Every moment of Zazen is complete, sacred, a perfect action, with not one thing to add, not one thing to take away. When we sit Zazen, we are a Buddha sitting.

And all of this life and world can be known too as sacred, a jewel, with not one thing to add, not one thing to take away. Perfectly just-what-it-is.

But we have to be very cautious here, not misunderstand … Saying that there is “no place to go, no destination” does not mean that there are not good and bad paths to get there! Saying “there is nothing that need be done” does—not—mean there is nothing to do. Saying that “nothing is in need of change” does—not—mean that “nothing is in need of change.” 

Saying “we are already Buddha” is not enough if we don’t realize that, act like that! Click through to watch today’s talk, and to “sit-a-long”: Continued »

More in our series on “How To” Zazen …

In “Just Sitting” Zazen Practice, we learn to take life like the weather … Whatever comes, comes.

Thus, we practice sitting on the cushion with energy, dedication and effort … all while dropping all goals, dropping all need to attain, dropping all judgments, dropping all resistance. Each moment on the cushion is complete, sacred, a perfect act, with not one thing to add, not one thing to take away.  What is attained thereby is attaining non-attaining.

And in this way, we encounter a way to live with energy, dedication, striving, moving forward in life … all without need to attain, taking all as it comes. Action and stillness, all at once. No separation from life, just as it is. Each moment of life is complete, sacred, with not one thing to add, not one thing to take away  … even when not as we think it “should be“, even as we work to make better what needs to be made better.

Click through to watch today’s talk, and to “sit-a-long”: Continued »

Rev. Taigu continues his comments for “beginners” on allowing sitting to just sit … to open, to blossom …

He talks a bit about legs flowing into the ground, the hands in mudra, the gently closed mouth, where the head is let to head … and other bits of the whole … directing, not ‘doing’ …

Below is today’s Sit-A-Long video. Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 20 to 35 minutes is recommended. Click through to watch today’s talk, and to “sit-a-long”: Continued »

What’s the most important thing to remember about ‘breathing‘ during Zazen?

DON’T STOP!

Last time, I spoke about how there is no “bad” Zazen, even on those days when the mind is very cloudy with thoughts and emotions. But in fact, there are a couple of things we can do to settle down when the mind is really, really, really, stirred up with tangled thoughts, wild emotions and confusion.

Click through to watch today’s talk, and to “sit-a-long”: Continued »