The most effective zazen posture is the position of the seated Buddha. Sitting on the floor is recommended because it is grounded and offers a more stable base. We use a zafu, a small pillow that raises the pelvis and hips just a little, so that the knees can touch the ground.

How do we sit in Zazen? How do we walk meditatively in Kinhin? What do we do with our body? What do we do with our mind? And, how do we relate to all that arises? When taking our Zazen seat, whether on Zafu and Zabuton or in a chair, we begin by gathering our attention, …

The essential thing in doing zazen is to awaken (kakusoku) from distraction and dullness, and return to the right posture moment by moment. Getting up from zazen. When you finish zazen, bow in gassho, place your hands palms-up on your thighs, sway your body a few times, first a little, and then more extensively. Take a deep breath. Unfold your ...

Zazen is the main meditation technique practiced in Zen Buddhism. It’s essentially a mindfulness meditation that emphasizes harmonizing the body, mind and breath. The Zazen instructions are below.

Mar 9, 2015 · Zen monks practise Kinhin (walking meditation) between periods of sitting (Zazen). But it is also done in Korean Seon and Vietnamese Thien, Daoism, and sometimes in yoga.

Begin your zazen with shinkokyu, “deep breathing.” The kind of deep breathing practiced during athletic warm-up exercises generally focuses on inhalation, but in zazen it is the exhalation that is central. It might be called “exhalation-type deep breathing.”

Kinhin - Walking Zazen. Place the hands in shashu (or isshu). Walk clockwise around the room so that your right shoulder is toward the altar in the center of the zendo. The posture from waist up is the same as in zazen. Walk taking a half step for each full breath, slowly, smoothly, and noiselessly, without dragging the feet.

After one period of zazen (approx. 40 minutes) is finished and there will be more zazen, kinhin (walking zazen) is practiced. Kinhin is to walk silently in the zendo. When the bell is rung twice at the end of a period of zazen, bow in gassho, place your hands palms-up …

At the finish signal, put both feet together and do monjin with hands still in isshu. Then walk at a normal pace to your seat (tan). At the signal, do monjin and return to zazen.

A steady mediation practice can lead to improving your life by lowering anxiety, stress, depression, blood pressure while improving concentration, memory, energy level, and relationships. This Zazen Path website can help you find groups, workshops, books, videos and other helpful anxiety and depression management resources.