Zazen Meditation 02.11.10

ZAZEN MEDITATION

Zazen is the classic Zen meditation, sometimes described as ‘sitting quietly doing nothing’. A common practice among Japanese Zen Buddhist monks and nuns.

It’s traditional to sit in the lotus or half-lotus position here, but if this is uncomfortable for you then sit in a straight-backed chair.

Your hands should rest in your lap, with the both palms up, and the left hand resting on the right hand.

Make sure your spine is straight. Push your lower back forward slightly and expand your chest while making sure your head is upright. Gently move from side to side until you find the balance point that is most comfortable.

Keep your eyes open just a tiny bit (‘neither open nor closed’) and look at the floor a few feet in front of you. Breathe in and out through your nose, keeping your mouth closed and the tongue resting gently against the roof of the mouth.

Take a few deep breaths, exhaling all of the air in your lungs each time, and then let your breathing find it’s own natural deep rhythm, without any force.

Watch the breath. When the mind wanders, gently bring it back again to that simple awareness. Be still. Relax. Be easy on yourself. Don’t judge yourself. Just keep the attention on your breathing, and when the mind wanders, just gently bring it back again.

Be here now. Just BE in the moment. Breathe, and be fully, vitally present.

When you choose to come out of the meditation, first come back to a full sense of being engaged in all of your body. Then gently move your upper body around in small arcs before stretching your legs out. Don’t stand up too soon if your legs are stiff!

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Namaste!!

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