There is a direct relationship between the amount of time committed to zazen, the quality of the effort put forth during that time, and the progress one makes in practice. For the beginner, at least one half hour per day is recommended. This period of time is long enough for us to go beneath the surface chatter of the mind and allow us to get more out of our zazen.

Individual daily practice at home is actually the keystone to contemporary zen training. But although one can certainly practice without the support of the Zen Center, the teacher, and others in the Sangha, these elements of practice and support will prove invaluable in the long run. The Center provides one with the support of a whole community of like-minded individuals. The teacher becomes invaluable in helping the practitioner avoid the inevitable gross and subtle traps along the spiritual journey. The richness available through practice can be realized far better through association with the Sangha (community of practitioners) and a teacher. The Center also provides intensive avenues for the serious practitioner, such as training programs and sesshin.

Sesshin is an intensive meditation retreat, lasting anywhere from two to seven days, where participants actually live at the Center and follow a refined schedule of sitting, chanting, work, teisho (Dharma talks given by Sensei), and dokusan (private interview). These retreats are conducted in silence. Sesshin can greatly deepen one's practice, and they can become a touchstone as well as a vehicle for deeper meditative states.

Yes. We do extensive koan work through zazen and dokusan at the CZC. Koans can be called a shortcut to awakening. They are spiritual "problems" or "cases" that are used to unseat the dominant discursive mind, and thus open us to a deeper awareness that can result in awakening. Koan work needs to be done with the guidance of a teacher, who can advise and test the practitioner along the way. In modern times, koan practice is generally associated with the Rinzai Zen sect. Though we do utilize koans at the CZC, there are other practices that we use to help deepen meditation, including breath practice and traditionally Soto Zen sect practices.

No. When, however, people practice zen for some time, they may find themselves tending toward vegetarianism, since practice helps to get them in touch with their own innate compassion through practice. Therefore, most practitioners at the CZC are vegetarians, and meat is never served at the Center.

Robes are very helpful in a number of ways. First, if everyone is dressed in the same plain, muted colors, there is little distraction due to other peoples' appearance. Robes flow, and are much less restrictive than western clothing. Wearing the robe allows one to "ready" the mind for the work that is to be done, in much the same way that wearing a suit readies one for work.

The Buddha (and the other figures) are inspiring to the practitioner. They embody, in a kind of metaphorical, crystallized manner, the enlightened, open mind that is our truest nature. When we prostrate or bow to a figure it is not a form of worship, but rather an affirmation that the purity that is represented by the figure before us is really within us, and we are lowering our smaller, limited ego before this all encompassing truth.

Continue to page 3
Back to page 1

You can download PDF version of this article here