU:

There will be work periods. This ‘Mindful Work’ is to be done as if it is the only action to be done, or which can be done, in the world at that moment. The mind is to drop all resistance, likes or dislikes about the work. It is to be done ‘mindfully’, meaning that we think only about the work we are doing at that moment when doing the work at that moment. Try to drop thought of other matters before or after the work at hand.

All normal life activities can become samu, some example:

Washing dishes, folding clothes or scrubbing the bathroom
Caring for children
Working on a project like sewing
Gardening or outside work

The mindset is the important part of Samu, do whatever work you are doing fully engaged and not distracted by trying to hurry and it get done, or pondering other things while mindlessly completing the task.


9. ZAZEN:

Try to be as steady as possible throughout the sitting period. Ignore minor irritations (we learn to take life ‘as it is’ by bearing with some discomfort. In fact, small aches and pains are an important part of the Retreat’s lessons). But if it is necessary to stop or adjust your position because you are in pain, that is fine (our way is one of moderation) and you must be the judge of this. Adjust your position carefully and slowly, keeping your practice going throughout.


10. MEDICAL AND EMERGENCIES:

If you have any problems, such as illness, an emergency or a personal problem, it is best to attend to that and break off the Retreat and your silence. STOP OR PAUSE THE RETREAT IF YOU FEEL THERE IS ANY HARMFUL EFFECT ON PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH.

Please be very careful and aware of your bodies. Don't force yourself to maintain uncomfortable or difficult positions.


If this is your first retreat with us, please reach out to an Unsui if you have any concerns or questions.

Other than that … just relax and have a pleasant Retreat!

Gassho,

Treeleaf Unsui and Priests

[Doshin]

Doshin
St

[Sekishi]

All "units" of this retreat are in the Treeleaf NOW calendar (at least with preliminary times). This should automagically display in your local timezone.

The exact times may still shift a little over the next few days of planning, but the overall outline should be fairly close.

And of course detailed unit descriptions and schedule will be updated in this thread over the coming days too.

Deep bows to all,
Sekishi
#sat #lah

[Anchi]

Gassho

[Kiri]

Gassho,
Nikolas
Sat/Lah

[Bokugan]

Thank you everyone who put this all together! I hope to be at Zazenkai and attend a portion of Saturday.

Gassho

Ryan S
SatToday

[Shoka]

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder we are about 24 hours out from the start of the Spring Retreat!

If you are concerned about joining because you won't know what to do... then this is the retreat for you! It is only on zoom, not broadcast to you-tube and not recorded. So come, stumble along with all of us and don't worry. If you are unsure what to do during a ceremony, let us know before we start and we'll let you know who is in the room and would be a good person to follow along with.

If you're never done oryoki and worry you will spill soup all over yourself, join us! You'll get to see me try to keep the cat our of the dishes while chanting. Also you might spot Terra the dog waiting patiently for her 3 bowls.

Worried about the 30 minute sits? Don't be, shorten them and take more kinhin or take a break and jump back in with us later.

Also join us for the tea breaks, where you can ask any questions and share about the retreat so far.

Lastly, join as you can. There is no need to try to do the whole retreat (in fact it would be discouraged since it's 28 hours long). Instead stop by as you can, going to sit for your normal daily sit, stop by and sit with the retreat. Have chores to do, join during samu and get them done with all of us.

I'm so looking forward to practicing with everyone!

Gassho,
Shoka
(she/her)
sat

[Tai Shi]

I had forgotten lately how important are Retreats in the life of our Sangha. I will social network tonight, and just finished zazen 8:30 PM CDT USA with Sekishi, friends, and our cat Pepper, this after 2 hr. walk, the first I would allow myself this year. I will talk over not talking with Marjorie, she won't miss it, LOL, the ease with which one sits is dependence upon the ordinary. I will depart myself of all self not with self, but selfless. All is well.
Gassho
sat/ lal
Tai Shi
he, him, his

[Koushi]

I will pop in-and-out as I can. Thank you all for putting this retreat together

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Shonin Risa Bear]

_()_

gassho
d shonin sat and lah

[Heiso]

Wonderful, thank you everyone who is involved in putting this together.

I will try to pop in when I can.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[Shade]

Clearly, a lot of hard work went into this schedule. Many thanks to everyone involved in organizing and hosting! I am hoping to attend some of the Zazen sessions.

Gassho,

Shade

ST

[Naiko]

I look forward to joining in as much as I can manage. With just 20 or so days left in my employer’s fiscal year, I have been working a lot (since April) and I am running on fumes.
Gassho,
Naiko
st