The heart of the matter -Does It Work?

The question we are often asking ourselves, but one that is rarely spoken aloud, is addressed simply and directly here by Sensei Janet Jiryu Abel in this excerpt from a talk. In the Soto school of Zen, which is the predominant sect in Japan, the practice consists almost entirely of Shikintaza or “just sitting”. Shikintaza is literally to take the posture of Zazen and just sit there with no goals, no aspirations, no good, no bad, just sit. There are no cookies or trophies. You don’t necessarily get up from sitting feeling great that you did it. You may rise from your noble posture only to ask yourself why the hell would anybody just sit there like a dumbass.

Today’s practice

My goal was to start my daily zazen practice yesterday with two ten minute periods. Well I did one. I have done two already today, one early, about 5 am and one around noon. Ten minutes is a very short time in terms of Zazen. It takes that long just to settle into position and for all the thoughts to begin to stop fluttering around, especially the one that says “look at me, I’m doing ZEN, bubba!” Again, cheating at solitaire.

I think my sitting was good. I managed my posture well and I do remember the posture. My major problem is lower back pain caused by letting my belly sink forward and pulling my lower back in and butt out. But I’m finding it, I’m finding it. I’m finding that invisible line that runs through my head and body and straight on down into the earth. I am doing shikantaza at times (just sitting, following the breath) and I am counting the breath at other times.

I have begun a technique that I’ve never heard of. Many times I have heard Zen masters and teachers say that the in breath is not so important as the out breath. In the temple, the in breath was supposed to be no more than half the length of the out breath. My teacher’s Master wens so far as to say that he DOESN’T breath in. I am sure he meant that he puts all his attention on the out. Suzuki says that people who are interested in the in breath tend to be selfish.

So what I did during my last session was simply to take that quick in breath and use the time to subtly adjust my posture. The breath is very quick, not abrupt or gasping but quick. There is always some subtle adjustment that I would be doing anyway. moving my hand an eighth of an inch to make a more perfect mudra, settling my ass a squinch and, very often lifting and straightening my back and head and tucking my chin. These tiny movements would not be observable by someone sitting next to me or even watching me maybe. I think everyone does it. It’s really the practice – keeping the posture. But this way my concentration is not on the in-breath and my posture is in constant check. I can let the out breath flow slowly and watch it all the way down to the very bottom. I like it – but I’ll have to check it out with Rubin when I finally get dokusan (private interview – I promise to start a glossary soon) with him.

So, again the ten minutes is short and I will probably increase to twenty-five very soon. This is way premature, but I may even start doing two twenty-five minute rounds with a five minute kinhin (walking meditation) in the middle. We’ll see.

New – Zazen Instruction

If you have access to a Zen center and/or a well qualified instructor, please get instruction from them.

I’ve added a new page (button at top) with basic instruction on how to sit Zazen. If you can sit full lotus, then do so. If you, like most of us, have so sit in one of the other postures, they are all just fine. The important thing is to sit as well as you can.

Obviously this is not meant to be replacement for a living instructor. But it can serve those who do not have access to such a person and as a reminder when you need to be sure you are using the correct posture.

I, myself have to use a bench (like the sitting in a chair photo) because of large weight gain and arthritis. I hope to work back up to at least Burmese or half lotus. But, one more time, the important thing is to sit Zazen.