The website that explains it all is HERE.
The practices that are involved in the challenge are:
- Sit in formal meditation for 20 minutes each day.
- Listen to one dharma talk each week on tricycle.com.
- Study Dogen?s Genjokoan, the text selected for the period.Commit to the sixteen bodhisattva precepts.Practice with others at tricycle.com or at a local meditation center.Begin when you like. Tricycle?s staff will begin February 23.
The basic instructions for Zen meditation are as follows:
First, find a comfortable, upright posture, one on which you will be able to sit still for 20 minutes without a lot of discomfort. The goal will be not to fidget, move around, or scratch itchy places; instead, we observe the impulse to move, without acting on it. This trains our minds in non-reactivity (and is vitally important when we are learning to resist the craving to drink that sometimes arises).
Next, pay attention to the physical sensations of breathing. Do not try to regulate the breathing in any way. Your body knows how to breathe, and there is no need to force the breath to happen slowly or quickly, deep or shallow. Just notice whatever is there to be noticed, at the nostrils, in the throat, the chest, the belly.
When thoughts, impulses, memories, or physical sensations arise: just carefully and compassionately notice them, then return your attention to the breath. You may notice that you are feeling very judgmental about your own mind, expecting thoughts to disappear, or expecting to have enjoyable relaxing feelings while meditating.... that's OK. Just notice whatever arises, then shift your attention back to the sensations of breathing.
You can use counting the breaths to help train your attention to stick with the sensations of breathing. Count "one" on the out-breath, then "two" on the next outbreath, until you get to "ten." Then begin again. If (when!) you lose count, calmly return to "one." Do this until the 20 minutes is up.
You can use a kitchen timer to time your practice, but it is good to put it under a pillow so it is not quite so loud. It is NOT necessary to find a time or place when your house is completely silent. If there is noise around you, just notice that your attention has been drawn to the noise, then return to your breathing.
Here is how the magazine article describes the practice of sitting meditation:
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