Moved Post: Kinhin Question

[Gukan]

Studying everybody's kinhin on the recording :-) Are there kinhin instructions anywhere (e.g. is there a rhythm between breath and feet, is there constant motion - lifting, moving, lowering, shifting weight etc - and is there 'labelling' of these stages as in, say, Burmese tradition)? Thanks in advance.

Gassho,
Libby

sat today

[Jundo]

Hi Libby,

I took the liberty of moving your post to be a bit more visible.

We have a basic guide to sitting that says the following (there is a link in the Welcome email that everyone receives when joining the Forum) ...

file:///C:/Users/J.M.Cohen/Downloads/TreeleafBasicZazenInstructions%20(12).pdf

Kinhin: ‘Walking Zazen’

You may wish to add 5 or 10 minutes of “Kinhin” (Walking Zazen) to your sitting,
either after seated Zazen or between periods of Seated Zazen if sitting more than
once. Kinhin is a continuation of seated Zazen into movement. To practice Kinhin,
first take the fingers of your left hand and wrap them around the thumb, making a
gentle fist. Place this against your abdomen, around the middle of the chest (as in
the pictures below). The right hand is then placed over the left. Your forearms are
parallel to the floor, and the elbows and upper arms are held sideways or gently
rest against your sides.

This Kinhin Mudra (way of placing the hands) is called Shashu, and helps to
maintain a settled and dignified demeanor while walking Kinhin. The back is straight
(but not too rigid), the head is held upright, and the eyes are open (half or onethird)
but lowered looking downward and ahead.

Kinhin can be done at any speed, but in Soto Zen a very slow pace is typical. You
can of course walk your own pace when practicing alone, but if you are with a
group you have to maintain about the same pace and spacing between people as
everyone else. The basic form of practice is to take a half step at the top of each
inhalation breath, walking around the edges of the room (although you will likely
only move a few meters in the allotted time). The mind should be just as in seated
Zazen, allowing thoughts to come and go without latching on or judging things. In
fact, in this kind of walking ... unlike most of our walking in life ... we drop all
thought of some "someplace to get" or finish line, and each step is Complete and
Total Arrival of its own ...

… just this step, then this step, and this …

There are some accompanying photos in the PDF as well.

Kinhin is Shikantaza Zazen with the feet moving! The breath finds a natural (usually slow) pace with nothing forced, and as in Shikantaza, there is no labeling. It is the same Way of Shikantaza as described in our "we're all always beginners" video talks ...

A SERIES OF TALKS FOR NEW FOLKS

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?63-A-SERIES-OF-TALKS-FOR-NEW-FOLKS

Let me know if there is any further question.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday (walked some Kinhin too)

[Gukan]

Thank you Jundo