Zazen Practice Guide: Posture, Attention, and Building a Zen Sitting Practice

The first challenge of Zazen is entirely physical: finding a posture you can sustain long enough for the practice to begin. The second challenge is attentional: discovering what it actually means to "just sit" when the mind is generating continuous commentary. This guide addresses both challenges with the kind of precise, practical instruction that general introductions to meditation rarely provide. By the end of this course you will be able to establish and maintain a correct Zazen posture in at least two seated positions, apply the attentional instruction of shikantaza with sufficient clarity to begin a genuine sitting practice, handle common difficulties (physical discomfort, restlessness, sleepiness, distraction) using instruction consistent with Zen teaching, and build a home practice schedule with realistic session lengths. What you will learn: - Posture fundamentals: full lotus, half lotus, seiza (kneeling), and chair adaptations — with written descriptions of each alignment point and its purpose - Hand position (mudra), eye position, and the subtle muscular engagement that constitutes alert stillness rather than collapsed relaxation - The instruction for Zazen: what the mind is to do — and crucially, what it is to stop trying to do - Shikantaza in practice: how to recognize when you are straining to achieve something and how to release that straining without losing wakefulness - Working with the breath in Zazen: how it is used as a settling anchor without becoming an object of concentration as in other traditions - Common experiences in early practice: the volume of thoughts, the unexpected emotions, the physical discomfort — and how Zen teaching frames each - A four-week practice schedule starting with fifteen-minute sittings and progressing gradually - Kinhin (walking meditation) as it is practiced in Zen — slow, deliberate, extending the quality of Zazen into movement Each section of this guide provides detailed written instruction, a worked description of what the experience might feel and look like, and a reflection prompt tied to that aspect of practice. Session templates specify duration, posture, and attentional instruction. A simple practice log is included for tracking consistency and noting recurring patterns. This course is suitable for anyone who wants to begin a Zazen practice, including those new to meditation as well as those with experience in other traditions. No prior background is required. This course is educational in nature and is not a substitute for instruction in a genuine Zen sangha or dojo; students are encouraged to seek community practice alongside home sitting.