Zazen Meditation

Zazen is a form of Zen Buddhist meditation that in Japanese means “seated concentration”, but the experience of zazen is much more than this. While many forms of meditation tend to focus on the mind or the “I” aspect of our consciousness, zazen sees the mind, body and breath as a whole and unified structure that is meant to work together. The position of the body is important during zazen as it is believed to have an influence on the mind and the breath. One of the most common positions for zazen is the seated Buddha position in which one is seated on the floor, or a small pillow called a zafu, with the legs folded and spine erect. The eyes are normally kept open or half-closed during zazen meditation, the mouth is kept closed with breathing done through the nose and the tongue is kept pressed to the upper pallate.

Zazen is different than many other forms of meditation in which there is an objective. With zazen there is literally no objective but rather a way of letting go of individual consciousness, attachments and thoughts that tend to clutter our minds. In zazen there is no striving for happiness or enlightenment, although you may feel these during this state of meditation. Instead you release yourself of any striving or yearnings and let yourself be one with all of life.

During zazen the focus of the breath is usually on the hara, which is an area within the body that is about two inches above the navel. The hara is considered the spiritual and physical center of the body in Zen Buddhism and it is believed that when you put your attention there, your mind will also be there and will become more focused and calm. People who are new to zazen begin by focusing primarily on the breath which involves counting each inhalation and exhalation beginning with one and ending with ten, then started over again at one. If any thoughts intrude or if the mind begins to wander, it is acknowledged without judgment and let go. But then the counting is returned to one and the cycle is started over again. The counting is seen as a way to train the mind and empower yourself. It is a type of raised concentration referred to as joriki, which means "power of the mind". This initial stage of zazen is often done in a group setting because this can offer good support and guidance. Once a person is comfortable with and has a good mastery of the breath focus and concentration, which is sometimes referred to as Samadhi, they often move on to one of two of methods of zazen. These two methods are Koan introspection and Shikantaza.

Koan Introspection

A koan is a statement or question in Zen Buddhism that involves the use of intuition in finding the answer or lesson, rather than the use of intellectual reasoning. Often used by Zen teachers and monks, a koan is a question that does not involve one correct or fixed answer. Instead it is a way to teach a person to apply the lesson of the koan to their own life, gain insight and to let go of a particular attachment.  Koan introspection is typically practiced with a guide or teacher who is knowledgeable in Zen Buddhism. 

Shikantaza