Zen of Deep Relaxation: Group Sitting

Relaxing Zen Music with Water Sounds • Peaceful Ambience for Spa, Yoga and Relaxation

The orderly procession of the sword

What happens at Pasadena Zen Sangha? This Los Angeles-based group is growing by adhering to two principles. One, keep it cool, laidback, liberal lowkey, everyday normal but, two, make it exotic. How is that achieved?

American Zen Buddhist Priest Seigaku Amato

It is led by a Japan-trained, fully ordained American Soto Zen Buddhist priest, who follows all of the customs and ritual procedures of a formal (zazen) group sitting practice -- including Rinzai traditions that rely on koans ("cases," paradoxical riddles) and other less common activities of most U.S. Zen centers.

We walk in to practice mindful awareness of the present moment and everything going on in the here and now. This present moment may not always be pleasant, but it is always tolerable when viewed from the dispassionate perspective of, "Then there's this."

This point-of-view allows us to be the WATCHER rather than the usual, overly-involved "doer," "resister," or person taking it all very personally in accordance with the Three Poisons of passion, aversion, and delusion (greed, hatred/fear, ignorance).

WHAT HAPPENS?

Practitioners gather in the more than century-old Historic Quaker Meeting House. They take to zafus and zabutons, cushions, for seating themselves facing the wall or into the center of the hall. Laminated cards are handed out for chanting in English, Sanskrit, or a Japanese transliteration of Sanskrit, with singing bowl accompaniment. There's bowing and clacking sticks. Then the group settles in for the first sitting session of shikantaza or "just sitting." There's nothing to do but observe, no need to stop thinking or make anything other than how it is. A bell rings and walking meditation or kinhin begins, first very slowly then at normal speed, all the while remaining mindful. The bell announces the second sitting session. That ends with a bell, bowing, arranging the cushions in a circle, and the discussion begins. Sensei read a ponderous piece he had written about the impersonal aspiring for self-awakening. The group opened up for a Q&A. Then Sensei brought up a new documentary on psychedelics and Zen. This started a storm of comments, many laughs, and a lot of insight into American Buddhism. It resumes next week.