Whatcha doin, SpongeBob? - Just sitting. - You mean shikantaza? - Uh, what? I mean, yeah, that.
Why Zen is the EASIEST path to enlightenment (but few understand it)
Can we speed this up? I've got things to do.
(Cinematic Bible Lore) May 16, 2025: 🌿 Is Enlightenment (redefined in Zen as satoriorkensho rather than bodhi) really about effort, rituals, or sutra study, or could the simplest path be the most powerful?
This video dives deeply into the essence of Zen Buddhism — a tradition that goes beyond concepts and leads to direct experience of awakening through simplicity.
Discover the story of Bodhidharma, the teachings of Dōgen Zenji, and why zazen (seated meditation) is not just a technique — but a way of mindfully living in the here and now.
Whether new to Zen or deep in practice, this guide reveals why Zen is the easiest — and most overlooked — path to enlightenment.
🧘 LEARN:
Why Zen rejects dogma, rituals, and intellectual striving
The power of zazen: how “just sitting” (shikantaza) becomes awakening
How Dōgen’s teachings dissolve the illusion of time and ego
Why the present moment holds everything we seek
How to bring Zen into daily acts like washing, walking, or breathing
💬 Question:
Ever felt fully present — free from discursive thought, self, and striving? Share the experience in the comments.
📺 Explore more: 🎥 The Deepest Teaching of Buddha 🎥 The Secret Behind Zazen Meditation 🎥 Buddhism vs. Zen – What's the real difference?
👉 Like, share, and subscribe to join in weekly journeys through the world’s deepest spiritual traditions. 📌 Hashtags #ZenBuddhism #ZazenMeditation #DogenZenji #SimplePathToEnlightenment #PresentMomentPractice #ZenExplained #Mindfulness
Cinematic Bible Lore; May 16, 2025; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
(TheUwagaPies) American Scott Mangis is a former US Marine who now lives life as a Zen Buddhist monk near Tokyo, Japan.
Let's explore Scott's daily life and the path that lead him to completely change his way of living. Video by Tofu Media Production, Krzysztof Gonciarz and Kasia Mecinski (tofu.media).
Look, I'm a Zen nun, mindful and demure!
Shot on Canon 5D Mark III (amzn.to/2rChZ2H). Lenses:
Tamron 24-70 IS 2.8 (amzn.to/2q45ADx). Zeiss 50 1.4 (amzn.to/2rCCVXh). Canon 100 IS 2.8 USM (amzn.to/2qBWOiw). Stabilizing:
DJI Ronin (amzn.to/2qF2QzB). Manfrotto monopod and tripod. Slidecamera slider. Edited in Adobe Premiere, graded in Magic Bullet Looks.
(WQ) It would be good if Ananda's student, Doggone, could learn from Ven. Scott, the former U.S. soldier who found peace through Zen, which includes a lot of Taoist philosophy and practice.
Instead of muscling through everything, efforting and straining, there's a better way that bends with the wind, goes with the flow, and follows the Way known as the Tao.
Alan Watts speaks of a great divide in outlook, self-power (jiriki) versus other power (tariki). Can we do the impossible and pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, or must we rely on a higher power, an outside source of energy or intelligence, to pull us out?
In practice, the latter may make more sense or be much easier. The former may work, but it will take subtlety that ego is not just leading ego around, self-willed as always, thinking it's getting anywhere. Will faith in something outside us save us, or must we take responsibility for our own behavior and own wisdom?
Two Buddhisms have developed in Japan over this vital question. Shall we follow the example of the historical Buddha or Cosmic Buddhas (gods) like Amitabha, Ksitigarbha, Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara), Budai, or whoever? It is the Kali Yuga (the "Decadent Age") after all, as the Hindu Vedas tell Mahayana Buddha.
Let's repeat this basic message in the next post with an added video of Watts making the great distinction in religious endeavor: self-power vs. other-power.
Trump’s plan to save Hollywood, Biden’s farewell and we say toodle-loo to TikTok
(Jimmy Kimmel Live)
Jan. 16, 2025: The air quality is still ungood in Los Angeles amidst the LA Fire, Pres. Genocide Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office, Fox & Friends took aim at him for sitting on a pillow (hemorrhoid donut), a bunch of celebrities have already started sending their well-wishes as G-Joe moves on...
Trump laid out his plan to save Hollywood with help from Jon "Midnight Cowboy" Voight, Mel "Mad Max" Gibson, Sylvester "Rocky" Stallone, we have been collecting essential items for victims of the fires in our back parking lot and we delivered what we have so far to the hard-hit community of Altadena, northeast Los Angeles. Jimmy talks to the vice chair of the town council Nic Arnzen.
To help their community head to altadenarotary.org. Friend Evan Fox with the Yeastie Boys Bagel Truck was also on hand making sandwiches there for everyone with World Central Kitchen. The FDA announced a ban on Red Dye #3, TikTok is set to be banned on Sunday (unless Trump doesn't feel like it or Elon or Mr. Wonderful buy it), and there’s an old friend on hand standing by to pick up the slack. #Kimmel
Trump throws tantrum before inauguration, LA Fire conspiracies, TikTok to be banned
(Jimmy Kimmel Live) Jan. 15, 2025: The winds in Los Angeles were not as strong as they were predicted to be last night, the Biden administration appears to have finally negotiated a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which Trump immediately took credit for, Genocide Joe also delivered what the White House was calling his “farewell address,” Trump threw a tantrum about the flags being flown at half-staff during his inauguration because of Jimmy Carter passing away, he announced his plan to create a new government agency to collect tariffs he wants to impose called the External Revenue Service (ERS), Elon Musk is gearing up to head the new Department of Government Efficiency (doge-coin), he is also set to have an office in the White House complex, Pete Hegseth seems to have garnered all the support he will need to be secretary of defense, we finally found the dumbest person in the Senate, we touch base with Chef Evan Funke who is feeding first responders at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena next to Altadena with World Central Kitchen, crazy fire conspiracies are running wild on TikTok, Jimmy’s monologue gets interrupted by a TikToker who is worried about the potential ban, and this week’s award for Excellence in Reporting.
Ultimate wisdom from 131-year-old Yogi Raidas Baba
(The Himalyan Yogini) Aug. 18, 2024: यह एक आध्यात्मिक चैनल है। साधु - संतो की सेवा हेतु आपसे सहयोग राशि अपेक्षित है। अगर आपको वीडियोज पसन्द आ रहे है तो वीडियोज को ज्यादा से ज्याद Share करे, like 👍 करे और, comment अवश्य करे lUPI ID: himalyanyogini@oksbi. Queries will be replied [to] on donation basis only. You can do superthanks or upi.
How to sit for hours in meditation
Is there a way to stand up? - Do yoga.
Posture of Meditation (Johnson)
(Guru Pashupati) Jan. 24, 2024. [(WQ) Here is excellent advice on proper posture. Sitting flat is not the solution. The wandering ascetic Siddhartha Gautama would go to the foot of a tree, make a seat for himself out of kusa grass covered in cloth or leaves and sit in delight for long stretches in peace. Did he do yoga poses? He might have. He certainly walked up and down mindfully for circulation and exercise, walking for alms in the morning, going into seclusion in a pleasant forest grove. Posture is vital for ease of breathing and movement of chi (prana) along the meridians. And lymph needs to move, which is by movement. Here Guru Pashupati is merely pointing out the proper angle, which is not a stiff 90 degrees but a relaxed and elevated position such that the knees are lower than the waistline. The mind has more to do with it (because when the mind is alright, the body is at ease and natural) but the body can help or hinder. Mind-body in harmony is the way to progress.]
Samadhi with Paramahansa Yogananda?
He was very short so always positioned to compensate for that in photos
Commentary: What shall we eat and when?
Ultimate Yogini Jen Love H.
(WQ) India has amazing beings, even today in this Decadent Age (Kali Yuga). There are breatharians, fruitarians, yogis living in the Himalayan foothills in caves surrounded by snow. How is it possible? Breath control is one secret, which is achieved by concentration (samadhi) and breathwork (pranayama).
An important way to begin is purification. Fresh local seasonal fruit in the morning is very purifying (cleansing) for the body because the enzymes are intact and appropriate for the weather. Unfortunately, in the US we have access to everything all the time, and it is neither seasonal, local, nor in its original state because it is kept in suspended animation through refrigeration in the unripe state, ripened artificially with gas and few nutrients that would have been present in naturally ripened pieces.
The people of an area benefit from fruit from that area more than exotic fruit. But due to the altered sugar content of most commercial fruit, we are getting Frankenfruit instead of the work of Mother Nature. If breatharianism is real, fruitarianism (eating only fruit, which may be defined as anything that grows from a plant the eating of which does not kill the plant, so bean, pulses, legumes, and the like may be included).
How would it be possible to live on breath alone? It is not oxygen that is meant by "breath" but rather prana supplemented by sunlight, which through yogic exercises is converted to amrita from under the tongue. These may be practiced with risk under an experienced teacher. To do it otherwise will only wrap us in our assumptions and limited knowledge, dooming us to failure.
It is important to emphasize that the Buddha taught that it is not possible to become enlightened by diet alone. If it were, those who restrict themselves to this or that would be there. And they are not. However, diet is crucial. On one occasion a group of Buddhist wandering ascetics living a distance from the Buddha could not make progress in their meditation. They came to ask the Buddha about it, who recommended they eat from a variety of the eight flavors of food.
This was an ancient system to ensure a variety to get all their nutrients: hard and soft, salty and sweet, astringent and umami, spicy and mild might be those eight. The point is that by being offered a variety of greens and things, they got those nutrients and made quick progress. The idea that one could advance by strict fasting or only eating sesame or hemp, this rice or that, a single plant, leaf, or root, this was a mistake to avoid.
As for eating meat, that is a whole discussion in itself because asking for it or commending is approving of killing, and this cannot be in line with the Buddha's guidance. Wandering ascetics do not directly choose what is offered; that is the privilege of the donors. But tacitly, of course, by welcoming somethings and being less than enthusiastic about others, they make their likes and dislikes known. This seems like a form of asking, which is disallowed.
For sitters of all traditions (Will Johnson)
The point is not to be an imposition. The larger point is to eat like travelers across a desert -- not to beautify, enjoy, savor, play, or treat it as a trifle. Food is medicine. Another amazing thing about the Buddha's guidance for wandering ascetics in his Dhamma-Vinaya (Doctrine and Discipline) is intermittent fasting.
Monastics are not ordered to go without food. They can eat every day and should to maintain their health and vitality. But these meals are spaced in such a way that they are limited to eating only between dawn and noon. The whole rest of the time is for proper digestion and cleansing in accordance with the body's cycles. The body needs to intake (eat in moderation), assimilate (digest), and eliminate (cleanse). When these are in balance, health is excellent, and the mind/heart is restrained and not allowed to become a hindrance.
One can, therefore, see why as householders we have so many problems with food: overeating, craving and eating the "wrong" (processed, ultra-processed, sugary, salty, spicy, depleted, fried, stale, burned, out-of-season, fatty, empty) foods, eating at all times, eating in excess, engaging in extreme diets, failing to fast (which allows the body to shut down the digestive system to clean it out), and not taking enough water, vitamins, and perhaps most importantly the micronutrients (72-92 trace minerals) needed for vibrant health.
It's fun to be human, to run and jump like a reindeer in leaps and bounds, but not everyone is cut out for parkour. It's a dangerous sport.
If only there were a way to fly cross legged, winning our ability to levitate back, not relying on vimanas or space pods and animal mounts like godlings.
If we take a seat and let go, something happens. We're not steering. What arises arises, while we stay calm and breathe, just breathe. We come to the mat to see. The guide, teacher, sayadaw will explain and give instructions about how to utilize what comes up. First, we sit so that it can come up.
I can ride anything.
But all that sitting, before things get moving in the mind and memory, might seem a drag. What if there were a magic carpet made of flexible wood and nonslip sandpaper to stand on? Where might it take us?
Standing on water on floating fiberglass sounds like a dream. What if a wave comes or what if a growing shark thinks I'm chum? The others yell, "My beach!" and want to fight like they're a blond gang of sand thugs on the water and I've got no battery. Ask MIT scholar Trump.
What does it mean to "surf"
All nouns seem to be verbs abstracted and conceptualized. We walk (verb) on a walk (noun). The walk is the thing, and walking is the action we do on that thing. We smoke (verb) some smoke (noun). We surf (verb) the surf (noun, the waves crashing on the sand).
Surfing means "riding it out." Riding what out? The surf. We surf the surf, ride the waves, skim the surface, and coast the tumult, gliding over the flood coming at us.
That is a good description of "meditating." What is meditation (jhana)? It is meditating (verb), the doing of meditation (absorbing in the meditative absorptions, being so involved and single-minded (attentive) that everything else is ignored temporarily.
Sit. Stand on water. Or ride the asphalt, a smooth surface that doesn't jam up the trucks (skateboard wheels).
Pick a wide roadway with a mild decline, in a park, parking lot, or on a quiet street and let it all hang loose. Hang out and ride out. What does it mean to "hang"? It means stay loose while remaining upright. The best way to sit for meditation is not stiff as a rod, but to hang like a shirt on a hanger, loose and draping in a relaxed way. The shirt is not on the ground, so it keeps its shape.
It's held up by the idea of a rod above it that holds it up effortlessly. The shirt hangs itself up then completely lets go, drops the wrinkles, kinks, and creases.
Ten digit relax as does the eleventh protrusion, just letting all eleven be, just hanging there. The proboscis is a good focal point, right at the tip. That's where breath is breathing. (What is breathe other than the breathing? We think it's what's being breathed, the breath. It can be all three. It's all breath. What's breath without breathing? It's meaningless.
Jessica Burbank, Rising (The Hill); CC Liu, Crystal Q. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
Girl Boss-OUT, Trad Wife-IN, new trend among Gen Z sees return to traditional gender roles
(The Hill)
Jan. 28, 2024: WASHINGTON, DC. The Heritage Foundation Research Associate Emma Waters weighs in on the "girl boss" versus "trad wife" on social media. Lesbian beauty queen Jessica Burban hosts. Originally aired Jan. 12, 2024. #tradwife #girlboss #women #feminism
I'm a totally unbiased girlboss wannabe at Rising
ABOUT:
Rising is a weekday morning show with bipartisan hosts that breaks the mold of morning TV by taking viewers inside the halls of Washington power like never before. The show leans into the day's political cycle with cutting edge analysis from DC insiders who can predict what is going to happen. It also sets the day's political agenda by breaking exclusive news with a team of scoop-driven reporters and demanding answers during interviews with the country's most important political newsmakers.
Follow Rising on social media. Website: Hill.TV
Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly; Wikipedia edit asana
The initial effort becomes ease.
How does one meditate? "It's natural; it just happens" is one popular answer one almost never hears. It should be said out loud because the meditation instructions are usually so feeble that they amount to next to nothing to do: Just sit down. Close the eyes. Breathe. Don't fall asleep. When the mind wanders, and it will because that's the nature of the mind, bring it back. Start again. Do not scold it. Love it like a wayward child that can't relax. Stroke it like a nervous chicken that will, before long, settle down. Don't ruffle its feathers. If its feathers are ruffled all day, don't be surprised if when sitting down its feathers take a long time to settle. Be calm most of the day and, hey, whaddyaknow, it settles sooner.
What are the Eight Factors of Raja Yoga?
When that doesn't work, we can get meticulous and fall back on the long tradition of India and proto-India, which describes YOGA ("union" of breath/spirit, body, and mind) as ashtanga or "Eight Limbs" or arms or factors of union:
The Eight Limbs or "Factors of Union" are, in order, the:
Postures, along with breath work, are the physical movements of yoga. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras describes asana as a "steady and comfortable posture" [19], referring to the seated postures used for breath work and meditation, where meditation is the path to samadhi or the transpersonal realization and stillness of a coherent mind/heart.
The Yoga Sutras do not mention a single seat or asana by name, merely specifying the characteristics of a good one: स्थिरसुखमासनम् ॥४६॥
sthira sukham āsanam. "Seats" [should be a balance of] "effort and ease" or "Seat means a steady and comfortable posture" (Yoga Sutras 2:46).
The sutras (threads, sutures, aphorisms, or terse sayings) are embedded in the Bhasya commentary, which scholars suggest may also be by Patanjali [23]. It names a dozen seated meditation postures, including lotus pose (padmasana), hero's pose (virasana), bound angle pose (bhadrasana), and accomplished pose (svastikasana) [24].
What if there were an easier way to "sit" meditation, zazen style? In yoga, asana literally means "seat." But how we sit, how we arrange our limbs to enter meditative states, is flexible. We need not lock into full lotus. There's half lotus, easy pose, ergonomic cushions, a small bench, a sturdy chair, and even sinking into the tub. We leave the body, and turn our attention to the other three objects/subjects of meditation: feelings, mind, and mind-objects. First, to enter the first meditation (jhana, zen, chan, dhyana), we can focus on the breath. But there are other ways. For instance, there's loving-kindness meditation, focusing all of our attention on well-wishing one respected person. See more at metta bhavana. Draw a bath, get a small bench for the knees, find a support for the lower back. It's even possible to lie down when practice gets better (otherwise we risk falling asleep). This company also has a solution: BRITENWAY Bed Wedge Pillow Set: 4-piece orthopedic wedge pillow set with 45D memory foam pillows for back, neck, head, shoulders support that's ergonomic
The author of the Yoga Sutras Patanjali describes asana practice as the third of the eight limbs (Sanskrit अष्टाङ्ग or aṣhṭāṅga) of Raja Yoga. The word asana is from Sanskrit (आसन, "sitting down," from आस् ās "to sit down"), a sitting posture, a meditation seat.
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What else is going on?
Mondays, 7:30-9 PM ET (online): Sit-Heads Book Club!
Current book: Be Here Now by Ram Dass. The club sits for 30 minutes then discusses the book.
It's very fun. Zoom link.
Add to Google Calendar here.
Impromptu Group Sits (online)
Throughout the day, sit-heads are having impromptu group sits in a shared video room that's always open.
There's also an online group chat. Folks announce their sits in the online group chat so others can join.
Sit-Heads also has an ongoing group chat. Join to talk about practice, share fun or interesting resources, and stay connected with each other.
Other audiobooks: It Came From Beyond Zen,
Sex Sin & Zen,
Don't Be a Jerk, Hardcore Zen,
Sit Down & Shut Up,
There is No God & He is Always With You available at audible.com.
Zazen (sitting Zenmeditation) instructions are available for everyone upon request. Please contact BMZC for details.
To "do" meditation [if such a thing can be "done"] is to set aside time to be the real us. Meditation without any goal helps us see that who we consider our “selves” may not be who we truly are.
All things change.
But the self of our thoughts and feelings cannot always accept change. So we suffer.
Meditation helps us experience things as they really are and ourselves as we are. Through meditation, we can forget the self and free up space to care for others in the world. The 14th Dalai Lama has said that the point of Buddhism is to become kind. We become more joyful as well.
How to Begin
If we want to try sitting by ourselves, we find a place at home where we can sit without being disturbed or distracted. Don’t sit in a very light or very dark room. Pull the shades or close the blinds or leave on a light. Turn off the phone. Light incense if it pleases.
Soto Zen Buddhists generally sit facing the wall. This form began with Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. We can sit on a chair, on a cushion, or any substitute (such as a small bench made for this purpose). Even a folded blanket works.
If one sits on a chair, sit straight up on the chair.
If one sits on cushions, sit with ankles crossed, under, or to one side.
If it is possible, we can also sit in half lotus or full lotus position.
If one is sick or dizzy, we can meditate lying down.
Rest the left hand on the right hand so that thumbs touch lightly above the fingers, forming an oval shape. (This is called a mudra). Let the hands rest comfortably against the lower area of the abdomen about three inches below the navel.
How to Breathe
We sit upright to breathe fully. Our shoulders should be directly over our hips. Our ears should line up with our shoulders.
Keep the mouth closed and pull the chin in slightly. Look down at a 30-to-45-degree angle. Let the eyes partially close, without focusing on anything.
Relax the neck. Imagine a line running from the bottom of the spine to the top of the head – and on up to the ceiling.
Now inhale deeply through the nose. Breathe all the way in through the nose. Then exhale naturally — slowly and completely — through the nose. Our inhale will take slightly less time than than our exhale. If breathing seems too shallow, put a slight weight on it. As the exhale ends, one will naturally inhale.
Count the breaths. Near the end of the exhale, say silently “one.” Repeat this. When reaching “ten,” start over again with “one.” But if one loses track (which is easy to do), that's fine: Just begin again with “one.” Whether we ever reach “ten” or not is unimportant.
What to Think About
Thoughts and physical sensations may pull at our attention. Don’t focus on them. Don’t try to get rid of them. “Let thoughts come in and go out,” Suzuki Roshi would say. Just “don’t serve them tea.”
We are solely with our body and mind. It may be our first awareness of body and mind completely together.
When to Sit
Any time is a good time for sitting.
Some like to sit in the morning just after rising, or just after getting back from work, or just before going to bed. These are easy times for one to schedule.
The important thing is to decide when to sit. Then stick to it. We mostly belong to our habits. If we don’t make a commitment to meditate a certain number of days a week at the same time (or times), we are much less likely to continue.
How Long to Sit
Starting with five minutes is fine. Eventually we may get up to 30 or 40 minutes. This is the amount one would be sitting if one sat with a group. At first, just sit for the length of time determined. Set a kitchen-timer or something similar to know when the period is over.
Sitting with a Group
Meditating alone is fine. However, sometimes it is better to sit with others. When obstacles appear, it is oftentimes harder to continue regular meditation when we are sitting alone.
It is good to have the help of others when meditating. It is helpful to be able to observe someone who has been sitting for some time. It is important to have people who can answer our questions about Buddhism and encourage us. The example of peers will greatly help us with our practice.
The people we choose to practice with becomes our sangha (spiritual community). Our sangha helps us keep going when things become discouraging.
Find a group near enough to attend at least once a week.
If we are very fortunate, we will find a group with an experienced meditation teacher.
We may have a choice of different groups with different styles of meditation. It is not unusual for someone to study several schools of Buddhism (Theravada, Vajrayana, Mahayana, Pure Land, Esoteric, Mantrayana, Tantra, etc.) before settling on a group that feels comfortable.
No matter where one sits or how one sits, all are always welcome at Beginner’s Mind Zen Center. More
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