Meditation Instruction

Zen meditation is called zazen. Zazen is simply being present to the manifestation of our experience, including thoughts, sensations, sounds, sights, smells, and tastes. This practice can enable us to realize that the source of our experience is a mysterious, alive presence, that we share with all beings. This presence has been called many names, God, the one Buddha mind, cosmic consciousness, etc. It is through directly experiencing it, and learning to express its loving spirit in our lives, that we can truly serve others and ourselves.

Some guidelines for zazen:

1. Sit slightly forward on your chair or cushion.
2. Arrange your legs in a position that you can maintain comfortably.
3. In a relaxed manner, keep your spine straight, nose in line with your belly button, and ears on the same plane as your shoulders.
4. Relax your vision, don't try to focus, see, or not to see anything in particular. Traditionally in Zen, we keep the eyes open, but if you're more comfortable with them closed, that's ok. If your eyes are open, it's normal for them to go out of focus after sitting for some time.
5. Place your hands comfortably in your lap, many Zen students place one palm under the other, with your thumbs lightly touching, forming an oval.
6. Take a deep breath, exhale fully, and then take another deep breath. Then let your breath settle into a natural rhythm.
7. Just following the breath during zazen without trying to manipulate it in any way is recommended by many Zen teachers. There are other specific practices that can be used to deal with our mind's tendency to get lost in thought. A qualified teacher can help you learn how to best use these.
8. Practice daily at least 15 minutes or more.