Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
Note: The content herein is a compilation of quotes drawn from the book, see bibliography at end, and my thoughts, feelings, experiences and conceptual beliefs on the art and practice of Dojo-mokuso. Some of it is old, some new and some creatively new yet old thanks to the many sources including this wonderful book referenced at the end.
Zen is a part of our cultural history in martial disciplines including karate. We have to understand what Zen is and how it is being applied in our training. This is an effort to take what I have derived from my source into a model and strategy in our practice of mokuso, sitting meditation, before and after dojo sessions start and end.
Zen meditation, using zazen discipline, involves a methodology that promotes and enhances one’s ability to be mindful of the present moments starting by sitting properly and taking full awareness of breathe. It achieves through discipline, practice and conditioning an ability to be WHOLLY in the instant that is present moment thus achieving a certain state of mind.
Dogen said, “Zazen is not about sitting a certain way, or thinking about certain things, but being present in the moment.”
Lets cover some basics of mokuso or sitting Zen Zazen.At a bare minimum, this is the methodology one who sits mokuso in the dojo should strive for:
POSTURE ——————————————————————————
Proper posture is critically important in sitting zazen. In the dojo many sit seiza but in Zen traditions one sits on a cushion, known as a zafu. You don’t sit directly on top of it, you sit a bit forward on the front third so that your knees are on the zabuton mat or floor. In the dojo, for most practitioners, one can sit seiza, with feet tucked under the rear end. But, for most both in and out of the dojo is is found best to sit in a half-lotus position.
While seated it is very important for the person to keep the ears, shoulders and hips in a vertical line with one another. The spine should not lean to either side, the shoulders should be relaxed and the back and head should be raised toward the ceiling as if a string is pulling the apex of one’s head into the heavens. This brings the chin in slightly.
- The tip of the tongue is placed in a natural indentation of the upper area just slightly behind the front teeth.
- Place the hands together with the left hand on top of the right, both palms facing up, so that the fingers overlap.
- The thumbs are held lightly together, with just enough contact to maintain a piece of paper between them.
- The hands are placed on top of the soles of the upturned feet or comfortably in front of the tanden roughly three fingers widths below the navel.
- One’s eyes should be half-way open during zazen, gazing at a spot on the floor roughly three feet to the front.
Your posture allows for deep, diaphragmatic and proper breathing. Avoid fidgeting and adjusting your position during the meditation, the objective is to sit properly and breathe.
Fundamentally speaking, in zazen, we are not to be detached from our environment, alone in our minds, and we are to strive to not have our minds caught up in any one thing…the eyes express this.
BREATH ——————————————————————————
Mindfulness of proper breathing is the gateway to true zazen.
There are many ways to breathe such as making the exhale long and smooth while another way is to use visualization of the breathe moving throughout the body. In the end, fundamentally speaking, just breathe naturally. Don’t change the natural length of your breaths, don’t try to create a rhythm that would be contrary to your bodies natural breathing impulses.
It is very important that one breathe into and with the tanden or hara, what the Chinese refer to as the tandian. The tanden is considered to be the physiological center of the human body, on the average person about three finger widths below and two in from the naval. Naturally, your body shape and frame will decide where your center is.
During zazen, one may breathe with a visual imagery of the air descending all the way down to the tanden, where it circles in our physical and spiritual center, before being exhaled. Think of diaphragmatic breathing using that organ to visualize its expansion so that the lungs can make use of its full capacities. This process provides us proper breathing and mental focus during mokuso, meditation.
To function from our hara is a concept of all martial disciplines. Kapleau Roshi said, “One who functions from his or her hara, is not easily disturbed. He or she is able to act quickly and decisively in an emergency owing to the fact that his or her mind, anchored in his or her hara, does not waver.”
It has also been said, written, that “The basic mind, making both principle and technique/method(ologies) its own, being single-minded and certain, opens an eye through the navel, so it is not thrown into confusion in emergencies.”
MIND ——————————————————————————
Mind or no mind is now to be considered as it is derived in mokuso or zen mindful meditation. To not think, no mind if you will, is not about shutting off one’s mind and by the way humans cannot simply shut the mind off and yet they can deal with the mind when properly trained. It is about achieving a state of mind that remains fluid, flexible and aware.
When beginning zazen one is taught to count their breathes. Simply to count each inhale and exhale, from one to ten, and then repeat. When we begin our attention should be on our breathe, each count should result in full expanded lungs and diaphragm.
One should remain attentive to the breathe, the mind should not become focused/attached to any other thoughts. You should not be caught up with thoughts, when awareness of them is present, acknowledge their presence then let them pass. Likened to a very large aquarium, see the fish swim by, don’t’ allow our focus and attention to become attached to any single fish.
As in normal even with the best of us, we will be caught by some mental picture or thought or idea so when that happens simply acknowledge it and continue counting the breaths.
Remember:
- Zazen is not competition.
- Counting breathes is sufficient for a lifetime of meditative practice.
- Do not let your intrusive thoughts cause irritation, anger or other emotional reaction.
- Let the thoughts come and go.
- Don’t create a duality by becoming aggravated, simply acknowledge them and let them go their own way without you.
- It is not about having an inactive mind, it is about mindfully existing in the present moment.
- Don’t try to stop your mind chatter, leave everything as it is, things like this will not remain in the mind for long unless you allow it.
- Things will come as they come, go as they go and eventually leaving you with a clear, empty mind that will last.
- Even in wrong practice, when you realize it and continue, there is now right practice.
- We sit today, and that is all.
- Don’t allow our sitting to be filled with frustration, dissatisfaction or annoyance when our zazen is not up to our expectations for ourselves.
True zazen is not about pleasant escapism, it is a discipline. It is far better to site earnestly even for five minutes then to allow it to trigger an emotional immature response and focus, etc. To find zazen painful, difficult, distracting, and mentally exhausting is not a waste of time, we sit and that is all.
BENEFITS ——————————————————————————
Joriki: develop the power of concentration.
Kensho-godo: develop the ability of actualization of the way.
Mujodo no taigen: develop actualization of the way in daily living.
Dotokutekina seikaku: to develop moral character.
Joriki [Sesshin (接心 concentration; period of intense zazen)]: to control the mind, to develop the now, present moment, muscle of our brain; to exist in the instant and overcome attachments and distractions; to live a more authentic life. Zazen therefore is to clear our mind of what is related to something else. To cultivate concentration an ability to exist as authentic human beings at the moment.
When we eat, we eat.
When we lie down, we lie down.
This leads to “ichigyo-zammai [一作用濃度?],” one-act concentration. In the midst of noise and change, our mind will remain quiet and stable. Zazen allows us to develop mental stability, emotional maturity, that is absolutely necessary when one’s life is on the line.
Suzuki states, “One who can empty is mind of all thoughts, all emotions originating from fear or anger, all sense of security, all desire to win, is not conscious of using their skills. Both the practitioner and his or her skills turn ito instruments of the empty hands, of the unconscious, and is is this unconscious that achieves the wonders of creativity. It is here that our skills become an art.”
This clarity of thought is the same as the awareness fostered in zazen. Shikan-taza is mindfulness zazen. In the beginning the fledgling practitioner experiences tension that is unavoidable, with experience this tense zazen becomes, gives birth too, a relaxed yet fully attentive sitting. Shikan-taza adepts sit without strain, alert and mindful of the present moment-to-moment.
The mind developed and conditioned in zazen is the same mind that one should have in training and fighting and self-protection and combat.
Awareness is a total involvement in our environment fostered by meditation aided by the suppression of distractions and mental disturbances/mind chatter. Remove all thoughts and ideas and chatter involving progress, accomplishments, improvements and achievements from training and practice.
In an instant; the mind, body, and breath become one, creating stability and concentration. This concentration can be used for anything and under any circumstances.
Another benefit of zazen is the ability to move the mind, body and spirit into a state of Alpha, an increase in Alpha rhythms of the mind create greater relaxation and a reduction in stress. Zazen can enhance our mental and physical well-being. We can maintain alpha levels during all forms of meditation whether sitting or moving, i.e., walking, basics, kata and so on.
Kinhin [経行]: walking meditation; meditation performed while walking.
It is felt, some studies and research support this, that zazen meditation foster alpha activity that allow our ability of awareness to sharpen or be more focused.
Mann, Jeffrey K. “When Buddhists Attack.” Tuttle Publishing. 2012
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