Zazen.
A typical Aikido lesson will start and end in a meditative posture called zazen. Sitting in a seiza position one holds this posture for the time which is determined by your sensei. What to do or think during this awkward ritual?
Zazen is a meditative practice done in Zen Buddhism. The physical posture can be that of seiza, lotus and a few other positions. In Aikido usually seiza is used to investigate this interesting moment. What I have experienced and used while sitting in zazen I will share with you. It's meant to be a mini guide and to be used in the following order.
1. Sit in seiza.
2. Calm the thinking mind.
3. Relax upper body into the lower.
4. Feel your center.
5. Release all tension into the ground.
6. Feel the whole body as a whole unit.
Once this is achieved do the following:
7. All thinking is dropped.
8. All emotions are dropped.
9. All the above are dissolved into your hara region like the flushing of a toilet.
10. Just sit. Experience nothingness.
The Soto school of Zen calls this practice shikantaza. Just sit.
A nice book about Zazen and a classic would be " The three pillars of Zen" by Philip Kapleau.
In essence one has to do nothing but sit. This will prove more difficult than it sounds and is therefore the heart of zazen practice. Aikido practice will be enhanced by "real" zazen instead of the formal and often obligatory seiza excercise done during start and ending of Aikido lessons.
Enjoy practice.
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