Zazen 101

Take a seat on a chair or cushion. No sofas. No overstuffed chairs. If you are sitting on a chair, sit on the forward third. Place your feet shoulder width apart and set at right angles to your thighs. Place your hands together by cradling your left hand in your right hand, thumbs lightly touching. Pull your shoulders back, sit upright, and tuck your chin just a bit. Eyes should be half open at about a 45 degree angle in front of you and you should be facing a plain wall.

If you are sitting on a cushion, fold your legs left foot onto right thigh; right foot onto left thigh (or a variation of this lotus position). Sit on the forward third of your cushion. Knees are thrust toward the floor offering you a three point seat (two knees and a butt). Hands are cradled in the cosmic mudra, shoulders are back and set square.

Place your mind's eye on your breath or your nose; count each exhalation. After achieving some measure of stability, stop counting and just be present. Do not move except to adjust posture and ONLY if ABSOLUTELY necessary.

As a thought arises, notice it arose and let it go. As a feeling arises, notice it arose and let it go. We let things go by cutting our connection to them. Snip, snip!

Sit this way, perfectly still, for a period of 25 to 50 minutes. If you are a beginner, please adjust these times to 10-25 minutes. Pick an amount of time IN ADVANCE of beginning. If you have an alarm on your watch, use it.

I urge you to do this practice twice a day. In the morning on waking and in the evening just before bed.

The Order of Clear Mind Zen

Rules for the Zendo

1.) Silence is thunder. Zen etiquette calls for a deep and abiding silence in the Zendo. The Zendo is a solemn practice hall. We enter it to do the work of enlightenment: freeing all beings from suffering through the practice of Zazen.

3.) It is customary to remove our shoes before entering the Zendo. Gassho, bow, and enter with the right foot. Walk in “shashu” (left hand in enclosed fist, right hand covering it, elbows extended horizontally) to a cushion, bow, and take your seat facing the interior of the Zendo. Place your hands in the “cosmic mudra” (left hand in right, thumbs lightly touching) and practice Zazen until you are given further instruction.

4.) Please do not keep drinks or food at your Zabuton during Zazen periods. If you require water to take medicine, take the medicine before Zazen or by stepping out of the Zendo during kinhin.

5.) When walking in the Zendo, please place your hands in “Shashu” and walk slowly.

8.) When practicing seated meditation, please avoid movements of any sort. If you must adjust your posture do so very quietly and with care not to disturb others. Expect the Ino or the presiding priest will offer correction to both posture and excess movement during practice periods.

9.) The priest is referred to as “Reverend,” “Sensei,” (Teacher) or “Roshi” (Old Teacher).

10.) During Tea Service and Teisho it is customary to sit with hands in the “cosmic mudra.” Please do not interrupt the officiating priest. A question and answer period will be announced.

11.) You are NOT expected to chant, make vows, or recite anything you do not feel comfortable reciting, vowing or chanting. However, we strongly encourage this practice!

12.) Bows. Bowing is an important practice. It teaches us humility and assists us in lessening the grip of self. “Gassho” refers to the placing of palms together as a lotus bud. This symbolizes the bringing of the active and the passive, the self and other, together in its original ‘non-dualistic’ existence. Bows are done from the hip. A deep bow is a profound demonstration of respect for both self and other.

14.) Dana (Charity) is practiced quietly and typically without request. If you should wish to make an offering, place your offering in the bowl provided. It is located on the foyer altar table.

streetZen

Bernie Glassman-roshi, founder of Zen Peacemaker Sangha, wrote a wonderful book entitled, "Bearing Witness". In it he describes his street work. Bearing witness to homelessness, poverty, war and so on. His practice includes actually becoming homeless for a period. Taking nothing with us, we just sit with the population we are bearing witness on behalf of.

In the past I participated in peace protests after I returned from fighting in the Vietnam war. I was uncomfortable with the adversarial role I often felt the protesters had with others. It was about peace and non-violence, but anger and patriotism are a challenging poison to serenity. Awhile ago I met my friend, Claude Anshin Thomas, author of "At Hell's Gate", and homeless Zen Priest. Anshin practices homeless wondering and lectures on Peace and Non-Violence. Like me, he is a combat veteran. His practice strongly influenced me.

So, over the last two years or so I began a practice I am calling streetZen. In this practice I simply sit zazen in public places. The places I select have to do with particular issues, such as the environment, veterans, etc. If I am sitting on behalf of the environment, I consider myself an Earth Witness. If I sit at Veteran's Park, I am there as a Peace Witness. One other form of practice is Soup Kitchen work. I did that for awhile, but haven't recently. In this, I simply volunteer at the local soup kitchen and put in a few hours there.

The ground rules of the practice are simple. Practice zazen. No talking. If spoken to, reply quietly, politely, and with a gassho and bow. At the soup kitchen, the work is similar to "samu" or "work meditation" and the rules would include mindful silence and mindful practice as I cut things, place things, etc.

Meditation

To Practice Zazen (seated meditation) at Home

The Order of Clear Mind Zen
Rules for the Zendo

streetZen