Is natural awareness the same as Zazen?

[Tairin]

Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Tenrai]

Great thread . thank you all and Jundo for his insight and wisdom
Gassho
Tenrai
SAT

[shikantazen]

So my question for the Sangha is secular natural awareness similar to Zazen? I have attached a copy of her article below.

http://resources.magappzine.com/feeds/production/comboapp/547/media/81388/25cc3e7e-95df-4124-9c2f-490aa6df7e38.html

Gassho
Van

SAT

This may have similarities with zazen but the practice suggestion looks quite different. I wasted my time reading these kind of "natural awareness" based practices (another by adyashanti called true meditation which is quite similar to this) till I found the right way to practice zazen. Please save yourself the time and read the recommended book "opening the hand of thought" and sit like how they describe the method there. If you don't have access to the book, please read the instructions by one of the authors zen teacher okumura here: http://www.sanshinji.org/uploads/4/4...structions.pdf

Two elements to the practice 1) physical posture with keeping the back straight 2) mentally waking up from distraction and dullness and coming back to the reality of now. We sit like this without any expectations from the practice. If you have time please add metta practice (https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...Metta-PRACTICE) too

Gassho,
Sam
ST

[Jundo]

Two elements to the practice 1) physical posture with keeping the back straight

Hi Sam,

This is generally so, but around here we are trying to move away from the "one size fits all" mentality of many corners of Japanese Zen. Folks have different bodies and different needs, many with age and special health conditions. So, here I encourage folks to know their own bodies, and to find by feel the stable, comfortable, balanced postures (plural, as it may change at different times) to suit their body.

I have been heavily influenced by this book.

Book Recommendation: - THE POSTURE OF MEDITATION

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?6913-Book-Recommendation-THE-POSTURE-OF-MEDITATION&highlight=postures+johnson

Of course, we have some folks with physical need who "recline" their Zazen, or must make various other physical adjustments. All is lovely Zazen.

There is one other element to Shikantaza Zazen that is often left out of typical instructions, but which is truly key and vital: Radical goallessness and equanimity. I wrote about that here this week:

No Reason for Zazen

There is no reason whatsoever to sit Zazen ... nothing to attain from Zazen ... nothing to fill with Zazen ... nothing to do in Zazen ... no best time for Zazen, no way to measure Zazen ... nothing to fix or upgrade with Zazen ... no prize from Zazen ... no ideal posture or clothing for Zazen ... no desires to satisfy in Zazen ... no way to get free by Zazen, no place to go with Zazen ... no improvement from Zazen ... no grand realization to expect from Zazen ...

More here:

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?17587-No-Reason-for-Zazen

Gassho, J

STLah

[vanbui]

This may have similarities with zazen but the practice suggestion looks quite different. I wasted my time reading these kind of "natural awareness" based practices (another by adyashanti called true meditation which is quite similar to this) till I found the right way to practice zazen. Please save yourself the time and read the recommended book "opening the hand of thought" and sit like how they describe the method there. If you don't have access to the book, please read the instructions by one of the authors zen teacher okumura here: http://www.sanshinji.org/uploads/4/4...structions.pdf

Two elements to the practice 1) physical posture with keeping the back straight 2) mentally waking up from distraction and dullness and coming back to the reality of now. We sit like this without any expectations from the practice. If you have time please add metta practice (https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...Metta-PRACTICE) too

Gassho,
Sam
ST

Hi Sam,

Thank you for your helpful advice - I have stopped wasting time :-)). I have read the book "Opening the hand of thought" twice now but perhaps I need to read it again. I have been sitting the way Jundo has instructed with open awareness in equanimity. I think I also sit more like the 2nd practice you mentioned: "mentally waking up from distraction and dullness and coming back to the reality of now". But really there is no method; hence the expression 'methodless method'.

I concur that the "Natural Awareness" technique has some similarities with zazen, but it's not the same as zazen. I'm more inclined towards the simplicity and wisdom of zazen. Simple but not easy. I think Jundo's post on "No Reason for Zazen" is very instructive as to why Zazen is the Way to practice and as medicine for our human hunger to judge and discriminate.

Many thanks again for all the helpful advice - I will continue to sit zazen.

Gassho _/\_
Van

SAT (haven't lend a hand yet but will do so today)