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SEIZA
Buddhist Study Center, Hawaii.
The following
is taken from an issue of Metta, the newsletter of the Buddhist
Study Center in Hawaii, who have given us permission to reproduce
helpful articles. The Center has daily sessions for Seiza and teaches
the technique to students. The article - which is slightly abridged,
is written by the Director, Rev Toshio Murakami and shows us a traditional
approach to meditation within the Jodoshinshu tradition.
Seiza
is applicable whenever and wherever you are. The most
important thing is daily practice regardless of the length of
time that you can manage. This method of meditation is simple.
The first step: sit with your eyes closed. Straighten your spine.
Breathe naturally. Pay attention to the rhythm of inhaling and
exhaling accompanied with sensations in accordance with movements
of respiration.
The
second step: gradually, exhaling longer and inhaling shorter.
Exhale completely with abdominal breathing. Expand and then wither
your abdomen by breathing, not to expand and wither your chest.
Body senses, images, thoughts and fantasies may appear while you
are concentrating your mind on breathing. As they appear, do not
force yourself unreasonably to get rid of them. Let your body
senses, images, thoughts and fantasies float freely and at the
same time concentrating on your breathing. You may gradually become
one with breathing.
Sutra
chanting can then be practised, and it naturally follows in harmony
with breathing.
This
article first appeared, with the Author's permission, in PLN 10,
September 1997. Republished here in agreement with the compiler/editor
of the inaugurate hard copy Journal. The Author, any person or
any organisation credited, quoted or connected with this article
are cordially invited to contact me with any comments, amendments,
fresh contributions or complaints. email
me
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