The Walking Zazen

I start describing my zazen method that I call the Walking Zazen (although it's not a trademark.) I'll also give you some exercises from which you can select the one that suits you best at the moment. In fact, I didn't invent anything new: it's just an easier way to achieve what Zen followers have traditionally achieved by doing sitting zazen. Someday, in the long run, I hope to please you with some new or even scandalous ideas, but this won't probably happen until next year.

The Walking Zazen: Sync Steps and Breathing

Stand up straight and make sure your tandem is filled, ie, as if you ass were looking at the sun - see the Sitting Zazen-1 post - as you step with, for example, the right foot, inhale quickly, at the same time deciding to do several, 5 - 7, steps; then exhaling by the Bamboo Method, do these steps. Good if while doing this, you concentrate on the point Seika no Itten; you can also imagine that you're inhaling through this point.

The Walking Zazen: Working on the Animal

Do everything as I've just described, but now concentrate on your lower body - from the waist to the feet or even from the waist just to the knees - that's what I call the Animal. Imagine that the centre of gravity is also there at the bottom. To concentrate on the Animal means your mind should be there: in your lower torso. Imagine that you're the Animal: it's akin to an actor's getting into a role.

The purpose of the exercise is to learn how to turn off your head and to think only with the tanden. At first, you might find your Animal to be dull, but over time, it'll become smart as the devil - or as God if you like - maybe like this:

The Animal is the Highest Archetype, which contains all the other archetypes - all the others are just its particular case - it's like a card that's equivalent to the entire deck so no one can be smarter than the Animal.

After finding the Animal, begin to walk, concentrating on it, that is, try to think by your lower torso - just a gut instinct reaction - try to look at the world from there. You can also combine this exercise with balance training: it helps to imagine that the center of gravity is at your bottom. Then try to teach your Animal to do some simple tasks: to sweep or vacuum the floor, to wash dishes, and so on. Over time, practising in this way, you'll be able to 'swallow' the whole world so it'll no longer scare you.

For reasons that I'll explain later, I prefer to meditate in deserted places.

See also The Walking Zazen: The Main Trick - Concentrating on the Outer World