Zazen is rooted in the teachings of Buddha, who lived in India 2,500 years ago and founded the religion and philosophy of Buddhism. These teachings were introduced into Chinese and later Japanese Buddhist schools.
Zazen refers to sitting meditation. It is a meditative practice intended to provide insight into your true nature.
The purpose of the practice is to let go of all judgments and goals. The meditator is aware of all sensations and thoughts that arise and pass away. Meditation is the practice of seeing things as they really are and realizing that everything is temporary. It allows you to do this by focusing on the present moment.

Meditation can improve your life and yourself in profound ways, and it allows you to develop focus of your mind.

What is Zazen?

Zazen is based on the practice of meditation in the lotus position, with legs crossed, back straight, and arms resting on thighs. Through this practice, we can achieve a great change in our spirit, so that we can merge with the entire universe.

Buddhism is essentially a belief born out of zazen and put into practice its ideas. In him, the idea that there were seven Buddhas before Shakyamuni Buddha who developed this philosophy was collected. This means that the practice of zazen is so transcendent that it goes back to a time before its own definition.

How to practice zazen?

If we want to follow this interesting philosophy, which will also provide us with many benefits that we can gain through traditional meditation, it is good that we take into account the following points.

1. Meditation posture

The position is one of the most important factors in zazen practice. To practice Zazen, you need to sit up straight and be attentive. This pose helps you stay aware of your body and the present moment. If possible, sit facing a wall. You should strike a balance between staying grounded and being open-minded. Half lotus and full lotus are ideal poses for Zazen.

If you can’t sit like this, you can try another pose.

• Sit in Burmese pose, with one ankle in front of the other.
• Sit on your heels and use a meditation pad for support.
• Sit on a chair or stool with your feet flat on the ground.

2. The importance of breathing

Once we have adopted the correct posture for meditation, we will have to focus on breathing. Deep and slow inspiration is encouraged, so our lungs fill with air gradually.

3. Thinking while meditating

The last aspect that we must take into account will be the work we will do specifically on the mental level, paying attention to the thoughts we process. In this sense, the advice is to try to clear our mind, free it from all kinds of thoughts, plans or concerns that may strike us. This does not mean that we should block them, but simply let them flow without fixing our attention on anyone in particular..

Exactly, to achieve this, Let’s focus on the breath, that’s what we’re really doing now. The breath thus becomes a way of anchoring ourselves to the present while we increase our awareness of the body by making an effort to remain in the position we have described.

As we can see, zazen is a pretty simple practice and it just requires a little effort and repetition. This is exactly what zazen is like with life itself: Effort and repetition are what will enable us to achieve good personal growth and full progress in the pursuit of any goal, yes It is possible to apply its philosophy even in the personal, everyday aspect, as in professionals.

Your thoughts will probably waver, move, and jump all over the place. Use stillness of the body and breathing to stabilize the mind.

Remember:

• Always be gentle with yourself as you seek to quiet or calm your mind.
• Any force from your side will be met with the resistance of the mind.
• Allow yourself to be an observer. Sit still as your thoughts run in their direction.

More tips

Your formal practice is sitting meditation, and your other practice is to bring what you learn from it into every aspect of your life. Use the same awareness you get from meditating as you go through your day.

There is no set schedule you need for your practice. You have to create your own practice and decide how much time you can spend.

For example, start with an achievable time of 10 to 30 minutes per day. On days when you have more time to meditate, you can increase the time. As you grow in your practice, you may find it necessary to spend more time in meditation.

It’s best to find a qualified teacher who can guide you in your practice. You may find it beneficial to meditate in a group, at least from time to time.

Final thought

The variety of choices in Zazen meditation can be beneficial as your needs and focus may change over time. Start with the type that appeals to you most at the moment. You can experiment with different types to discover which works best for you.

Commit to practice and remember that Zazen won’t take you away from reality. Its focus is on being grounded in the present moment, and it will help you feel more balanced and focused. The more you practice, the easier it will be to become aware of the present moment.

Remember that the object is the perception of what is happening and does not judge it as good or bad. Meditation will become easier over time, as it is a discipline that can be learned with practice. If you can, find a qualified teacher who can help guide your practice.