Practical Exercises for Zen Meditation

I am just back from a zazenkai retreat at the Atlanta Soto Zen Center.

Michael Elliston Roshi, abbot of the center and founder of the Silent Thunder (Mokurai) had invited me to teach at this event.

In my presentation of actual exercises to help the practice of Meditation I put emphasis on the 2 following aspects of Zazen:

• Focusing (Thinking of Non Thinking)
• Relaxing (to help focusing) 
  
  

I introduced to my audience a set of physical practices inspired from Traditional Oriental Martial Arts and Medicine. (Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Taoist exercises...) which I have been using  for several years in my own practice.

These exercises are designed to improve :

• Body awareness,
• Breathing,
• Balance,
• Physical Relaxation.

I addressed in particular :

1. How strength and mental energy follow Awareness and Mind. And how the Chinese concept of Chi explains this.
2. How to channel awareness and one's mind to parts or points of the body to tame one's monkey mind.
3. How to practice regular and reverse abdominal breathing to calm the mind.
4. How Tai Chi can actually remove muscular tensions and joint pains during long meditation sessions.

In the next weeks, I will get into the details of my presentation.  Stay in touch ! 

Travel to Europe

Shihan Travis Page and I will be traveling to France for 2 weeks to save the Euro Zone, as well as visiting with family and friends. We plan to train there with my Ju Jitsu instructor and friend Jean Luc Lemoine and Kendo Instructor and friend Francis Houlier of the Kendokan, and possibly meet some of my old Ju Jitsu students

While I am gone there won't be any Zen or Martial Arts activities at the Yoshukai Dojo (Beside Yoshukai Karate of course)
 

You are welcome to meet to train in Tai Chi Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  Geri's will be your instructor at Westgate. 

I plan to fly back once the Euro Zone is saved, on November 29th, that is a Tuesday, and we will resume normal classes on December 1st with Tai Chi and IaiJutsu

May all of you have a happy Thanksgiving among your loved ones.

PS : do not forget our December celebrations :

• December 10th : Zazenkai at the Jap House in Headland.
• December 17th : Iaijutsu  Seminar at 11:00 as usual at the Yoshukai Dojo, followed by a joint Budo - Zen BYOB Christmas party at the Headland Jap House.

Meet the Masters : Hongren & Huineng

You are invited to join a Zen week-end retreat (Zazenkai) at the Atlanta Soto Zen Center.  

On March 11-13 Taiun Michael Elliston Roshi Abbot of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center and founder of the SIlent Thunder order and his student, Jiryu Frederic Lecut will team teach the March Week-end Seminar about Daman Hongren and Dajian Huineng , the 5th and 6th Chinese ancestors of the Zen Lineage.  The sixth ancestor, Huineng is well known for the Platform Sutra. 

Daman Hongren (601-674)

In addition to dharma discussions, we will have a full day Saturday of meditation (zazen and kinhin), work practice (samu), meals, and face-to-face interview (dokusan).

Please register for meals or accommodations.

Dajian Huineng (638-713)

Wiregrass Zazenkai cancelled

Unfortunately I could not secure a good place to organize our Zazenkai with Sensei Elliston on May 17, and we will have to cancel it. Next year, my Dojo should be ready and it will make things easier.

There is no need to rush. I am trying to bring Zen to our area, and it will happen as it has to. As Sensei told me last Tuesday in Troy, trying to push for it would be like trying to push a rope...

Wu Wei...

AUBURN ZAZENKAI

Auburn Zen Group will host a Zazenkai, or meditation retreat, at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship located at 450 East Thach Avenue in Auburn on Saturday, March 21, 2009.

The zazenkai will start at 8 am and end at 5 pm. This retreat is being led by the Rev. Zenkai Taiun Michael Elliston, Founder and Abbot of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center. Everyday concerns are set aside and participants can commit to being completely present to the direct experience of zazen, or meditation.

Literally meaning “zazen meeting”, Zazenkai is a gathering of practitioners of meditation to practice zazen together, to hear the presentation of the buddhadharma by a teacher, and to have Dokusan, or a one-on-one confidential talk with a Zen Master. Rev. Taiun Elliston will present his unique style of teaching the buddhadharma at intervals throughout the day. Lunch will be a vegetarian pot luck meal. Bring a simple vegetarian dish to share. Silverware, plates, cups, napkins and beverages will be supplied.

Participants may silently leave and return as necessary, but are encouraged to remain for the entire retreat to better taste the essence of Zen practice. This is a primarily silent zazenkai except for dharma talk discussion and dokusan, or private meeting between student and teacher that provides the student with an opportunity for individual instruction. You are encouraged to limit other conversation. Bring a jacket, sweater or shawl if the weather is cool. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes as you would for yoga. You may use chairs to sit as well as cushions provided. Turn cell phones off, please.

Zazen periods will be approximately 25 minutes in duration. Kinhin, or walking meditation, will occur between sitting periods. After lunch there will be a brief work period. The retreat will end at 5 PM. If there is enough interest, we may meet for dinner at a local restaurant where Rev. Elliston can answer more questions you may have relating to Zen and your personal meditation practice. On Sunday morning, March 22, Rev. Elliston will give a public talk on Zen during the service at AUUF beginning at 10:00 am.

If you have considered such a retreat in the past, this is a wonderful and rare opportunity to have your practice supported by others and in turn support their practice. For more information, contact Tom Hodges at 742-9495 or so_zenkon@yahoo.com.