Guidelines and Privacy e Zobzen School is a community of like-minded individuals who study Zen. It is not a religious community, but a community of practitioners. Our practice is to awaken. Not just for a moment, but consistently in everyday life. To live with kindness, patience, love, and generosity; to learn to be satisfied with ourselves as we are; to connect with the deep wisdom of selfless awareness; to be in relationship with ultimate reality; to have no purpose; to enter the unknown... Community Guidelines: 1. Be honest and listen—We speak honestly, or as honest as feels right in the moment. Being honest and listening to others who are speaking honestly is part of our practice. We listen with nonjudgement and respect, even if we don't like what others say. 2. Avoid Inappropriate Language or threats—We speak honestly but without attacking others. Any derogatory language towards any fellow is prohibited. Including any racial slurs or any broad statements that aim to attack or insult. Paradoxically, these aggressive feelings are entirely acceptable. But hold them to yourself and contact the community moderators for support. 3. No "Not Safe For Work" (NSFW) material—is is a community and not meant to share this kind of explicit material. Zen Sitting and Walking Commitments Sitting—A clap will signal the start of a sitting period. You then sit. A clap will signal the end of the sitting period. Release your sitting posture and stand up. Walking—A clap will signal the start of the walking period. If you are in a space where you can walk in a circle - that’s good. If not, back and forth is fine. You only need a couple of metres of space to walk. Walk at a pace that fits the space you are walking in. If it’s smaller, you might need to take small steps and walk more slowly. Just move mindfully and see what you are. A clap will signal the end of the walking period. • Please make sure you connect on a computer or a device that is plugged into a power source. • Please have your video on so the group can see each other. • Don’t sit with a focus directly on the computer or device. Have it set up so you can see the group with your peripheral vision. Keep your gaze toward the floor or opposite wall. • Keep yourself on mute for the whole session. Do not move while sitting—It’s important in Zen sitting not to move. Staying still, in the body, creates stillness of mind. Your body will hurt aer a while. is is normal. As long as you are careful with your knees, all the pain in your body will disappear aer you get up. Make sure you sit in a comfortable position - rather than taking a hard posture and then having unbearable pain. If you take care of the knees, no matter how difficult sitting is, it’s also okay. We can just listen to the pain, and allow it to come and go in waves. Don’t move. If you must release an area of the body, do it by intending space into that area. Just sense the area, and imagine it is expanding. Or if you must move —move a tiny tiny tiny bit—so subtly that nobody would see you move. But that tiny tiny movement may release the area a little. Aer trying this, if the pain is too much, then quietly and smoothly change into a new position and settle once more. 4h Retreat Commitments Arriving—It is important to arrive on time so that everyone can begin together. We come together, connect with each other and start together with a collective feeling. Staying for the whole time—e point of these retreat sessions is to create a moment of meaningful retreat in an otherwise busy life. To sit for an extended duration is beneficial for our practice—as the luminous mind arises natually in silience. If you are in good health, experienced, and capable - and have sat for 4 hours before - then you are encouraged to stay to the end of the retreat. Staying for a shorter duration—If you are new to sitting for hours at a time - you are encouraged to come and stay for a shorter time. en you can gradually build up your practice over multiple retreats. To avoid thinking all through the practice… “Should I stay or go now?”. Simply arrive on time, and make your commitment to the group - stating how long you will sit. is puts your intentions out there - and then you can just sit until your end time naturally comes. Leaving before the agreed time—When you have made a commitment to staying for a duration—you should do your best to honour that commitment. If it turns out you cannot remain for the full period, it is ok, so long as you have made a genuine effort. Should you need to leave early, please disconnect quietly. As the Guide will be concerned about where you got to—check in with them at the earliest opportunity.