Zazen
The essence of Zen
Zazen (坐禅) — literally "seated meditation" (za = to sit, zen = meditative absorption) — is the central practice of the Sōtō school. Dōgen Zenji made it the heart of his teaching, affirming that seated meditation is not a means to attain awakening, but the very expression of awakening.
In the Sōtō tradition, zazen is characterized by:
- Posture — seated in lotus or half-lotus, back straight, chin tucked, hands in shashu or hokkai-in (cosmic mudra)
- Breathing — natural and deep, centered in the hara (lower abdomen)
- Mental attitude — without pursuing thoughts nor rejecting them; letting them pass, like clouds in the sky
Shikantaza — "Just sitting"
Shikantaza (只管打坐) is the form of zazen practiced in the Sōtō school. It is not about concentrating on an object (such as a kōan or the breath in rinzai), but simply being fully present, sitting in the awareness of each moment.
Dōgen wrote in the Fukan Zazengi (Universal Instructions for the Practice of Zazen): "Let the thoughts that cross your mind fade away — do not try to chase them away nor hold on to them. This is the practice of awakening."
Daily practice
Zazen is practiced ideally every day, sitting facing a wall (or facing the room according to tradition), in a group or alone. In Sōtō dojos, periods of zazen are interspersed with kinhin (walking meditation).
The duration of a zazen period varies: from 25 minutes for beginners to 40–50 minutes for regular practitioners. What matters is regularity and consistency, more than duration.