Only just sitting: The very basics of Zen meditation
Blanket Theory
I thought it would be a good idea to put down a really basic guide to zazen (Zen meditation). Zazen is usually pretty minimalist, this version makes some choices so that you can start more easily. A more complete beginner’s guide can be found at Zen Mountain Monastery, which I used as a source for this page.
Zazen is only just sitting. That is all it is, simplicity. Somehow, this can become surprisingly difficult as a beginner. Don’t worry, to start, all you are expected to do is watch yourself breathing in and out. But, we have to get you into a good posture, talk about meditation timing arrangements and the actual meditation itself. Keep in mind the part before and after can be meditation too, your everyday life too. Your everyday is already meditation, you only need to learn how to express it fully.
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”
― Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Posture
Find a quiet place to sit. Preferably in front of a neutral or evenly coloured wall. This wall will become a close friend.
The easiest way to start is to sit in a chair facing the wall, if you have meditation cushion or a prayer bench, that is excellent, but let’s work with the chair scenario for now. There is nothing wrong with using a chair for zazen, as long as it is comfortable, leaves you balanced and you can remain alert in the posture. Floor sitting is generally recommended for more stable posture if this is the case for the practitioner, but floor poses are not especially magical.
I use the seiza (kneeling) posture, because I find sitting with the crossed leg positions difficult. I also use a “prayer bench” with a zafu to sit on (otherwise the strain on my knees and lower legs is too much).
Sit upright in the chair on the front third of the seat. Your posture should be alert, spine vertical, balanced, but not too stiff. If you have back problems, it may be necessary for you to sit against the back. In this case, try to use a zafu (meditation cushion) or other cushion to support your lower back in obtaining a vertical spine. Keep your feet flat.
Place your hands in your lap. If you know how to hold your hand in a mudra that’s good, but finding a stable way to keep your hands is most important. Try your hands on your knees for now.
Timing
Set a timer with a really gentle sound for your meditation, that way you won’t worry about the time. For the first few times, go for 5-10 minutes and build up from there. If it feels overwhelming, try breaking up into shorter sessions. In this case, consider very slow meditative walking (kinhin) around the edge of the room for a few minutes (useful also if you have been meditating for a longer time). In this case, get yourself a timer app that will ring the kinhin sessions automatically for you, so that you don’t need to think about starting and stopping. The walking is very slow, one foot in front of the other, with your hands clasped together (or in a mudra) comfortably around your lower stomach.
Sitting
Looking at the wall, turn your gaze slightly down and tuck in your chin a bit. You are simply going to watch your breath. Breathe in and out slowly through your nose (if that is comfortable) with your tongue against your upper palate. Simply watch the breath, feel the breath, without judgement. As a beginner, you may try counting each breath from one to ten in a cycle. Feel your body breathing. Feel the sense of touch of your hands on your knees (or between each other if held so). Feel the pressure from the chair below. See the colour of the wall in front of you. Just let them be. Don’t push them away, don’t cling to them. No need to comment. No need to think, this is the wall colour or this is feeling of my hands. It is all exactly as it should be without comment.
If you find yourself thinking about other things, just let them recede of their own accord. No need to force it, they will just go when they are ready. It is important to know that these thoughts are also part of the activity you are expressing in this moment, don’t chase after them or push them away. If you don’t pay attention, your mind will start slipping into being unfocused on the moment, or daydreaming. If you try to push them out, your mind will react with more activity.
Be alert, you shouldn’t daydream. If you do snap out of a daydream, don’t worry, just continue sitting. This is natural, and for some people it happens more often. All activity is zazen, when done with the right intention, we just refine our practice as we go along. The key thing is to develop the gentle confidence that it will all settle down by itself.
As thoughts and feelings drop off, eventually unexpected things may drop off. Don’t worry, they will come back when you want them to. Just continue to let things settle of their own accord. No need to form expectations, all this activity will all be handled for you, perfectly as it should be.
Continue watching your breath.
Continue watching your breath.
Until … your timer goes off.
“What we call “I” is just a swinging door which moves when we inhale and when we exhale.”
― Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Ending
A sound lets you know it is the end of sitting.
Traditionally, Zen practitioners bow to the wall in front of them at this point. This politely expresses something about their whole world, what do you think that is, now that you have had time to engage the wall in parallel play? You could call it bowing to Buddha, but for you it could be recognizing the Divine presence, or simply a refection on your oneness with all that surrounds you, as part of them (as opposed to our usual clinging to only ourselves). The word politely earlier was perhaps amusing, but there is a lesson here. Why bother with humour about being polite to a wall? If you can’t bow to a wall, can you really bow to anyone?
“The real way circulates everywhere; how could it require practice or enlightenment? The essential teaching is fully available; how could effort be necessary? Furthermore, the entire mirror is free of dust; why take steps to polish it? Nothing is separate from this very place; why journey away?
And yet, if you miss the mark even by a strand of hair, you are as distant as heaven from earth. If the slightest discrimination occurs, you will be lost in confusion. You could be proud of your understanding and have abundant realization, or acquire outstanding wisdom and attain the way by clarifying the mind. Still, if you are wandering about in your head, you may miss the vital path of letting your body leap.” — Dogen, Recommending zazen to all people
Conclusion
The basics already present you with plenty of challenges, with experience your practice will deepen. You should also look for more detailed zazen guides to help you with aspects like posture, different seating, kneeling arrangements and difficulties sitting.
But the heart of zazen is very simple. It has to be, because it has to work in every moment of your life, even if you don’t realize it. That is a kind of puzzle, but not for the intellect (or perhaps, not the intellect by itself). It needs to be answered through experience, and that experience lived in the world.
The core experience of Zen in compassion for all things, and this compassion changes you for the benefit of all. As the old story goes the sage returns into the village with blessing bestowing hands. This is true in more than one way, I wonder which meanings you will discover?
Sentient beings are numberless
we vow to save them all
the smallest of seeds
lips draw breath
a wall only just sits