A Guide for Beginners
How to Meditate Zazen Properly
Based on Master Sando Kaisen's book "Meditation Without Meditation"
Zazen is a form of Zen meditation that involves sitting quietly and focusing on the breath. It is a practice that can be used to cultivate mindfulness, concentration, and insight. We practice Zazen in a group, but it can also be done individually.
Practicing Zazen is like a tiger taking to the mountains. It’s like a dragon diving back into the water. Zazen must be practiced with a mind fresh and clear.
Your practice of Zazen has to be burning with the thought: “If I don’t find liberation in this life, when then!?”
Kodo Sawaki
Your practice of Zazen has to be burning with the thought: “If I don’t find liberation in this life, when then!?”
Kodo Sawaki
The heart of Zen is Zazen.
Today Buddhism has taken many different forms, but the posture in which the Buddha attained understanding of the true nature of mind remains unchanged. It was passed down through seven generations in India, seven generations in China, and seven generations in Japan before being brought to Europe. This posture has been preserved in its original form because of the way the teachings have been transmitted, based on transmission from master to disciple rather than on the reading of texts.
Here are some additional tips for meditating Zazen properly:
- Find a comfortable posture. It is important to find a posture that is comfortable and sustainable for you. If you are uncomfortable, you will be more likely to fidget or get distracted.
- Keep your back straight. A straight back will help you to breathe deeply and easily.
- Focus on your breath. The breath is the anchor of your attention in Zazen. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath.
- Don't judge yourself. It is normal for your mind to wander during meditation. Don't judge yourself for this. Just gently bring your attention back to your breath.
- Be patient. It takes time and practice to learn how to meditate effectively. Don't get discouraged if you find it difficult at first. Just keep practicing and you will eventually see results.
#1 Main Positions
The most important part of Zazen is the correct position for meditation
Zazen Position (Monk Kosen)
Sitting on a zafu (traditional round cushion), we cross our legs in lotus or half-lotus pose, or fold them underneath us in seiza (kneeling position). Your knees should touch the floor, creating, together with the buttocks on zafu, a stable position of three points of support.
Position 1
Full Lotus
Knees resting on the floor, with the foot of the left foot on the right thigh and the foot of the right foot on the left thigh. The soles of feet are turned upwards.
Position 2
Half-lotus
A simplified pose. Only one foot is on the thigh, the shin of the other foot is on the floor. You can further simplify the position and place your foot not on the thigh, but on the calf or on the floor (Burmese position). It is possible to swap legs.
Other Zazen Positions
However, not everyone is comfortable sitting cross-legged. Other positions are also acceptable in Zazen, especially if you have bad knees or if there are medical contraindications to sitting cross-legged.
The key is a straight back and body position, which we'll talk about in the next chapter.
The key is a straight back and body position, which we'll talk about in the next chapter.
#2 Body Position
Sitting clothes should be loose, not restricting movements
The spine is flexed in the lower lumbar region, the pelvis is tilted slightly forward, as if rolling off a cushion. The abdomen is relaxed. Knees rest tightly on the floor. The top of the head reaches toward the sky. The nose is in the same plane as the navel. The ears are in the same plane as the shoulders. The shoulders are relaxed and lowered. The underbelly is slightly drawn to the neck.
Breathing is through the nose, with the mouth closed and the jaws relaxed. The tip of the tongue rests against the upper palate, against the front teeth. Eyes open, gaze down at an angle of 45 degrees, motionless, calm, but not focused on anything.
Hand Position
The forearms rest on the thighs at the bottom of the abdomen, palms turned upwards. The fingers of the left hand rest on the fingers of the right hand, thumbs touching at the tips. Palms as if holding a big egg. The ribs of the palms lightly touch the abdomen in the area 3-4 cm below the navel. Usually you should put something under your palms for this. The arms should be relaxed, neither hanging in the air nor falling down, pulling the shoulders behind them.
#3 Breathing
Breathing in Zazen is crucial
First of all, you need to establish a slow, strong and natural rhythm.
Concentrate primarily on the exhalation, which should be calm, long and deep. During the exhalation, leave the abdomen relaxed, do not retract it. The inhalation should be natural, automatic, spontaneous. When the lungs are almost empty, they quickly re-fill with air.
Concentrating on the exhalation creates tremendous energy in the lower abdomen. The energy center of the body is not in the head or the upper body, but in the major nerve groups located in the area from the solar plexus to the lower abdomen. All martial arts are traditionally based on this kind of breathing. Strong body-mind actions occur during the exhalation. During the inhalation a person is especially weak and vulnerable.
We usually breathe about 15 times a minute, superficially, using only a fraction of our lungs' capacity. Deep full Zazen breathing captures not only the level of the chest and diaphragm, but also affects the organs of the lower abdomen, massaging them well and stimulating the circulation of blood and other body fluids.
With regular Zazen practice, this kind of breathing gradually becomes a habit in daily life and in sleep. The more receptive you become to the universal life force through Zazen breathing in Zazen, the more your energy increases.
We usually breathe about 15 times a minute, superficially, using only a fraction of our lungs' capacity. Deep full Zazen breathing captures not only the level of the chest and diaphragm, but also affects the organs of the lower abdomen, massaging them well and stimulating the circulation of blood and other body fluids.
With regular Zazen practice, this kind of breathing gradually becomes a habit in daily life and in sleep. The more receptive you become to the universal life force through Zazen breathing in Zazen, the more your energy increases.
#4 State of Mind
The right state of mind comes naturally from deep concentration on the body and breath during Zazen
During Zazen, the conscious flow of thoughts is significantly reduced and the thinking brain is calmed. Blood travels to the deeper layers of the brain, the thalamus and hypothalamus, and this body-brain becomes more active and developed. When the deep brain becomes more active, the nervous system relaxes. By being receptive and attentive in every cell of your body, you learn to think with your body, unconsciously.
During zazen, thoughts, conscious and subconscious, naturally and constantly rise to the surface of our minds. Don't try to suppress this. But at the same time, don't get involved in the thinking process and don't let thoughts take you away from concentrating on your posture and breathing. Just let the thoughts float by like clouds in the sky, without resisting them or becoming attached to them. Shadows pass and dissolve. Images rise up from the subconscious and disappear.
The brain becomes deeply calm. We come to the deep unconscious, beyond thinking, to hishiryo consciousness, true purity.
During zazen, thoughts, conscious and subconscious, naturally and constantly rise to the surface of our minds. Don't try to suppress this. But at the same time, don't get involved in the thinking process and don't let thoughts take you away from concentrating on your posture and breathing. Just let the thoughts float by like clouds in the sky, without resisting them or becoming attached to them. Shadows pass and dissolve. Images rise up from the subconscious and disappear.
The brain becomes deeply calm. We come to the deep unconscious, beyond thinking, to hishiryo consciousness, true purity.
Is it Possible to Practice Zazen at Home?
You can practice Zazen on your own. However, you should keep in mind some of the mistakes that can trip you up
Common Mistakes in Zazen Meditation
- Not having a regular practice schedule. It is important to have a regular practice schedule and to stick to it as much as possible. This will help you to develop a habit of Zazen and to make progress in your practice.
- Not creating a dedicated space for practice. It is helpful to create a dedicated space for Zazen practice. This could be a room in your home or even a quiet spot in your backyard. Having a dedicated space will help you to focus and to get into the right mindset for meditation.
- Not sitting in the correct posture. It is important to sit in the correct posture for Zazen. This will help you to maintain your concentration and to avoid discomfort. The basic posture for Zazen is to sit with your back straight and your legs crossed. Your hands should be placed in your lap, palms facing up.
- Not focusing on the breath. The breath is the anchor of your attention in Zazen. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath. It is important to focus on your breath in a natural and effortless way.
- Judging yourself. It is normal for your mind to wander during meditation. Don't judge yourself for this. Just gently bring your attention back to your breath.
- Giving up too easily. It takes time and practice to learn how to meditate effectively. Don't get discouraged if you find it difficult at first. Just keep practicing and you will eventually see results.
To avoid mistakes and master the position, come to regular practices in Batumi Zen Center.
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