Friendly ZEN

Zafu and zabuton

What is Friendly Zen Meditation?

The meditation we do is relaxed meditation. We are not trying to do anything or achieve anything.

All parts of ourselves are welcomed in this friendly practice.

When we meditate, our mind tends to wander off somewhere. When it’s ready, it returns. This is a feature, not a bug. It is okay and it is normal.

Why we do this practice

We do this practice to live a better life. This means a more fulfilling life with less confusion and more clarity about who we are and what is possible.

We do it to enjoy our life and express our love for others and the world.

We do it because we can only really be happy when we live in accordance with our deepest values. Meditation helps us discover this aspect of ourselves.

Just sitting

At home, make a space where you can sit comfortably. A chair or sofa or a meditation cushion or bench are all fine.

We are doing zazen, which means meditation.

The practice of simply sitting, and knowing this is what we are doing, is called shikantaza, which means "just sitting".

Body and mind just sitting together. And all of us doing this together. This is friendly zen!

A saying

“You should meditate for 20 minutes a day. Unless you are too busy. Then you should meditate for an hour a day.” - Unknown Zen Master

Instructions

  1. As you enter your meditation space, give yourself permission to leave your concerns at the door for a period of time. You can go back to them after.
  2. Check in with your breath and body. Take a few moments to slow down, settle in, and arrive.
  3. Just sit. Try 5 minutes. Try 20 minutes.
  4. Check in with your breath and body. Take a moment to stretch and prepare your body to stand.
  5. That’s it. Well done!