Significance Edit

Zazen is considered the heart of Japanese Sōtō Zen Buddhist practice.[1] The aim of zazen is just sitting, that is, suspending all judgmental thinking and letting words, ideas, images and thoughts pass by without getting involved in them.[3][4]

In Zen temples and monasteries, practitioners traditionally sit zazen as a group in a meditation hall, usually referred to as the zendo. The practitioner sits on a cushion called a zafu,[2] which itself is usually placed on top of a low, flat mat called a zabuton.[2]

Before taking one’s seat, and after rising at the end of the period of zazen, a Zen practitioner performs a gassho bow to their seat, and a second bow to fellow practitioners.[5]

The beginning of a period of zazen is traditionally announced by ringing a bell three times (shijosho), and the end of a round by ringing the bell either once or twice (hozensho).

Long periods of zazen may alternate with periods of kinhin (walking meditation).[6][7]

Posture Edit
The posture of zazen is seated, with folded legs and hands, and an erect but settled spine.[8] The hands are folded together into a simple mudra over the belly.[8] In many practices, the practitioner breathes from the hara (the center of gravity in the belly) and the eyelids are half-lowered, the eyes being neither fully open nor shut so that the practitioner is neither distracted by, nor turning away from, external stimuli.

The legs are folded in one of the standard sitting styles:[2]

Kekkafuza (full-lotus)
Hankafuza (half-lotus)
Burmese (a cross-legged posture in which the ankles are placed together in front of the sitter)
Seiza (a kneeling posture using a bench or zafu)
In addition, it is not uncommon for modern practitioners to practice zazen in a chair,[2] often with a wedge or cushion on top of it so that one is sitting on an incline, or by placing a wedge behind the lower back to help maintain the natural curve of the spine. One can sit comfortably, but not too comfortably, so as to avoid falling asleep. While each of these styles is commonly taught today, Master Dogen recommended only Kekkafuza and Hankafuza.

Types Edit
In his book Three Pillars of Zen, Philip Kapleau says that practitioners in the Rinzai school face in, towards each other with their backs to the wall, and in the Sōtō school, practitioners face the wall or a curtain.[9] Kapleau quotes Hakuun Yasutani’s lectures for beginners. In lecture four, Yasutani describes the five kinds of zazen: bompu, gedo, shojo, daijo, and saijojo (he adds the latter is the same thing as shikantaza).[10]

Instruction Edit
Very generally speaking, zazen practice is taught in one of three ways.

Concentration
Koan Introspection
Shikantaza (just sitting)[11]
Koan practice is usually associated with the Rinzai school and Shikantaza with the Sōtō school. In reality many Zen communities use both methods depending on the teacher and students.

Concentration Edit
The initial stages of training in zazen resemble traditional Buddhist samatha meditation in actual practice, and emphasize the development of the power of concentration, or joriki[12] (定力) (Sanskrit samādhibala). The student begins by focusing on the breath at the hara/tanden[13] with mindfulness of breath (ānāpānasmṛti) exercises such as counting breath (sūsokukan 数息観, Sanskrit ganana) or just watching it (zuisokukan 随息観). Mantras are also sometimes used in place of counting. Practice is typically to be continued in one of these ways until there is adequate “one-pointedness” of mind to constitute an initial experience of samadhi. At this point, the practitioner moves to one of the other two methods of zazen.

Koan introspection Edit
Main article: Koan
Having developed awareness, the practitioner can now focus his or her consciousness on a koan as an object of meditation. Since koans are, ostensibly, not solvable by intellectual reasoning, koan introspection is designed to shortcut the intellectual process leading to direct realization of a reality beyond thought.

Shikantaza Edit
Main article: Shikantaza
Shikantaza is a form of meditation, in which the practitioner does not use any specific object of meditation;[3] rather, practitioners remain as much as possible in the present moment, aware of and observing what passes through their minds and around them. Dogen says, in his Shobogenzo, “Sitting fixedly, think of not thinking. How do you think of not thinking? Nonthinking. This is the art of zazen.”

How to Do Transcendental Meditation: Meditation for Busy Minds

 HERO IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES
By now, what may have once been considered something for the hippy set in American culture is mainstream. From wellness enthusiasts to high-performance athletes and everyone in between, the ancient practice of meditation is “in.” Unlike most passing trends, however, there is a growing body of science to bolster its positive health benefits and therefore increasing interest of a regular meditation practice. These benefits can help change the way we approach life and handle day-to-day challenges, which is something ancient cultures have known long before Americans folded the practice into our own wellness routines.

According to Time magazine, the practice has “religious ties in ancient Egypt and China, as well as Judaism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and, of course, Buddhism.”

Types of Meditation Techniques

At least by modern American practices, meditation is widely used as a relaxation tool, like a massage for the mind. And just like there are many ways to compose a kale salad, meditation comes with a variety of techniques. For example, meditation app Headspace outlines 16 different kinds and includes techniques like focused attention, visualization, and one particular type called Transcendental Meditation ™, which has captured the interest of celebrities since The Beatles got into it in the 1960s, according to GQ magazine.

What Is Transcendental Meditation?
Transcendental meditation involves silently repeating a mantra for 15–20 minutes a day and is commonly done sitting with the eyes closed. It is one of the most widely practiced meditation techniques.
The Transcendental Meditation website makes a point to state that TM is “not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle.” Instead, it is a method for achieving a greater sense of peace and calm into daily life, not to mention the benefit of being present (which, it seems, is harder to do these days.) Whether you’re searching for greater meaning, seeking relief from anxiety, or hoping to slow down rapid thoughts, meditation may help.

Transcendental Meditation ™ may seem intimidating—especially when newbies hear that TM asks practitioners to sit and meditate for 20 minutes—though Shel Pink, founder of SpaRitual and author of “Slow Beauty,” says it’s surprisingly accessible. “Anyone can practice TM… [it] is an effortless and evidence-based meditation practice,” she tells MyDomaine. Pink has practiced TM for 20 years as part of her holistic lifestyle.

Meet the Expert

Shel Pink is the founder of SpaRitual, a sustainable, vegan beauty brand based on the rituals of self-care, and the author of “Slow Beauty.”
Here’s how to do Transcendental Meditation, according to a seasoned practitioner.

Transcendental Meditation is Mantra Meditation

The main difference between Transcendental Meditation and other forms of meditation is the mantra you’re asked to repeat during a meditation session. “In TM, the mantra, used as the vehicle to help the mind settle down, is a meaningless sound versus other types of meditation that use words, phrases, or visualizations during the meditation practice,” says Pink. By focusing exclusively on your mantra, you aim to achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness.

I feel a sense of calm, and when I’m done, I have more energy and feel more focused and productive.

While some meditation practices encourage emptying the mind of all thoughts, TM encourages thoughts to come and go, like the passive activity of watching a cloud float by. According to Pink, this is an incredible strategy to manage daily anxieties created by worrisome thinking. “It teaches you how to create a space between you and your thoughts and become an observer.”

How to Do Transcendental Meditation

The journey of Transcendental Meditation begins by finding a certified TM teacher and taking courses to learn the practice. Teachers are certified by Maharishi Foundation USA, a federally-recognized non-profit organization.1 As an experienced practitioner, Pink meditates twice-daily for 20 minutes. Here’s what a typical practice looks like, according to Pink:

1. Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet on the ground and hands in your lap. Leave your legs and arms uncrossed.

2. Close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths to relax the body.

3. Open your eyes, and then close them again. Your eyes will remain closed during the 20-minute practice.

4. Repeat a mantra in your mind. This is typically a Sanskrit sound learned from a TM teacher.

5. When you recognize you’re having a thought, simply return to the mantra.

6. After 20 minutes, begin to move your fingers and toes to ease yourself back to the world.

7. Open your eyes.

8. Sit for a few more minutes until you feel ready to continue with your day.

More Benefits of Meditation

“When I practice TM, I feel the stress melting away from my body. I feel a sense of calm, and when I’m done, I have more energy and feel more focused and productive. I am more peaceful, proactive, and less reactive to situations beyond my control,” says Pink. According to the Cleveland Clinic, while research on the benefits of meditation are ongoing, existing research indicates a regular meditation practice can help “improve sleep, improve pain management… improve self-esteem, improve concentration,” and even “decrease menopausal symptoms, and reduce the severity of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.”2

Says Pink, “It is a tool to help people achieve a positive state of mind and a deep sense of inner peace for optimal health.”