Zazen Practice

Apparently, we are all neurotic and crazy. The reason being that our 'ego' has extended far beyond the boundaries of our natural body and identifies with too many conceptual symbols like our house, our bank account, our friends, our social status. According to buddhist psychology, this is the root of neurotism and ultimately of human suffering.
In fact the 4 Noble Truths state:
1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the IGNORANCE thereof.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable. We need to realize that reality is impermanent.
4. The Path to the end of suffering: the practice of the Eightfold Path.

Buddhahood is the natural state of non-neurotism. A buddha is someone that has conquered serenity and can maintain it in every situation.

To become a buddha, you need to put in some efforts especially when trying to achieve the first power, the CONTROL OF THE MIND. Let's not fool ourselves here. There is no way we can stop thinking tout court because thoughts that produce suffering are the automatic product of the tension registered in our memory and, ironically, they reproduce themselves continuously. But at least we can try to observe our thoughts instead of identyfing with them now that we know they are a product of our unconsciuos being . This way they'll gradually loose strenghts and reduce their ability to upset us.
The thing is that you can't control your mind without calming your body first and that's where the importance of breathing comes up. Calm your breath, relax your body, observe your thoughts and emotions and let them go knowing they are a product of our unconscious selves.

And which better place to become a buddha than Japan? Last night I decided to practice zazen, a particular kind of Zen meditation. Perfect as it focuses on the breathing.

I headed to Yotsuya after work. I arrived late and as expected got lost inside the University campus before finding this old, wooden European-style building that serves as a Christian chapel. I wasn't expecting a temple but a chapel!? The room had high ceilings and resembled an old German living room, a dozen of people were sitting facing the walls, meditating. The teacher, a German professor of philosophy, seemed to be 200 years old. Tall, white and so skinny. During the pause he tought me how to sit and meditate:

Body positioning:
Use a small pillow to raise the behind just a little, so that the knees can touch the ground. Sit in the half lotus position, where the left foot is placed up onto the right thigh and the right leg is tucked under.
The spine must be straight with the lower part of the back curved to allow the diaphragm to move freely.
The mouth is kept closed.
The tongue is pressed lightly against the upper palate.
The eyes are kept lowered, with your gaze resting on the ground about two or three feet in front of you.
The chin is slightly tucked in.
The dominant hand is held palm up holding the other hand, also palm up. The thumbs are lightly touching thus the hands form an oval, which can rest on the upturned soles of your feet.

Breathing: breath through the nose and taste the breath. Keep your attention on your belly and the breath. Imagine the breath coming down into your belly and returning from there. Your exhalation should be longer than usual.

By focusing on the breathing I am supposed to reach a good level of concentration that will allow me to come to a point of deep rest. Let go of noisy thoughts, opinions, positions to uncover the mind, to see who I really am. Finally, ENLIGHTED.

I can't really say I managed to see who I am... I spent most of the time feeling pain in my legs and cheating on the half lotus position so as to concentrate on the breath. Even then, I felt so cold in that room that I kept thinking about a warm bath once at home and maybe minestrone for dinner... But I must say that a couple of times for a few seconds I had no thoughts occurring in my mind. If only I hadn't started to think that I was having no thoughts!!!

No worries. I am intrigued and I'll be there next Thursday because after attaining a good control of the mind, I will learn to be present in the real world rather than absorbed in the world of my mind and therefore be aware of the the impermanent nature of reality, I will stop feeling attached and finally discover what universal love really means.