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stephen2009

Hello everyone

My name is Stephen (if you didn't already know ) and I have just started Zen Buddhism.

I bought a book called "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki and find it is very good (though I little hard to understand).

I have begun meditating in the lotus position and still find it hard to get into the exact position. I can't put my legs on top of one another, I just sit normally, is that ok?

Thank you

Stephen

Dazzle

Hello Stephen, and welcome! I'm from the UK too.

I'm not a Zen practitioner, I'm a student of Tibetan Buddhism, so I may not be giving you the same kind of answer as a Zen student.

There are different ways to sit when meditating, but there's not much point in sitting in a position which will cause a lot of pain and discomfort. It's also OK to meditate in a straight -backed chair if one has physical problems, but one should try to keep the spine straight if possible.

Kind wishes,

Dazzle

grackle

Stephen,
You certainly made a good choice in terms of your reading. There is no standard position for meditation. I continue to prefer the full lotus.but now being a lot older limit it to 90 minutes.

grackle

TheDude

so many people get caught up in the formalities of process that they never complete the process. If you look at a brain scan after meditation I think you will find the sitting position has little to do with it.

LesC

Well good luck with that book. I found it VERY confusing, and in fact put Buddhism aside for many years, until discovering Tibetan Buddhism. I'm not disparaging Zen Buddhism is any way, just for me I couldn't get into it.

So good luck with your practice. Ask questions here, there's lots of really good help. And don't worry about your position, I use a chair... works just fine. I think the key is, be comfortable.... just sit!

Knitwitch

Hello Stephan.

Welcome to the loft, I have't been here for a while but my room seems to be ok, let me light the stove and make you a cup of tea ...... oh there are some biscuits in the tin but I can't have them ......... do help yourself lovie.

Ah nice ........... settle myself in a cushion and wait for the gang to come for a group natter.

Here - tea dear

Floating_Abu

stephen2009 wrote: »

Hello everyone

My name is Stephen (if you didn't already know ) and I have just started Zen Buddhism.

I bought a book called "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki and find it is very good (though I little hard to understand).

I have begun meditating in the lotus position and still find it hard to get into the exact position. I can't put my legs on top of one another, I just sit normally, is that ok?

Thank you

Stephen

Hello and welcome Stephen2009

It is a good book but if you could understand it all, how good could it be?

Ergo, practice, ergo zazen.

Welcome, best wishes, and as people say - start, and continue. Always continue

Best regards,

Abu

Floating_Abu

PS This site has a range of information on positions - the key is back straight, and as always, the mind. Body conditions mind conditions body so pay attention to all of it.

How to do Zazen

sara

Hey Stephen,

WELCOME !!

I practice buddhism and in August it will be two years. But as I am a perfectionist I made a decision to let me practice as it came naturally. Otherwise I had the potential to get very anal about it and not actually practice anything at all! So I rarely 'sit' but I meditate while walking, while working and in everything I do - to an extent.

Although the mind and body are one (if you do yoga that will become blindingly obvious) I agree that the benefits of meditation come only in part from your postition.

I have a question though - why zen buddhism? I started with Tibetan buddhism and that speaks to be most. I like the idea of liberating all sentient beings essentially.

But I'm curious about zen and was wondering how you came across and chose it...

Palzang

Abu is right (as usual). Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind is one of my all-time favorite books, but it is one that requires repeated visits before the message sinks in. So it is like a little treasure-house where every time you visit you come away with a new treasure.

As for sitting, as others have said, find the position that is the most comfortable for you and provides the greatest back support so that you can sit comfortably for long periods. Most Westerners can't do the lotus posture, at least unless they've done lots of yoga to loosen up those tight ligaments and tendons. So don't worry about matching the picture in your mind - just do it!

Palzang

Norbu

That book is wonderful, and by the way: One of the greatest teachers of so-called Tibetan Buddhism in the West, Trungpa Rinpoche, was a great friend of that very Suzuki Roshi and recommended his book to all of his (Trungpa's) students.

But I agree, as with many of these teachings you have to read it again and again...

Good luck, with or without lotus posture.

N.

Kikujiro

I've just started readiing this book and its fantastic.

Just saw something in it that applies here!

"If you find it impossible to sit because of some pain or some physical difficulty, then you should just sit anyway, using a thick cushion or chair"

and (Time to smile!)

"Those who can sit perfectly physically usually take more time to obtain the true way of Zen, the actual feeling of Zen, the marrow of Zen. But those who find great difficulties in practicing Zen will find more meaning in it."