French girls try Zen in Japan (video)

French girls try zazen in a Japanese temple

(フランス人女子の初めての座禅)

(天城温泉 育するモダン宿坊 禅の湯, 12/19/15) How does one do zazen? Zazen is sitting meditation at the very heart of Zen practice.

In fact, Zen is known as the “meditation school.” Zen is the Japanese form of the Pali word jhana or jhan', which means basic meditation -- absorption. The Sanskrit word dhyana became dhyan', Chinese chan', Korean seon.

Basically, zazen is the study of the self. The sitting meditation position is very simple, but to start to see the effects and understand the depth and importance of zazen, it is necessary to practice. These are the steps to follow:

The Buddhist monk will arrange everyone in a row. Put hands together in prayer position, bow, sit in an erect position and lean forward with hands together when the gong rings twice. Continue until the bell stops ringing.

Follow the monk into the temple, entering with the left foot first. Put hands together and bow in front of the cushion and candles of the monk. Follow him into the small corridor, which is where sitting to meditate takes place. The monk will sit on a cushion facing the room. Do the same on the cushion he designates.

Once sitting on the cushion, take right hand and lean on it, and that way turn the whole body until facing the white wall. Place legs in the Burmese style, half lotus, or full lotus position. Place hands together in in the zazen position, which is right palm up, left palm on the right hand. Finally, push thumbs against each other.

When in a comfortable position, half close the eyes and stare at the white wall. Take a deep breathe through the mouth. Start breathing slowly and regularly through the nose Then chase away all thoughts to start meditating.

After a while, the monk will come from behind. Join hands in prayer position (anjali mudra). Tilt head to the left side. And he will strike you twice with a flat stick, chasing away any bad thoughts you may have.

Then come out of meditation when the gong sounds. Place hands in the prayer position and bow forward. Turn around. Place feet on the ground, facing the center of the dojo (practice room, meditation hall). Get up. Face the white wall again and bow one last time.

Then exit the room. Put some incense on the burning one, and bow again before leaving the temple at Zen No Yu, Japan (en.zen-no-yu.com).