Zazen, literally ‘Sitting meditation’, comes from the Zen Buddhist tradition, a school from Mahayana Buddhism. Zen Buddhism is characterized by discipline and no-nonsense. Through rigorous self-restraint and meditation, its participants are to see the true nature of the mind and of things, without any arrogance or egotism. 

The meaning and method of zazen varies as different sub-schools and branches sprouted. The most common beginner’s practice is to: 

– Simply follow the breath, without changing it. Count each out-breath up to 10, and then start over again and again at 1. 

– The eyes are half-closed looking down at the ground, about 2 meters in front of you. Not staring, just a light gaze.

However, Zazen meditation entails different meditation techniques as well. Common are: 1. A kind of open monitoring in which one is aware of whatever comes to our attention (sometimes called shikantaza or silent illumination). 2. Mentally repeating a phrase (which could be a koan, a mantra, a huatou, or nianfo)