Zazen is a type of meditation unique to Zen Buddhism that functions at the heart of the practice, Zen is the Japanese word for meditation, so Zen Buddhists could be called “Meditation Buddhists.”
This blog & video will outline how a beginner can practice zazen, which literally means sitting meditation.
Zen Meditation Instruction (How to Meditate)
Transcripts of the Video:
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welcome to your coaches and mountain center in this instructional video I’ll
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be describing for basic techniques including posture and breathing for the
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practice of zazen of seated meditation
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this is the iconic full Lotus posture
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you can see here but the right foot is placed on the left thigh and the left
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foot is placed on the right by it forms a very stable triangle with both knees
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and the bottoms 14 foreground
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don’t worry if you can’t manage to sit in this posture many of his card
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this is for half Lotus posture you can see here but the right focus place on
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the left by our alternatively the left foot is placed on the right by this is
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also a very stable posture for the practice of zazen
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this is the quarter notice here the right foot to left foot is placed on the
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caf
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this is commonly called the Burmese posture where one foot is placed in
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front of the opposing leg a lot of Western practitioners of zazen are able
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to sit in this cross legged posture in all cross-legged postures
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it’s important to switch for legs out in order to maintain symmetry in the body
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for instance if you said to half Lotus with the left foot up on the right five
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alternate you’re sitting . by placing the right foot up on the left by a
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popular alternative to cross legged postures
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this is the kneeling position are also known as sazar a practitioner can use a
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bench or a cushion to achieve this posture so as an can certainly be
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practiced in a chair extra care should be taken to be sure that the feet are
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firmly planted on the ground and also that you don’t slump
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especially in the lower back for the regular practice of zazen
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it is very helpful to set up a permanent spot for your practice
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this should be in an area where you are unlikely to be disturbed for your
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periods of meditation the matter the cushion can remain in the same place
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perhaps you would like to set up an altar many people like to use a Buddha
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figure have two parts of flowers or anything that you consider sacred when
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beginning the practice of zazen
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it’s very helpful to begin with a checklist
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we want to make sure that we can maintain a comfortable and stable
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posture before beginning the practice of zazen be sure that you are wearing
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comfort
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all clothing and arrange your cushion on the mat arrange your legs
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even the full Lotus posture half Lotus quarter
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burmese kneeling or sitting in a chair
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we can begin by straightening the spine a way to achieve this is to sway gently
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from side to side and then come back to Center . take a breath in filling the
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chest with air and pulling for spine straight you’ll notice about a straight
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spine actually curves in at the lower back
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please be sure not to slum or over arch forward
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the head should be straight not tipping from side to side and also not leaning
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forward the gym should be talked down slightly
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a very common question that people have when beginning the practice of zazen are
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seated meditation is what do I do with the eyes in the practice of zazen we sit
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neither with eyes fully closed which content to bring on a dreamy State all
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to help from fully open as we can be distracted by our environment
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experiments with having your eyes half-closed cast downward at a 45 degree
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angle you can try to bring a soft focus into the eyes
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so you’re not staring at anything in particular the mouth should be lightly
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close the tongue can rest against the back of the front teeth
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this creates a slight vacuum which really helps with not producing a lot of
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saliva where I was sitting
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this is the cosmic mudra you can see here the right hand is placed , with the
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left hand laid in the right part forms are asked over and lightly touching
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it’s very important to make sure your body is arranged the way you wanted to
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be for the whole . the desires air
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try not to move around unless you absolutely need to
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if you do need to move
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do it quickly and quietly it’s better to maintain stillness for of the period as
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much as possible when ending a period of zazen
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please take care to be gentle with the body
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you can begin by swaying likely from side to side notice any pins and needles
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are dull ache or pain in the leg and then take extra care to move very slowly
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before standing
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how do we work with a breath during the practice of zazen
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well we don’t try and make the braf do anything in particular
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the breath will naturally lengthen and soften during meditation but as a
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guiding rule we let the breath really do what it wants to do
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beginners to Zen practice and the practice of zazen often start with
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breathing practices to focus on during the sittings
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the first of these practices very common is to count the breath
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how do we do that well encounter the breath we do just that but on the
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exhalation only for example we would inhale and then inwardly as we exhale we
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count the number one for the next inhalation and the next exhalation we
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count the number 2 and so on
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free for all the way to 10 when we get to 10 we stop and come back to one
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if we find that perhaps we’re on number 25
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then don’t worry just come back to wall also if we forget what your number that
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we’re counting
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we just begin again at one the practice of zazen we usually breathe in and out
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through the nose
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the only time when this would change would be a Power nose is blocked
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if that should happen then it’s okay for us your period – just breathe through my
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mouth
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if we have a cold or a runny nose then it’s fine to keep the tissue in your
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hand and to establish your nose as needed
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we hope you’ve enjoyed this instructional video and find it helpful
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but you’re encouraged in your practice of zazen are seated meditation
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for more information please visit us at CMC . are we offer a wealth of programs
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here at York OT all the way from beginning classes every sunday morning
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through 27 de retreats and intensive 90 day training periods we hope to see you
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soon
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thank you
