Group meditation: discipline, friendship, and path walking
Kotishka
Veteran
Group meditation, online or in persona, is probably one of the best ways to sharpen my practice. I have currently started sitting with a friend and taught him as much as I've managed to learn regardings to Zen and Buddhism. In reality, all this dense theory must be tasted or risk cerebral indigestion. He has some experience, having been in Nepal for quite a few months.
Method of choice for now: just sitting / some metta or dedications ("May all beings attain wisdom, may all beings be free of suffering, may all beings find the path towards the cessation of suffering")
Now...we have been studying the Brahmaviharas lately. He was taught mainly anapanasati, following the breath, transitioning to shikantaza was not easy nor extremely hard. In fact, we talked about how in just sitting the four dwellings are important to allow certain tranquility to allow being just there, at 100% if you permit the cuantification...
Now to finish off. Crude humour from the US but with a very good message:
"But you can forgive the world and its flaws and follow me there because you've still got a hell of a lot to see."
How are your group practices? Or are you a solo rider like I was?
Peace
Comments
There aren’t very many Buddhists where I am, Amsterdam is pretty much the nearest place with some Buddhist centers but that is an hour by train. Over the last few years I have rarely ventured so far.
I started sitting on zoom with a couple of other Buddhist leaning meditators when Covid started limiting their access to their own Sangha's.
I just plug in, twice a day, 24/7 for 30 minutes and silently sit with whoever is there. No homilies, chanting's, offertories, dedications or scripture recitations, are offered besides some saying so long when the 30 minute sitting period ends.
Coming into a sitting period late is fine, if done quietly. Each meditator just mutes their zoom call if their side of the sitting space is not quiet. Some sit with their screens off, some with there screens on. Sometimes this zendo zooming space might be empty and the most that have ever showed up is 6.
I thought this zoomed meditation would only last until covid restrictions to their own Sangha's ended but as long as folks keep showing up to share in the practice, I probably will as well.
It seems that following scheduled sittings in the midst of life's competing distractions can impart a noticeable inertia of its meditative graces to all of suffering's causes.
May I join sometime @how?
Anytime marcitko.
I've messaged you the pertinent info. You'll have to figure out the time zone differences for where you are. This info is private so as to do away with the need for a waiting room so anyone can freely enter or leave when they want.
Cheers
Howard
During Covid, I would join @how and crew once a day.
There is also for Zen
https://www.treeleaf.org/
As soon as I become a little more coherent will provide short led meditations as podcast. It is easier to join, follow, be led or grouped. Many great examples and online Sanghas available 😌
@lobster
We should return to the dojo!
Well I feel the zen dojo is not quite what I need … So I provided this 8 minute led meditation. I hope it works for others. At the moment I do something similar, with a chant and longer sit for my half an hour morning practice
https://audio.com/lobster/audio/led-meditation
You have a very natural "radio-voice" that's very soothing to listen to and guided very well. I enjoyed that and it did relax me. Lobster confirmed not crazy!
@marcitko glad it relaxed.
Personally I need half an hour. So @how is offering a valuable and pure discipline.
The should practice dojo that @Kotishka mentions is never left or entered. Ideally it is a constant.
For us beginners, I will hopefully do another technique based “not crazy” short led practice on top of my half an hour morning sit, just done.
I seem to perceive that I cannot separate practice from discipline, which means a relief of my samsaric ailments.
I hope it is okay for an old beginner to return to the zendo
@lobster confirmed not crazy! Hmm I have my doubts...@lobsster's a text book case
