If this is your first Melbourne Zen Meditation (Guided) meeting, please read the following introduction before coming:

Meeting Format
MZM (Guided) are weekly meditation meetings held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings 7.30-9pm. They incorporate two separate meditation periods of around 30mins each, combining both guided and silent meditation practice, and around 30mins of interactive time for open discussion, questions, and/or talks by Seikan on topics of relevance to meditation and Zen. MZM (Guided) are good "entry-point" meditation meetings, but equally suitable for experienced meditators who enjoy the inclusion of some guided meditation components and discussion. (Other current format options are the MZM 5-week Meditation Course run 3x per year, and the somewhat more formal Zazen (Silent) meetings held on Monday evenings).

Location and Arrival
If you would like to attend an MZM (Guided) meeting on a Tuesday or Thursday evening, please RSVP "yes" for your chosen date(s). On the day, please aim to arrive a few minutes minutes before the scheduled 7.30pm start. The venue is located right next door to the Bao Lin Chan(=Chinese Zen) Monastery. Use the outside shoe rack beside the front door to leave your shoes, then just let yourself into the house using the key which will already be inside the front door lock. Once inside the house, please leave any jackets, hats, bags, etc in the entry hall. Should you need to use the bathroom, you will find it straight ahead and to the left. When you are ready to enter the meditation room, it is to your immediate left on entering the house.

Just Sitting
After entering the meditation room, simply choose a meditation cushion or chair according to your preference, sit down, and allow your body and mind to begin to settle before the session starts. If you would like to try a meditation kneeling stool, let Seikan know and he will set one up for you.

Position and Posture
Different people will have different preferences and physical parameters for how they decide to sit. Basically any sitting position you choose is fine (even laying down is fine if you cannot sit up - except that it will probably lead to sleep rather than to meditation). Whilst any position you choose is fine, your posture does matter! (Everything matters, however nothing needs to become a stumbling block). In Zen Meditation, the relationship between posture and the state/quality of your awareness is so close that they amount to different aspects of the same thing. The more upright, symmetrical, and stable your posture while sitting, the more stable and sustainable your meditation - sitting "like a mountain". In practice it simply means not being too lazy, nor trying too hard, just doing the best you can and gradually developing your best possible sitting posture for the benefit of your meditation.

Introduction and Interactivity
If it is your very first time coming, there will be opportunity for a short introduction at the start of the meeting. The discussion time between the two meditation periods is intended to be interactive, so please feel free to share your views, ask any questions, and/or engage in Seikan's talks around different aspects of Zen meditation practice. Each of the two meditation periods will include some voice guidance at the start and then naturally settle into silence/stillness.

Simply come and Sit!
MZM