Dear Meditators

Sesshin literally translates as "Gathering the Mind"
In Zen, Sesshin are extended periods of more or less continuous Zazen practice (silent sitting meditation). In Zen monasteries, Sesshin are a regular and important part of practice, and are usually held once a month for 5 days.

Starting January 2010, MZM is holding monthly "mini-Sesshin" on the first Monday evening of each month
The format of these meeting is basically the same as that of all MZM Zen practice meeting held on Monday evenings. The only exception is that whereas regular Monday meetings go from 8pm until 9.30pm and include 2x Zazen periods, MZM mini-Sesshin go from 8pm until midnight and include 5x Zazen periods. If you are interested in attending, but cannot stay through until midnight, you can simply stay for a fewer Zazen periods and leave quietly during one of the Kinhin periods (silent walking meditation). Similarly if you need to use the toilet during the meeting, you can do so during a Kinhin period. The timetable for MZM mini-Sesshin is as follows:

Zazen1 (8.00-8.40pm)
Kinhin (10mins)
Zazen2 (8.50-9.30pm)
Kinhin (10mins)
Zazen3 (9.40-10.20pm)
Kinhin (10mins)
Zazen4 (10.30-11.10pm)
Kinhin (10mins)
Zazen5 (11.20-midnight)

As usual, once you decide you would like to attend for a particular mini-Sesshin, please be sure to send an electronic RSVP for that meeting - and as usual you can leave your donation in the wooden donations box by the door if you wish. Thank you

IMPORTANT - If this is your first MZM Zazen (Silent) meeting, please also read the following introduction before coming:

Format
Zazen meetings on Monday evenings are silent Zen practice meetings. They include 2x40mins of silent sitting, and 10mins of silent walking - without any introduction, guidance, talk, or follow-up discussion. You are most welcome to attend on Mondays, but please be clear about the format so that you are not disappointed. If you are new to meditation and/or prefer a format with more guidance and interaction, please consider coming to a Thursday evening first, and/or attending the MZM 5-week meditation course.

Arrival
If you would like to attend on a Monday evening, simply RSVP "yes" for the date of the meeting. Please aim to arrive at Glen Iris a few minutes minutes before the scheduled 8pm start. Use the outside shoe rack next to the front door to leave your shoes, then let yourself into the house using the key inside the front door lock. Once inside the house, please leave any handbags, jackets, hats, etc on one of the chairs 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 (Zendo), it is to your immediate left as you enter the house.

Bowing: Gassho

This hand position is applied when bowing, including as you first enter the meditation room. Bring together the palms and fingers of both hands, with your fingertips approximately level with the tip of your nose. Keep your arms slightly out from your chest, and your elbows extended to form a parallel line with the floor. Bowing in Gassho is an expression of focus, respect, and gratitude, and over time helps to develop these as attitudes. In joining together both hands we shift from ordinary duality into "One Mind."

Walking: Shashu

This hand position is used whenever walking in the meditation room. Close your left hand into a fist around your thumb, place it in front of your chest, and cover it with your right hand. Keep your elbows stretched out from your body to form form a straight line with your forearms.

Entering the Zendo
On entering the meditation room, make a brief bow in Gassho. Then, with your hands in Shashu, walk to where you would like to sit. Here again bow in Gassho facing your cushion (or chair, or kneeling stool). Turn clockwise 180 degrees and bow in Gassho once more, this time facing the room. Then sit down, and again turn 180 degrees clockwise to be facing the wall.

Sitting: Zazen

Traditionally Zazen is done in the lotus or half-lotus position using a meditation cushion (Zafu). But feel free also to sit Burmese style, or to use the same cushion in support of a kneeling position.

Or you can also make use of a kneeling stool, or just sit on a straight chair (if either of those is your preference, please email Seikan beforehand so he can set up the room accordingly).


Posture
Once seated, use your meditation cushion (or angled kneeling stool) to raise your tailbone and thereby create a slight forward angle in your pelvic area. Then straighten your spine and push your belly out to create a natural hollow in your lower back. Gently sway your torso from side to side, like a tree finding its vertical centre. Extend your spine right up through your neck and head, with your chin slightly pulled in so that your next is straight. While it is not necessary that you sit rigidly, it is good to keep your spine straight and erect.

Breath
Take one deep breath in through your nose and breathe out through your lips. Then close your lips, put your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth, and just breathe normally through the nose. There is no need for you to try and control your breathing, just allow it to find its own natural rhythm.

Cosmic Mudra

While sitting, place your left hand into the palm of your right palm, with tips of your thumbs lightly touching each other. This position is called the Cosmic Mudra. Hold the tips of your thumbs approximately level with your navel, and your arms slightly apart from your body.

Beyond Seeing

Allow your eyes to close gently without pressing them shut. In this way keep a small field of vision pointed about 45 degrees downward without focusing on anything in particular. Do not close your eyes completely to avoid nodding off or drifting into daydreams.

Once you have settled down into your Zazen position, you will hear a bell struck three times. This marks the formal start of each sitting period.

Just sitting
It is not necessary that you concentrate on anything in particular, or that you try and control your thoughts. Just by maintaining your posture and allowing your breathing to settle down to its normal rhythm, your mind will settle quite naturally over time. If and when thoughts do arise, do not become caught up in them. There is no need for you to be thinking, nor to try and escape from thinking. Just leave your thoughts alone and allow them to come and go in their own way.


To mark the end of each 40-minute Zazen period, you will hear the bell struck twice. Make a small bow in Gassho, then gently sway your body from side to side again, this time gradually increasing your swaying. Then, still seated, turn 180 degrees clockwise. Stand up facing into the room, then turn around another 180 degrees clockwise to straighten your cushion (or chair, or kneeling stool) and bow in Gassho towards it. Finally turn another 180 degrees to face the room again and once more bow in Gassho.

Then turn left and start Kinhin (walking meditation).

Kinhin

Walk in a clockwise square around the room, with your hands and arms held in the Shashu position. From the waist up, your posture should be much the same as during Zazen. Allowing yourself to breathe normally, take a small half step forward at the end of every exhalation, starting with your right foot. Stand still while you are inhaling. At the end of the next exhalation, take the next half step forward, and so on. Walk slowly and smoothly, without dragging your feet. Continue this for the whole of the Kinhin period.


At the end of the 10-minute Kinhin period, you will hear the bell will be struck once. Stop and bow in Shashu, then complete the square by walking back to your seat at a normal pace, and again doing your bows there before settling for the second Zazen period.

It is possible that the turning and bowing may become quite confusing at first. Please do not be afraid afraid to make mistakes and not embarrassed if you do. While the rituals may initially appear very formal, they are not overly important in themselves. They simply provide a space and format which is clear, mutually respectful, and conducive to Zazen.

Simply come and sit!
MZM