How to Practice Zen Meditation
Zen Pathways February 10, 2022 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197573686.003.0004 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis chapter offers instructions for practicing Zen meditation, zazen, covering how to set up a meditation space, body positioning (on a chair, cross-legged in Burmese, half-lotus, or full-lotus, or kneeling), and the method of counting breaths up to ten to concentrate and calm the mind. It emphasizes physical stillness as a path to mental, emotional, and spiritual peace, advising practitioners to neither chase after nor chase off distracting thoughts. The chapter concludes with guidance on walking meditation, kinhin.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | counting the breaths |
| Key finding | Provides practical instructions for zazen, including posture, breath counting, and dealing with distracting thoughts. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter provides instructions for practicing Zen meditation, zazen. It explains how to attend to place, body, breath, and mind. First, it explains how to set up a good space for meditation, and it discusses when, how often, and for how long one should meditate. Next, it explains in detail how the body should be positioned, either on a chair, in a cross-legged (Burmese, half-lotus, or full-lotus) position, or in a kneeling position. Then it introduces the traditional Zen method of “counting the breaths,” up to ten, one number per breath, as a method for concentrating and calming the mind. It goes on to discuss the importance of maintaining physical stillness as a gateway to mental, emotional, and ultimately spiritual peace, and it explains how to clear the mind by neither chasing after nor chasing off distracting thoughts. It ends by explaining how to practice walking meditation, kinhin.