The Zen Commandments
- Sit. Stay.
- Life is complex.
- Everything is impermanent.
- People suffer.
- Surrender attachment.
- Release aversion.
- Practice peace.
- Express gratitude.
- Have compassion for all beings, including yourself.
- Be the change.
- Be. Here. Now.
Zazen
Zazen is a particular kind of meditation that functions as the heart of Zen practice. Zazen is the study of the self. We tend to see body, breath, and mind separately. In zazen they come together as one reality.
As we sit and breathe, we are incessantly distracted by thoughts, memories, plans, concerns and fantasies. Events from the past may replay; worries about the future are common, from what's for dinner to how to advise a friend. A steady zen practice allows us to see that sorrow and joy, agitation and tranquility are fleeting.
Try sitting for 5 minutes per day to start. Focus on the sound and sensation of your breath. Have your eyes open but not focused on anything. Many zazen practitioners sit facing a blank wall. Gently bring your awareness back to your breath each time you notice that you have become distracted. Remember, any meditation is good meditation. Start where you are. Release the past, release plans for the future, breathe and focus on the present moment. The here and now.
But how? The answer is in the breath. Zen is in the air. I know it's easier said than done but as with everything, practice makes it a habit. Zen carries over into the rest of life. It is life, once you reach a certain level of commitment.
