Zen in Northern Germany— zazen, meditation, zafu, mind, body, breath, the Way, Eihei Dogen — Dojos and Zen Groups in Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Flensburg, Neu Schönau (Mecklenburg) and Rostock — Members of the Association Zen Internationale, Founder Master Taisen Deshimaru

Zazen

Mind

Zazen offers us the chance to understand and to transcend the many opposites of life. Good — bad. Beautiful — ugly. Them — us. Body — mind.

It is not difficult to live the Way,
Just don’t be constrained
By love and hate,
By preference and dislike.

(opening lines of the Shin Jin Mei, a verse collection entitled Faith in Mind, by Master Sosan, ?-606)

Body

To practice zazen you sit down on a thick, round cushion (zafu) and cross your legs in a lotus or half-lotus position. Lay your left hand on your right with the palms facing upwards. Let your thumbs touch gently.

Tilt your pelvis lightly forwards, “as if the anus wants to greet the Sun” (Kodo Sawaki, 1880 - 1965, Master Deshimaru’s teacher).

Every detail of the posture has a profound meaning. All parts of the body influence each other. Unconsciously and naturally we give up acting according to our will and can enter into the Life of the Cosmos.

Breath

Breathing plays a central role in zazen. Slow, steady and deep expiration blasts the mental complications away. Our mind becomes like a cloudless sky.

At the ancient dock,
the wind is cold, the moon clear.

At night the boat floats peacefully
in the land of lapis lazuli.

(Master Wanshi Shogaku, 1091-1157)