Zazen

Zazen (pronounced "dsadsén" with a relatively soft d since the z-phoneme in Japanese is very similar to that of French and English) is the Japanese form from the Chinese expression 坐禅 (zuòchán in pinyin, or tso-chan in Wade-Giles), which means "to meditate sitting down" (Za=to sit, Zen=alone with the mystery).

The word Zen comes from the Sanskrit "dhyana" (mindfulness of the present moment), which passed to China, becoming "Chan" (or "Ch'an"), and then in Korea it was phonetically transliterated into "Seon", finally arriving in Japan, where its transliteration is the current word Zen (pronounced:« dsen»).

Today many schools in the West use this term in its Japanese version. It must be remembered that Zen is a form of Buddhism, so the meditation that uses this current is Zazen, just as the Theravada school uses Vipassana meditation and the Tibetan school of Buddhism uses Dzogchen.

Through 3 series of wood blows it is announced that Zazen begins in a Zen Temple. Temple of Shorinji (Villanueva de la Vera, Cáceres, Spain)

Description of the pose

Zazen is sitting down to "meditate" in the yoga lotus position, according to Zen Buddhism, as the historical Buddha would have done at the moment of his enlightenment, as described by the meditative Buddha statues:

• For the legs there are four postures that are the most accepted: the full lotus posture (the most complex to perform) that requires accustomation or great elasticity of the body, the mid lotus posture, which also requires accustomation, the Burmese and finally the seiza or knees in the Japanese style. In these positions a cushion or zafu is used to help the hip and back posture.
  • The lotus posture is with the legs crossed with both soles of the feet looking up and leaning on their opposite leg and knees leaning on the ground.
  • The mid lotus posture similar to the previous but with a leg on the floor.
  • Burmese with both feet on the floor, in parallel and folded as much as possible to the body.
  • The Seiza that can be practiced sitting on your knees over the heels.
• The right back, from the pelvis to the back
• The pelvis slightly tilted forward and slightly arched lumbars
• Stretched neck and chin well in.
• The relaxed shoulders and hands together in the lap, in the mudra of wisdom: the fingers of the hand together, one hand on another, and with the thumbs touching the ends. In Zen schools you put your left hand on your right hand.
• The look pointing at 45o in front of one, semi closed eyes, but the relaxed view, without focusing on what we have ahead.
• The closed mouth, teeth in contact and tongue gently touching the palate behind the teeth.
• The nose lined with the navel and ears with the shoulders.
• It is recommended to slightly balance the body from right to left until you find the midpoint, and then forward and backward to focus.

Practice ZaZen: Shikantaza

Shikantaza means just sitting down. You do not meditate with any object, thought or image.

Attention and activity are concentrated mainly on exhalation, so that a slow rhythm of abdominal breathing tends to be established in which exhalation is noticeably longer than inspiration.

Just sitting; not ponder; just breathe and not actively follow the thoughts. Don't force thoughts, allow them to flow, don't dwell on them, let them come and go. Thoughts come and go, purifying the superfluous content of the unconscious, until the mind enters a more subtle state of attention.

Influence of Zazen

• Body posture improves. Motricity is strengthened from the center of gravity of the body, at the height of the pelvis.
• Unnecessary tensions arise, especially those derived from expression or self-control in the escapular waist (men, scappules) and neck.
• It improves brain irrigation and compenetration between the three layers of the brain (instinative, emotional, and cortex) and the connection between hemispheres.
• It establishes a slower and deeper breathing, integrating the abdomen into the movement of the diaphragm, achieving a greater and more balanced oxygenation of all metabolism.
• Coordination between body expression and thought is created.
• The disorderly thoughts of the unconscious tend to debug, as in a mental digestion.
• Metabolic and mental rest levels are produced deeper than during ordinary sleep.
• Parts of the body such as hips, English, lumbars, ankles, knees (although it is recommended to be cautious with the knees when placed), and psychosomatic involvement of more parts of the body is allowed in the configuration of sensations (emotional integration of the body).

Mentally one tends to leave attitudes of anxiety. Opinions and descriptions are no longer seen as blunt in the presence of an opposite. There is a reintegration of intuition and subconscious inheritance, as well as renewed openness for new habits or visions.

Zazen is considered a door to the depths of being and the key to new stages of development of consciousness. At the same time it is sometimes described as the method of restoring the body and mind to their natural condition.

Koans

Regarding the word Koan (Japanese reading of the Chinese word gong'an) means "public case", and is a series of dialogues between master and disciple, which may contain one or more questions that defy logic or common sense, and are held in mind to produce what is known as 'awakening', or the experience of 'seeing in the own nature".

Exhausted by vain efforts, the mind reaches a state where there are no concepts, no intellectual discrimination, and reality is perceived as it is, free of cultural, social or educational conditioning.