Zazen Practice Guidance


Postures
When we take these postures, we join everyone who’s been sitting like this, for thousands of years.

-Half lotus: leg crossed over the top of the other
-Burmese: legs folded flaton the ground, one in front of the other
for both half lotus and Burmese, sit on the front third of the cushion, if your knees don’t reach the floor, put cushions under them for support.
-Seiza: kneeling on the lower legs, sitting on an upturned cushion


-Royal ease: one leg folded on the floor; the other leg upright and bent at the knee, foot flat on the floor; hands folded on the upraised knee
-Chair: sit as straight as possible, away from the back of the chair, sit with feet flat on the ground; if they don’t reach, put a cushionunderneath the feet
-Lying down: this is the most challenging position for staying focused, but sometimes the only one someone can manage. Lie flat on the back, with a pillow under the head; if possible, raise the knees so that the feet are flat on the ground. Hold a hand position if possible; otherwise put hands flat on the ground. Keep the eyes partially open to help stay awake

Hand positions
-    About 3 finger-widths below the navel, the hands are horizontal, palms upward,
left over right, finger joints matching and thumbs just touching, creating an empty
oval in the middle; OR
-   About 3 finger-widths below the navel, the hands are clasped one over the other,
palms flat against the body, thumbs tucked inside

Gaze
We sit in the world, not withdrawing from it by closing our eyes
-  Eyes partially open & looking downward, about 3 feet in front of the cushion (as far in front of you as you are tall when sitting)
-  Soft focus; don’t stare

Breathing
-  Breathe naturally
-  Try to breathe all the way down to a place 3 finger-widths below the navel
-  Notice if the abdomen is rising and falling with each breath; if not, try to breathe
more deeply

Staying comfortable
- At the beginning of a sit, rock gently side to side and back to front to find the center. Imagine a thread connecting the top of your head to the ceiling. Arms should fall a slight distance from the sides, as though you were
holding an egg under your armpits.
- Check that the back and neck are straight, shoulders and arms relaxed, jaw and
hands unclenched, eyes in soft focus
-  Breathe into any area of discomfort, letting the attention follow the breath
-  If you feel nauseous, try concentrating on the tip of your nose
- Move discretely as necessary
- Change positions from period to period; move to a chair if needed
- Don’t skip walking and moving meditations
- During walking meditation, leave the hall to stretch or do yoga if needed
- In cases of serious discomfort, take a break from sitting

Basic Zazen Meditation
Types (beginning with the simplest)
-  Breath counting: silently count 1 to 10 on the exhales, one number per breath;
repeat the cycles; if the mind wanders, return to 1 and begin again
- Watching the breath:focus one’s attention on breathing, coming back to the breath whenever the mind wanders
- Mindfulness: Noting physical sensations, emotions, and/or thoughts as they arise, and then returning to the breath
- Breath awareness: Let the attention follow the breath, noticing what it’s like as the breath passes through the throat, heart, etc. A simple inquiry like What is this? can be used if, for example, there is a blockage or some other strong sensation.

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