SPECIAL REPOST: Right Zazen and Wrong Zazen

[Jakuden]

I actually understood that :-) Thank you.

[Jundo]

Been doing it wrong and don't deserve to be part of anything for (what time IS it?). Hasn't stopped shikantaza and can't stop life as it is. Learn self, forget self. Darn, this is when words fail . . .

[Talib]

Thank you this is very helpful.
Gassho
_/\_

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[dustimcra]

thank yiu very much. I am new to Zazen, but this was very helpful for me.

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[Washin]

Thank you for bringing this up again. So timely...

Gassho,
Segrey

sat-today

[Matt]

Thank you for this teaching.

Deep bows,
Matt
#SatToday

[JanC]

One post in particular in this thread was timely for me, as I, too, am at a beginning place, just as the writer was when he wrote it. To "sit with no concern" for anything other than sitting is what I decided to do yesterday when my cat decided to circle me for most of my session. Though I had passing thoughts that I should shut the cat out of the room, I did just that: let them pass. And that session turned out to be the closest I've come to "dropping all thought of right or wrong" in my practice. Until today, I've viewed only the videos for new members. I'm glad I decided to explore a bit. Both Jundo's discussion and comments in the thread have been helpful with my newbie questions about sitting zazen.

Gassho

JanC

[Myosha]

I, too, am at a beginning place . . . helpful with my newbie questions about sitting zazen.

JanC

Hello JanC,

Please believe: after 50+ years of sitting, today's Zazenkai zazen was the first time.

("We're all bozoes on this bus." - Firesign Theatre)


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Andrew]

Thanks for this, Jundo. i was wondering about the rights and the wrongs of sitting zazen. Thanks for the insight.
Andrew sat today.

[Tai Shi]

Thank you sat today Gassho Elgwynp


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[Tai Shi]

Sit and be still


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[Houzan]

Thank you

Gassho, Hōzan
Satlah

[Gean]

Thank you This is deeply insightful.

I've been asked many times before by curious friends about meditation (I practiced Anapanisatti and Mantra before joining our not so lil' sitting club), and I've really struggled to find a definite answer to their questions before telling them to "consult a guru if you really wanna know cuz I'm not qualified."
Many times I've been asked "How can you not think? Isn't it impossible." and the rather amusing "I've heard meditation is evil cuz you're emptying yourself and inviting evil spirits."
All I could really offer was "it's not really about not thinking, and more about witnessing yourself think." And to the latter "People who are 'filled with the spirit of evil' aren't empty, they are already full of evil desires to begin with."
I've had a lot of uncertainties about what meditation really was supposed to be when I started out, and I sometimes still do struggle with its meaning (non-meaning).
This read is just one of the many gems I've come across in my practice. Each tradition has it's own beautiful way of expressing it. And like Venerable Jundo told me when I reached out to join Treeleaf, "Very different but just the same. Just the same but very different."

May you be well and happy.

Gassho,
Gean