Important Changes!
There has been quite a bit of press lately about uninvited trouble-makers disrupting online meetings, including meditations and online gatherings such as ours. This has happened to other Zen Sanghas we know, as well as to educational Zoom meetings. We will be making some changes to our online meetings to minimize such disruptions, while still maintaining the easiest possible way for our members and guests to get together online. We are making the minimum changes for now and we expect that they will be sufficient. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact Frank Actis (this link or email at bottom of page).
1. All meetings will have a password. We will be changing the password once per month. If you use the meeting links in the emails, you will not need to enter the password.
2. We will only be posting our meeting links in Sangha emails, such as this. The web site will no longer have meeting links or meeting IDs.
3. The meeting links, IDs and passwords will change once per month. We will have new meeting links, IDs and passwords starting May 1.
NOTE: Everyone can pitch in keeping our meetings secure and your privacy, well, private, by updating the Zoom software, whenever it asks you to. (nothing to do unless asked to update Zoom software)
Well, that’s it for now! There are additional, more restrictive changes that can be made, however, the SMS Steering Committee and our technical support staff think this is enough for now. Thank you for helping make our online gatherings a success!
You’ll also find our schedule on our website, smszen.org.
| THE SCHEDULE: Monday, 5:15 to 6:00 PM Discussion group, taking up questions relating to our Zen practice as we are living it, day by day. Everyone is welcome. Monday, 6:10 to 8 PM Our usual Monday evening schedule, just that it’s on Zoom. Meditation, talks, conversations, some chanting. Wednesday, 6:30 to 7:30 AM Meditation led by sangha members. You can attend all or come on board around 6:55. Time for conversation afterwards. Saturday, 6:30 to 8:30 AM Like Wednesday, only longer. You can join during the 5 min. before any period, so 6:55, 7:25, 7:55. Saturday, 10 AM to noon Koan Inquiry in community, led by Sarah Bender, Roshi. It’s fine to just join in to any session, but please come at the beginning or a few minutes early. If you want to receive koans ahead of time, email Sarah at sembender@gmail.com For those on the phone, you can mute or un-mute yourself by pressing *6 Note: these are NOT toll-free telephone calls, but many people have free or very low-cost long distance charges on mobile phones. Other online meetings: EcoDharma Meeting Group: See regular SMS email and Web site postings It’s recommended that you join the Zoom meeting 10 minutes or so before, so you can get the technical issue out of the way. See below for some hints in using this technology. Forms: For now, we’ll be following the same forms as we do when sitting at Shove: Sutras/Chants, Sitting, Walking, etc. Just follow the cues as you normally do. To help you with chants, here are two links that you can use for our Sutra Book: https://joansutherlanddharmaworks.org/Home/Practice_Resources/index.html Chapter One of the Sutra Book: Refuge (Page 1-1), Heart Sutra (1-2), Four Boundless Vows (1-11) Online, everyone singing at once (with slight, uneven delays) gets pretty ragged, so it’s best if you mute your microphone while singing chants as the leader sings. We won’t all hear each other, but we’ll hear the leader. After the the Four Boundless Vows, there will be time for conversation. Bringing in a reading or poetry is also very much appreciated! Hints on using ZOOM for our Meditation: A camera isn’t mandatory, or a computer with sound. It’s easy to use your cell phone: just download the Zoom app and type in the meeting number. That said, a computer/laptop with a camera and sound does make the best experience. Sometimes, getting the sound configured on your computer can take some time. At first, join 10-15 minutes beforehand so you have time to dial things in.If you want, here’s a link with information about joining Zoom. YouTube Zoom While this isn’t a business meeting, it does help to have some hints that will make the technology work easier: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/238902 With larger groups, it works best if you mute yourself when not talking, and remember to un-mute yourself when you need to speak! Also, keeping your camera on keeps you more engaged and makes it easier for others to listen to you as well. Thank you for your patience as we work and practice together in this new way! Any detailed questions, please ask Frank Actis: frank.actis@gmail.com |