The Art of Sitting

By Roy Skillen

I have tried many times to meditate. I have tried sitting on my own in the dark. I have tried using a C.D. to guide me through the whole process, but I have always found it hard to clear my mind of the general clutter of thoughts and get lost in the whole process. That was until I read a book called ‘Beyond Thinking a Guide to Zen Meditation’.  Although most of the book went totally over my head (In fact I stopped half way through) and was totally beyond my comprehension there was one part that did strike a chord.  The first chapter talks about how everyone should meditate and how it is essential to a well balanced life. But when it came to explaining how meditation should be done unlike many other techniques I found that there weren’t many specific rules and no expectations on what your experience should be like. In fact the book opens by saying this “The essential way flows everywhere; how could it require practice or enlightenment? The essential teaching is fully available; how could effort be necessary? Furthermore, if the entire mirror is free of dust; why take steps to polish it? Nothing is separate from this very place; so why journey away”

The technique is based on the ease and relaxation of sitting, and rather than trying to clear your mind you allow you thoughts to come and go as they please. There are a few rules though for you to stick to:

1.       Don’t try and be a Buddha.

2.       Find a quite place where no drafts rain or dew can enter.

3.       The room should never be totally dark and it should be warm in winter and cool in summer.

4.       Cross your legs and place a cushion just under your bottom.

5.       Hold your hands together on your lap.

6.       Never close your eyes.

7.       Keep your mouth closed and breathe deeply through your nose.

8.       Sit solidly at let your thoughts flow.

But apart from that don’t give yourself to many  expectations as this can make any meditation frustrating  just sit and ponder the world.