The Ins and Outs of Morning Zendo

As you know, during the week there is both a morning zendo and an evening zendo and on Saturday there is both a morning and a mid-morning zendo. So, thanks to Seiju's generous gift of his time, there are many opportunities for us to keep group practice a necessary and vital part of a well-rounded Zen practice. But even with the many hours of zendo throughout the week, it is still understood that AZC is a 'commuter' Zen center, and that many of us, when we can make it to zendo, cannot always make it for the full 90 minutes. It is also important to know that it is definitely acceptable to come sometime after the start of zendo and to leave sometime before the end. What is most important is that we are comfortable enough with the etiquette of coming and going that we do come to zendo when we can. This article deals with the etiquette of the morning zendo - when it is proper to enter and how to do so ... when it is proper to leave and how to do that.

So, from the standpoint of entering and leaving, morning zendo can really be thought of as having five distinct sections. They are (with starting times):

1. Tea Ceremony and 'Bowing In' (6:00)
2. Start of Chanting (~6:10)
3. Start of First Sit (~6:25)
4. Start of Second Sit (7:00)
5. 'Bowing Out' (7:25)

And with these five sections in mind, let's look at when it is OK to enter or leave the zendo and how to do so ...

First, Entering the Zendo (Hands in Gassho)

• Before Tea: You can enter the zendo any time before the tea ceremony at 6:00. Enter and bow to the front of the room, with hands in gassho find a seat, turn and bow to the center of the room, remove your shoes and prepare for tea as you would for zazen.
• After the 'Bowing In' and before the start of Chanting: After tea, the jiki-jitsu strikes two bells to signal its end and then 'Bows In'. After offering incense and completing three great bows, the jiki-jitsu clacks twice to signal preparations for chanting. Waiting at the zendo door with the shoji, when you hear the two clacks, let the shoji enter first (as he/she must get ready for chanting). Enter and bow to the front, turn and bow to the shoji seat, with hands in gassho find a seat, turn and bow to the center, remove your shoes and prepare for chanting as you would for zazen. 
• During Chanting: You can enter while the zendo is chanting as a group (as opposed to the solo portions of the chant). Waiting at the zendo door, when zendo starts into a group chant, enter and bow to the front, turn and bow to the shoji seat, with hands in gassho find a seat, turn and bow to the center, remove your shoes and prepare for chanting as for zazen.
• After Chanting and before the start of the First Sit: After chanting, the zendo performs three great bows and the jiki-jitsu strikes three bells and then two clacks to signal the end of chanting and a return to zazen. Waiting at the zendo door, when you hear the two clacks, enter and bow to the front, turn and bow to the shoji seat, with hands in gassho find a seat, turn and bow to the center, remove your shoes and prepare for zazen.
• After the First Sit and before the start of the Second Sit: You should plan to arrive in time for the walking kinhin that occurs between the two sits. As the kinhin line comes past, join the line at the end. If the shoji is present, he/she will generally make room for you in front of him/her. (Think of the officers as bookends for the kinhin line.) Sometimes it's hard to tell who the shoji is, so don't fret and just join the line as near the end as seems to make sense. On the last go-round, the jiki-jitsu clacks once to signal a return to the zendo. At this time, bow out of line. After the kinhin line returns to the zendo, the jiki-jitsu strikes one bell to signal a return to zazen. Waiting at the zendo door, when you hear the one bell, enter and bow to the front, turn and bow to the shoji seat, with hands in gassho find a seat, turn and bow to the center, remove your shoes and prepare for zazen.

And Now, Leaving the Zendo (Hands in Sassho)

• After the 'Bowing In' and before the start of Chanting: It seems unlikely that anyone would actually come to zendo just for the tea ceremony (which lasts about ten minutes) but it is indeed possible. After 'Bowing In', the jiki-jitsu clacks twice to signal preparations for chanting. As you are currently seated, bow, stand and straighten your seat, put on your shoes, gather up your tea cup and napkin, bow to the center, with hands in sassho head toward the zendo door, turn and bow to the shoji seat and exit, taking your cup to the shoji room. If you have time, it would be a great help to wash and dry your cup.
• After Chanting and before the start of the First Sit: After the zendo performs three great bows, the jiki-jitsu strikes three bells and two clacks to signal a return to zazen. As you are already standing, straighten your seat, put on your shoes, gather your cup and napkin, bow to the center, with hands in sassho head toward the zendo door, turn and bow to the shoji seat and exit and take your cup to the shoji room. If you have time, it would be a great help to wash and dry your cup.
• After the First Sit and before the start of the Second Sit: After the first sit, when the zendo is exiting for walking kinhin, your main goal is to not interfere with those moving outside. Very often, you can simply sit at the edge of the tan as the others walk by. Stand and straighten your seat, put on your shoes. If you have had tea, gather your cup and napkin, bow to the center, with hands in sassho walk toward the zendo door, turn toward the shoji seat and bow and prepare to exit the zendo. From here, your intent is to not interfere with the kinhin line, so it is very simple to wait for the line to go past the door before exiting. If proper, take you cup to the shoji room. If you have time, it would be a great help to wash and dry your cup.
• After the 'Bowing Out': The zendo remains in zazen while the jiki-jitsu 'Bows Out', straightens his/her seat and exits the zendo. After the jiki-jitsu has exited the zendo, bow, stand and straighten your seat, put on your shoes. If you have taken tea, gather your cup and napkin, bow to the center and with hands in sassho exit the zendo. If appropriate, take your cup to the shoji room.

Please realize that the intent here was not to inundate you with zendo minutiae, but rather, to impress upon you that entering zendo after it starts and leaving zendo before it is finished is definitely, definitely acceptable ... especially when the alternative is to not come at all. and lastly, please realize that there may not be much time for you to get in or get out, so move quickly, quietly and confidently. Hope this was helpful, see you in the zendo ...

Next Beginner's Instruction
Saturday, March 29th 8:15-9:15AM
Wear loose clothes, bring a friend, come early for a cup of coffee or tea. Also, the beginners instruction is a great refresher getting back in the zendo.

zero is ...

in the zendo ...

finding zero ...

this week at AZC ...

This workshop is generally geared toward the beginning meditator, but can be a nice refresher if you have been away from Zen practice for a while, or if you took the beginner's instruction and haven't quite yet gotten started, or if you are new to the Rinzai style of Zen, or if you are simply new to AZC.

Group participants will receive a specially prepared booklet of important discussion excerpts from the Majjhima Nikaya (Discourses of the Buddha), the Zen writings of Sokei-an, Taisen Deshimaru, Thich Nhat Hanh, Robert Aitken, Stephen Hagen and others. The discussion materials will also include related ideas from thought leaders in psychotherapy: Irvin D. Yalom, (list several others). The group atmosphere will be informative, informal, nonjudgmental and welcoming.

A member donated some bumper stickers. Be sure to stop by and pick one up.

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Zazen in an AZC t-shirt ... priceless.

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We are always looking for short articles and first-person stories, from both AZC members and non-members alike. (700 words, plus or minus would be great - please include pictures if you can.) Please send to Jim Redel.

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Got a favorite AZC photo? We'd be happy to include it.Please send to Jim Redel.

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We are now registered with the Amazon Smile programs, where they will donate a percentage of certain purchases to AZC. Please consider this the next time you shop at Amazon.(You can clock on the image to check it out.)