About Zazen

General Guidelines for Meditation

Relax. Let this be a time when you let go of striving to attain something and just allow yourself to be. Turn your attention inward, either closing your eyes or lowering your eyes with an unfocused gaze, if you are comfortable with that.

Tune into your body, feeling it as a whole. Notice the rhythm of your breath and let it be easy and natural. There are many meditation techniques—find one that you feel comfortable with and then commit to practicing it for a period of time. The function of any technique is to enable you to more clearly contact your moment-to-moment experience and to be more open and accepting of that experience, just as it is.

Posture is fundamental, regardless of physical condition. If you are sitting on the floor, arrange your legs so as to provide a stable base for your spine. If you are using a chair, sit foward on the edge, with your feet slightly apart or flat on the floor. Sit up straight, draw your shoulders back and down from the ears, and push the crown of your head up.

These adjustments will ensure that your spine is elongated and your chest is open—allowing you to stay alert and breathe freely. Remain as still as you can, moving only if absolutely necessary to relieve discomfort. It is valuable to notice the urge to move and shift as reflections of restlessness in the mind. The ability to relax around these impulses, and yet not act on them, is fundamental in allowing the mind to settle. The mind follows the body's lead in meditation—so sit with an attitude of serenity and calm.

A Breath-Counting Meditation

One... (inhale)

Two... (exhale)

Continue this pattern up to ten.

If you lose count, return to one.

After reaching ten, return to one.

Make sure that your posture allows an open chest and erect spine. Then, bring your awareness to the breath. Do not alter it; simply notice it closely. Silently count "one" for the inhalation, "two" for the exhalation, and so on, up to "ten." Then go back to "one" and repeat the process. When your mind wanders and you lose count or count past ten, simply return to one and start over.

Zazen Checklist

1. Sit on the forward third of your zafu (meditation cushion).
2. Arrange your legs—full lotus, half-lotus, Burmese, kneeling, or chair. Choose the position you can sustain most comfortably.
3. Center your spine by swaying in decreasing arcs.
4. Straighten and extend your spine and align your head (by "pushing up to the ceiling" and then relaxing). Origin of the thrust is at the small of your back. Belly and buttocks both protrude slightly.
5. Head—shouldn't tilt forward or backward or lean to either side.
   Ears—should be parallel with shoulders.
   Tip of nose—centered over navel
   Chin—tucked in slightly
6. Eyes should be partially closed looking at a 45-degree angle at the floor with a soft unfocused gaze.
7. Mouth should be closed and breathing should be done through the nose unless you have a cold. Place the tongue behind the top teeth. Swallow once or twice to create a slight vacuum, which prevents excess salivation.
8. Hands are placed in the "cosmic" mudra. Form an open oval with the left hand resting in the right and the thumb tips touching.
9. Make sure your whole body is arranged the way you want it before beginning zazen.
10. Run through your body relaxing any points of tension. Take a couple of full breaths and begin zazen.
11. Try to keep as still as possible during zazen.