At Treeleaf, you can "book" the Zen Hall, meaning commit to firing up the webcam and having your zazen period viewable during a certain time frame.
I just noted that one of the odd perks of this is that you can look back at the times you've recently booked and see how much a little sitting adds up.
For example, this isn't all the sitting time I've done lately (no webcam in the local sangha dojo, and doesn't count time spent during non-booked periods), but it's encouraging to see that I've been consistent with my practice in a "matter of record" way.
Thursday May 21st, 02:00 > 03:00 AM
Thursday May 21st, 11:15 > 11:45 AM
Friday May 22nd, 02:30 > 03:00 AM
Friday May 22nd, 11:30 > 12:00 PM
Saturday May 23rd, 02:00 > 03:00 AM
Saturday May 23rd, 11:30 > 12:00 PM
Sunday May 24th, 01:30 > 03:00 AM
Sunday May 24th, 11:30 > 12:00 PM
Monday May 25th, 02:00 > 03:00 AM
Monday May 25th, 11:30 > 12:00 PM — Every Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri for 4 weeks
Tuesday May 26th, 02:00 > 03:00 AM
Wednesday May 27th, 02:00 > 02:30 AM
Thursday May 28th, 02:00 > 02:30 AM
Friday May 29th, 01:30 > 02:00 AM
Saturday May 30th, 11:00 > 12:30 PM
Sunday May 31st, 03:00 > 03:30 AM
Sunday May 31st, 11:00 > 12:30 PM
(Note: All times are listed in UTC - I'm in Central Standard Time)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
working toward the lotus position
I've been sitting in the seiza position for years, because back when I was in my twenties and used some of the "pretzel leg" sitting positions, it seemed to lead to soft tissue trouble as much as anything else.
But I've been doing some stretching over the last few weeks (some of which I believe led immediately to more soft tissue trauma) and I aim to try and get to half lotus or full lotus within the next [?] months.
Although I've seen the basic reasoning why these positions are supposed to be better than seiza, I confess to a bit of skepticism.
But dharma practice is, at least in part, about resolving doubt through personal learning experience. So I'm giving it a go.
A month ago I was capable of sitting in a position sort of like a Burmese posture on a tall zafu, but I'm still recovering from last weekend's tree fall and the aforementioned soft tissue trouble. So I'm currently less capable than I was just a month ago.
Whether sitting in these double plus good good postures of old is really better for zazen or not remains to be seen. But working on becoming more limber should have some health benefits as I continue to age, so hey, why not...
But I've been doing some stretching over the last few weeks (some of which I believe led immediately to more soft tissue trauma) and I aim to try and get to half lotus or full lotus within the next [?] months.
Although I've seen the basic reasoning why these positions are supposed to be better than seiza, I confess to a bit of skepticism.
But dharma practice is, at least in part, about resolving doubt through personal learning experience. So I'm giving it a go.
A month ago I was capable of sitting in a position sort of like a Burmese posture on a tall zafu, but I'm still recovering from last weekend's tree fall and the aforementioned soft tissue trouble. So I'm currently less capable than I was just a month ago.
Whether sitting in these double plus good good postures of old is really better for zazen or not remains to be seen. But working on becoming more limber should have some health benefits as I continue to age, so hey, why not...
Saturday, May 30, 2009
zen in the matrix
I don't mean metaphors in a movie made several years ago, but the online component of zen practice.
Here lately I've found that I participate in Treeleaf Zendo more than in my local dojo. The local dojo group only meets three times weekly, but Treeleaf is always there, with a teacher providing opportunities for daily zazen practice with all the bells & whistles of soto zen practiced in a physical zendo.
There are technical difficulties, like being disconnected from a webcam streaming service, which I've found to be fairly minor hurdles.
But practicing and learning with people in many time zones and cultures has become an increasingly meaningful part of my daily routine. My practice has improved in a few overt ways as a direct result.
I've begun to think of Treeleaf as "my group" in pretty much the same basic way that I think of my local group of practitioners.
Here lately I've found that I participate in Treeleaf Zendo more than in my local dojo. The local dojo group only meets three times weekly, but Treeleaf is always there, with a teacher providing opportunities for daily zazen practice with all the bells & whistles of soto zen practiced in a physical zendo.
There are technical difficulties, like being disconnected from a webcam streaming service, which I've found to be fairly minor hurdles.
But practicing and learning with people in many time zones and cultures has become an increasingly meaningful part of my daily routine. My practice has improved in a few overt ways as a direct result.
I've begun to think of Treeleaf as "my group" in pretty much the same basic way that I think of my local group of practitioners.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Here lately I have been practicing zazen twice daily in sessions ranging from half an hour to a few hours long.
With the beefed up routine and the additional group practice, a subtle change in attitude is taking place. I find it a little easier to accept daily tragedies like falling in a tree or deadline stresses at the office in healthier ways.
My mental life is becoming just a little more calm, just a little more quiet.
I've been stretching more to decrease discomfort while sitting.
Not the most fascinating blog entry ever, I know. But some times that's a good sign.
With the beefed up routine and the additional group practice, a subtle change in attitude is taking place. I find it a little easier to accept daily tragedies like falling in a tree or deadline stresses at the office in healthier ways.
My mental life is becoming just a little more calm, just a little more quiet.
I've been stretching more to decrease discomfort while sitting.
Not the most fascinating blog entry ever, I know. But some times that's a good sign.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
I'm settling into the new house more and more, and everything has been moved from the old one, so at least half of my stuff isn't stuck in another county.
In the process I've been adapting to a bit of a quasi-monastic life in a sense.
Most days I sit either with a group in the dojo or in the zendo at home at least twice, and have expanded the practice with more prostrations, bowing, and chanting. I get in as much as a few hours of formal practice daily at this point.
I even managed to rip a CD of chants to my Zune and photocopy the hand-outs so I can practice the chanting ceremony some.
As of last night, I've even hauled the laptop into the zendo and fired up the webcam for "live sitting" in the Treeleaf Zen Hall. It's basically a way to sit with others who happen to be in different rooms elsewhere in the world.
With a "new" house built in 1991, there are many opportunities for samu, and yesterday I made every effort to mow the lawn as working zazen. It's not all about the cushion, after all.
Even during "cushion time" you never know what may come up. The cat flopped right down on my zabuton during sanpai last night, so I had to wing it.
Weekend after next, I intend to head to New Orleans for a weekend of samu and a sesshin starting Saturday evening and lasting through Sunday afternoon. While there's truth to the notion that we can continue to practice even while going about our workday lives, there's also something to be said for periods of intensive practice without the deadlines and phones.
In the process I've been adapting to a bit of a quasi-monastic life in a sense.
Most days I sit either with a group in the dojo or in the zendo at home at least twice, and have expanded the practice with more prostrations, bowing, and chanting. I get in as much as a few hours of formal practice daily at this point.
I even managed to rip a CD of chants to my Zune and photocopy the hand-outs so I can practice the chanting ceremony some.
As of last night, I've even hauled the laptop into the zendo and fired up the webcam for "live sitting" in the Treeleaf Zen Hall. It's basically a way to sit with others who happen to be in different rooms elsewhere in the world.
With a "new" house built in 1991, there are many opportunities for samu, and yesterday I made every effort to mow the lawn as working zazen. It's not all about the cushion, after all.
Even during "cushion time" you never know what may come up. The cat flopped right down on my zabuton during sanpai last night, so I had to wing it.
Weekend after next, I intend to head to New Orleans for a weekend of samu and a sesshin starting Saturday evening and lasting through Sunday afternoon. While there's truth to the notion that we can continue to practice even while going about our workday lives, there's also something to be said for periods of intensive practice without the deadlines and phones.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The bench has now survived a few hours of practice. I've continued to experiment with different butt placements and found a few that seem to work out well enough so far. It seems to provide a pretty stable seat, which can some times be a bit of a fuss on cushions.
The legs don't fold or break away (screwdriver required for any tinkering), but I found it easy enough to haul to the dojo this afternoon.
As of today, almost all of the local "zen newcomers" from the Intro Workshop have made it to at least one of the subsequent practices, and a few have made it to more than one. I appreciate that on a variety of levels.
If nothing else, having others in the dojo changes the "mind space" in that you're practicing for the others in the room in a way that doesn't quite apply to solo sitting. Solo sitting isn't "less than" as a result, mind you.
As someone put it after the session, "Sitting alone and sitting together support each other."
The vast majority of my practice is solo here at the house, although I'm equipped for "guest sitters" in the event that any show up. It works out well enough for me so far, as I'm developing something of a quasi-monastic practice here at the new house.
Bebe, who owns the dojo, has said that it's available within a few basic parameters for away-from-home practice, which I'd been hoping to ask about anyway. There's a good atmosphere there, and I've been thinking about more intensive practice away from the (very minor) bustle of home & neighborhood.
I feel very fortunate for so much.
The legs don't fold or break away (screwdriver required for any tinkering), but I found it easy enough to haul to the dojo this afternoon.
As of today, almost all of the local "zen newcomers" from the Intro Workshop have made it to at least one of the subsequent practices, and a few have made it to more than one. I appreciate that on a variety of levels.
If nothing else, having others in the dojo changes the "mind space" in that you're practicing for the others in the room in a way that doesn't quite apply to solo sitting. Solo sitting isn't "less than" as a result, mind you.
As someone put it after the session, "Sitting alone and sitting together support each other."
The vast majority of my practice is solo here at the house, although I'm equipped for "guest sitters" in the event that any show up. It works out well enough for me so far, as I'm developing something of a quasi-monastic practice here at the new house.
Bebe, who owns the dojo, has said that it's available within a few basic parameters for away-from-home practice, which I'd been hoping to ask about anyway. There's a good atmosphere there, and I've been thinking about more intensive practice away from the (very minor) bustle of home & neighborhood.
I feel very fortunate for so much.
Monday, May 11, 2009
breaking in the Sky Bench
Last week I ordered a Sky Bench from Carolina Morning Designs (with whom I've had a few quite satisfactory transactions over the years).
After work today I unpacked the parts and assembled it with minimal fuss, and decided to put it through its paces this evening (and get the hang of using it) before using it in group practice tomorrow afternoon.
My usual zazen position is seiza, and the bench is advertised as "Especially helpful to people over 6'2" tall for sitting in seiza position." I'm between 6'3" and the better part of 6'4" depending on when I'm measured, so I figured this would be fine.
I sat for two 25-minute sessions bridged by several minutes of kinhin and followed by sanpai. This is longer than the weekday group sittings and similar to the Sunday morning routine (minus some liturgy). I folded a gray microfiber towel to cushion my point of contact a bit, on the assumption that I'd find the bare bench uncomfortable after a while.
When I see pictures of people sitting in seiza position on benches, they generally have their whole rumps on the benches, but I felt more comfortable closer to the front edge of the bench.
It took a bit of shuffling to orient myself to it, but I had no meaningful difficulty with the hour of practice.
I'll continue to test drive it and see if I can get a little objective input on my posture using the bench, just in case it turns out that a slightly smaller bench might serve me better in seiza position. But my first impression is that it's a perfectly decent bench.
After work today I unpacked the parts and assembled it with minimal fuss, and decided to put it through its paces this evening (and get the hang of using it) before using it in group practice tomorrow afternoon.
My usual zazen position is seiza, and the bench is advertised as "Especially helpful to people over 6'2" tall for sitting in seiza position." I'm between 6'3" and the better part of 6'4" depending on when I'm measured, so I figured this would be fine.
I sat for two 25-minute sessions bridged by several minutes of kinhin and followed by sanpai. This is longer than the weekday group sittings and similar to the Sunday morning routine (minus some liturgy). I folded a gray microfiber towel to cushion my point of contact a bit, on the assumption that I'd find the bare bench uncomfortable after a while.
When I see pictures of people sitting in seiza position on benches, they generally have their whole rumps on the benches, but I felt more comfortable closer to the front edge of the bench.
It took a bit of shuffling to orient myself to it, but I had no meaningful difficulty with the hour of practice.
I'll continue to test drive it and see if I can get a little objective input on my posture using the bench, just in case it turns out that a slightly smaller bench might serve me better in seiza position. But my first impression is that it's a perfectly decent bench.
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