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Meditation
April 2007 
How to do Zen Meditation
Posted on Apr 17th, 2007
by 
Genki
Genki
High Mountain Crystal Lake Zen Community
Paul Genki Kahn
Genki@HighZen.org
201-891-9100
BASIC MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS
(These are suggestions, not a necessary ritual.)
Use a chair, kneeling bench, kneel with a cushion between your legs, or sit in any cross-legged position with a cushion under you that allows your knees to be on the floor. The top of the hip bones (the iliac crest) and the pelvic bowl (the lower abdomen, small of back and mid-hips) should be higher than the knees. This gives support to the back and frees the abdomen for full breathing.
If you sit on a chair, put a cushion (zafu) on the seat. Sit on the front third of the cushion. If you are sitting on a cushion (zafu) on the floor, sit on the front third of the cushion.
Lean forward, put your hands on your knees or on the mat or floor in front of you, and extend your spine from the sitting bones (the ischial tuberosities). The sitting bones should be firmly planted on the cushion. For men, the genitals should be free and in front of the cushion.
Sit upright with the spine straight.
Tuck the chin slightly into the neck.
Hold the knees and pull back gently, while lifting up the crown of the head and the front and back of the torso. There should be a slight thrust forward in the small of the back (the sacrum and lower lumbar).
Stretch the head, the sternum and back up as straight and as high as possible without lifting the shoulders; then release and relax the upward effort while keeping the alignment.
Put your hands on your knees. Slowly rock to the left and right, first in a wide arc, then in decreasing arcs until you feel balanced and centered.
Let the eye lids almost close. Be looking down and out about three or four feet in front of you. Let the eyes go out of focus. (This helps you stay more alert while keeping the senses available.)
After releasing any tension in the jaw and face, close the lips and teeth gently. Put the tongue on the roof of the mouth behind the upper front teeth and swallow once. This creates a partial vacuum in the mouth and decreases salivation, so we swallow less during meditation. You should be breathing through your nose. If nostril breathing is not possible due to a cold, allergies or a medical condition, part the lips slightly and breath through the mouth.
Relax the belly. As you inhale, the belly expands slightly. As you exhale the belly contracts slightly. Feel a point on your abdomen, called the tanden, about 1 1/2 inches below the navel. Follow your breathing by putting your concentration on the forward and backward movement of the tanden as your abdomen expands with inhalation and contracts with exhalation.
Put the right hand in your lap, palm up, supported by your thighs or a small cushion. Put the left hand in the right hand, palm up, the middle knuckles of the middle fingers aligned. Gently join the tips of the thumbs. The hands and arms roll slightly outward to help open the shoulders and chest. The hands and wrists should rest firmly on the lap or on a cushion on the lap if necessary. This allows the shoulders and arms to release down.
To help your concentration, count your exhalations, feeling the backward movements of the tanden. Count from one to ten. When your mind wanders and you lose count, begin again at 1. This is merely a technique to intensify your focus, and help you catch yourself more quickly when you wander off into thoughts, fantasies, dreams, revelations, boredom, inspiration etc. When your mind wanders, simply note that your mind has wandered and begin again at 1. Concentrating on your breaths is not an easy practice. It is normal to practice for months before you get all the way to ten. Self criticism is simply a further distraction. Recognize it as such when it occurs.
Paul Genki Kahn
Genki@HighZen.org
201-891-9100
BASIC MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS
(These are suggestions, not a necessary ritual.)
Use a chair, kneeling bench, kneel with a cushion between your legs, or sit in any cross-legged position with a cushion under you that allows your knees to be on the floor. The top of the hip bones (the iliac crest) and the pelvic bowl (the lower abdomen, small of back and mid-hips) should be higher than the knees. This gives support to the back and frees the abdomen for full breathing.
If you sit on a chair, put a cushion (zafu) on the seat. Sit on the front third of the cushion. If you are sitting on a cushion (zafu) on the floor, sit on the front third of the cushion.
Lean forward, put your hands on your knees or on the mat or floor in front of you, and extend your spine from the sitting bones (the ischial tuberosities). The sitting bones should be firmly planted on the cushion. For men, the genitals should be free and in front of the cushion.
Sit upright with the spine straight.
Tuck the chin slightly into the neck.
Hold the knees and pull back gently, while lifting up the crown of the head and the front and back of the torso. There should be a slight thrust forward in the small of the back (the sacrum and lower lumbar).
Stretch the head, the sternum and back up as straight and as high as possible without lifting the shoulders; then release and relax the upward effort while keeping the alignment.
Put your hands on your knees. Slowly rock to the left and right, first in a wide arc, then in decreasing arcs until you feel balanced and centered.
Let the eye lids almost close. Be looking down and out about three or four feet in front of you. Let the eyes go out of focus. (This helps you stay more alert while keeping the senses available.)
After releasing any tension in the jaw and face, close the lips and teeth gently. Put the tongue on the roof of the mouth behind the upper front teeth and swallow once. This creates a partial vacuum in the mouth and decreases salivation, so we swallow less during meditation. You should be breathing through your nose. If nostril breathing is not possible due to a cold, allergies or a medical condition, part the lips slightly and breath through the mouth.
Relax the belly. As you inhale, the belly expands slightly. As you exhale the belly contracts slightly. Feel a point on your abdomen, called the tanden, about 1 1/2 inches below the navel. Follow your breathing by putting your concentration on the forward and backward movement of the tanden as your abdomen expands with inhalation and contracts with exhalation.
Put the right hand in your lap, palm up, supported by your thighs or a small cushion. Put the left hand in the right hand, palm up, the middle knuckles of the middle fingers aligned. Gently join the tips of the thumbs. The hands and arms roll slightly outward to help open the shoulders and chest. The hands and wrists should rest firmly on the lap or on a cushion on the lap if necessary. This allows the shoulders and arms to release down.
To help your concentration, count your exhalations, feeling the backward movements of the tanden. Count from one to ten. When your mind wanders and you lose count, begin again at 1. This is merely a technique to intensify your focus, and help you catch yourself more quickly when you wander off into thoughts, fantasies, dreams, revelations, boredom, inspiration etc. When your mind wanders, simply note that your mind has wandered and begin again at 1. Concentrating on your breaths is not an easy practice. It is normal to practice for months before you get all the way to ten. Self criticism is simply a further distraction. Recognize it as such when it occurs.
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