Meditation

Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness" — then you should enter and remain in them.

  — Kalama Sutra

• Meditation takes time, effort and patience

• The practice of sitting in silent meditation is unique for everyone

• The instructions presented below are not intended to describe an ideal or uniform practice; they introduce the practice in a structured way

• It is common and expected that your practice will evolve with you over time

• Proceed through the list below in the order in which the items are presented

• The guidance in Sections A, B and C are precursors to actual meditation

• Steps A, B and C progressively focus the mind more and more away from our monkey minds (see glossary)

• Meditation itself is presented below in the section entitled D is for Drop Everything

Body

• Sit up straight

• Roll your shoulders backward, then relax them

• Apply slight pressure with your lower back muscles

• Place your hands in the universal mudra position

• You can also meditate lying down

• "The posture is the practice."  — Suzuki Roshi

Breathing

• Breathe deeply

• Focus your attention on your hara: a point on your abdomen about two to three finger-widths below the navel

• Imagine your breath flowing into and out of the hara

• Allow your abdomen the freedom to expand

• Breathe naturally; not in a forced way

• Stay relaxed, but alert

Just sit and observe:

• • Thoughts come and go

  • Emotions arise and fall

  • Physical feelings appear and disappear

  • They are all impermanent like everything else

This is experiencing impermanence instead of merely thinking about it.

Cast aside all involvements and cease all affairs.
Do not think good or bad.
Do not administer pros and cons.
Cease all the movements of the conscious mind,
the gauging of all thoughts and views.
Have no designs on becoming a Buddha.

— Dōgen

In zazen, leave your front door and your back door open. Let thoughts come and go. Just don't serve them tea.

— Suzuki Roshi

Zazen is the unification of body, breath and mind.  If you sit still long enough, it will come to you.

— Elliston Roshi

Between your sittings, practice walking meditation:

• Stand with your hands in the kinhin mudra (see glossary)

• Walk slowly, taking a half-step for each outward breath

• Stay alert — maintain your meditative state