Crashcourse Meditation: How to (Literally) Meditate Like a Zen Master

     Most modern Western folks are at least familiar with the term Zen.  Though Zen practice was introduced to the Americas much earlier, it was the Beatnik generation that turned it into a pop culture phenomenon.  Many claim to know what Zen meditation is, but there are a lot of common misconceptions regarding this practice.  Even those familiar with the proper form of practice are often heard saying that they are incapable of effective meditation, due to the activity of their minds.  This article outlines the proper form as well as the proper approach to the form, both philosophically and practically.

     There is something very profound, and yet very practical, about the practice of Zen meditation.   Before getting to the juicy bits, it's important to understand the historical and philosophical context from which Zen practice stems.  While the language associated with Zen often carries religious implications, these are but holdovers from Buddhism's roots in the dramatically poetic, Vedic culture from which it arose.
   
     After having spent a few years in a regular meditation practice and reading as many books as I could acquire on the subject, I think I may begin to finally understand something about what meditation really is.  While it may seem, superficially, to be nothing but sitting quietly somewhere and getting blissed out, this more accurately describes what to expect from smoking a joint than it does from real meditation.  I am referring specifically to the practice of zazen, the purest form of mediation.
   
     Sitting zazen will not bring you to enlightenment because sitting zazen is enlightenment itself. The Shobogenzo, written by 13th century Zen master Dogen Eihei Ji, in a translation by modern Zen Priest, Gudo Nishijima, states:

     “After the initial meeting with a [good] counselor we never again need to burn incense, to do  prostrations, to recite Buddha’s name, to practice confession, or to read sutras.  Just sit and get the state which is free of body and mind.  If a human being even for a single moment, manifests the Buddha’s posture in the three forms of conduct, while [that person] sits up straight in Samadhi, the entire world of Dharma assumes the Buddha’s posture and the whole of space becomes the state of realization.”

 
     Talk of enlightenment is all well and fine, but where does this fit into the way modern students in the West actually live their lives?  The answer can be found in the details of the practice of zazen itself.
   
     Zazen does involve sitting quietly somewhere.  During this quiet time of sitting, however, one engages in a very intense, directed, all consuming activity of mental effort.  Traditionally, the breath is the subject of such concentration, being ubiquitous and free of any particular associations.  Counting each inhale and exhale, from one to ten, the mind is actively directed to following the breath, focusing specifically on the rising and falling of the diaphragm.  Start over again at one once ten is reached.  Instead of trying to guide the breath, the idea is to relinquish control and observe it only.  It's a process of simply maintain our posture and maintain focus on our breathing as best as we can, without trying to regulate its depth or rhythm.

     The real work comes whenever one finds one's mind wandering away from the breath.  Instead of trying to suppress one's thoughts, one should acknowledge their reality, and let them pass as thoughts always will pass, without being fed.  Regardless of any perceived distraction, there can be no self beratement in these moments.  Without any judgement, we gently guide our concentration back to the breath, starting the count over again at one if necessary.  This simple act of diligently observing one's object of concentration, calmly guiding it back from wherever it may wander, is the very essence of zazen.  
   
     Anecdotely, one is consciously engaging in the active development of existing neural pathways, and maybe even creating new ones, in the central nervous system.  Nishijima claims that zazen effectively balances the two branches of the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic and parasympathetic, leading to an ideal, balanced state of "relaxed alertness."  Each time one's thoughts are redirected to the breath, it's surmised that this reinforces the aforementioned pathways ever so slightly.  Over time, maintaining one's focus does becomes easier, leading to longer and longer periods of uninterrupted, singled minded concentration on the breath.  When one can get through a few cycles of counting to ten without breaking concentration, it is recommended to experiment with counting either inhales or exhales by themselves.
   
     Traditionally, two cushions are used, called a zafu and zabuton.  The zafu, smaller and round, is used to elevate the rear portion of the hips to provide a better angle for sitting in lotus posture.  This amounts to the pubis/ischium being tilted posteriorly, and the ileum being tilted anteriorly.  The zabuton provides cushioning for the knees that now protrude towards the ground.  
   
     If the correct hip angle is achieved, sitting up completely straight in lotus, half-lotus, or what they call Burmese style, becomes much easier.  Like the picture below, tall guys often require an additional zafu to get adequate elevation.  It helps to imagine two strings attached to the temporal bones of the skull at the base of each mastoid process, directly posterior of the left and right external meatus.  These attachment sites are what yogic traditions call the marma points.  Imagine being pulled straight up into the air by these "golden threads," through the crown of the head.  This should lead to an ever so subtle, completely unexaggerated falling-forward of the chin, very slightly straightening out the most superior lordotic curve of the spine.

http://maxcurehospitals.com/karimnagar/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/posture-of-meditation.png

   

     The left hand should always be placed over the right, both forming an elliptical ring, thumbs touching one another.  Placing the hands upon the upturned feet during full lotus is ideal.  Otherwise, it is recommended to hold the hands at the same level or slightly below, regardless.
   
     It may take some getting used to, but with some familiarity, sitting this way becomes very stable, and one can remain both upright and still for long periods of time without becoming uncomfortable.  Doing some basic yogic asanas focused on opening the hips and strengthening the core just before sitting can make a lot of difference.  Ultimately, it is recommended to make yoga asana a regular part of one's practice, with the goal of one day spending the entire mediation period in a full lotus.
   
     To start off, try sitting for ten minutes.  Instead of watching a clock, one should set a timer with a quiet, subdued alarm.  If ten minutes seems to be too much, try starting with five minutes.  After sitting on a daily basis for one to two weeks, one should try increasing the meditation period by five minute increments, sitting for a couple of weeks each time before increasing it again.  It is recommended to work up to two, twenty-minute periods of zazen each day, one upon waking, the other after getting home from work or school, or just before going to bed.
   
     There are a few words of warning.  Under no circumstances should one try to force oneself into any meditation posture that one isn't limber enough to sit in easily for long periods of time.
   
     You should almost certainly start sitting with the easier "Burmese" style, depicted below.  One should never sit in the "cross-legged," or "indian style," during zazen, because it's difficult to keep a straight spine.  If your physical state prevents you from getting into burmese, it's better to sit on the edge of a level chair, feet on the floor with a straight back, than it is to sit in "indian style."  It helps to practice yoga both regularly, and immediately before sitting.  By practicing yoga asana at least three times a week it is possible to open the hip socket joints sufficiently to sit comfortably for long periods of time in full lotus posture.  Yoga asana's focus on opening the hips, strengthening the core, and breathing consciously, indicates it's original function as a means of preparing for long periods of sitting and breathing in lotus.

     With minimal practice, however, it could take a year or more to finally get to this point, if you even get there at all.  Be patient and don't force anything.  Special care should be taken with the knees, as they are typically the first victim of an overzealous sitting practice.  If the hips cannot rotate sufficiently enough (about 100 degrees!) to accommodate the posture, the pressure is put on the medial meniscus (some soft tissue) in the knees.  This hurts and might lead to permanent damage.  If, after sitting, you consistently experience a persistent, achy pain on the side of your knees that face inward (the medial side), you're probably torquing the knees too much.  

"Burmese" 

https://zmm.mro.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/burmesefront.jpg

   
     Patience cannot be stressed enough.  Most folks need to do this on a daily basis for at least a year before they have any perceivable changes of consciousness, and even then, any change will be so subtle as to be barely noticeable.  If one persists in diligently sitting every day, one's ability to concentrate and focus will likely increase.  It becomes easier to put your attention where you want it to be, and easier to maintain it there without distraction.  You may at some point even start to notice a "space" being created within the perceptual field of thought, leading to ever longer periods of "being present," without actually doing any thinking.

     Despite all the benefits one can apparently gain from a sitting practice, this is by no means the goal of zazen. Though benefits may occur, the goal of zazen is simply zazen. Trying to sit with preconceived expectations of progression or advancement is a direct contradiction of the very essence of Zen, and is probably a good way to get burned out on meditation fast.  Just sit for the sake of sitting, and, without any judgement, let those thoughts of achievement drift right on by.  As Dogen says in the previously quoted passage:

     "Just sit and get the state which is free of body and mind.  If a human being even for a single moment, manifests the Buddha’s posture . . . the entire world of Dharma assumes the Buddha’s posture and the whole of space becomes the state of realization.”
   

   
             

Study Strategies for Passing (and retaining!) Human Anatomy and Physiology

1.    It is easier to memorize some latin than it is to learn all of those structures and functions by rote memorization alone.  Many of the names for anatomical structures are just locations and visual descriptions in latin.   By learning latin, one can often identify completely unfamiliar structures through the latin description alone.  Not only is this less raw information to process in the end, it also leads to a much more in depth understanding of Biology and its nomenclature.

Example:  Cauda Equina

2.    That's right you lazy little puke, you will need to learn some latin, as well as some greek.  If you find this distasteful, you should not only get the fuck off of my blog, but lazy little pukes like you should save us real scientists the headache of having to take up your intellectual slack.  So stop right here and consider another degree program if you don't like it!

     Repetition is key.  By covering the labels of diagrams and making photocopies, you can create unlabeled diagrams to be filled in from memory as an exercise.

3.     Try visualizing anatomical structures in three dimensions.  When studying, try to imagine where you can find these structures on your own body.

4.     Use mnemonic devices.  The carpals, for instance, can be remembered with the phrase "Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle," with the first letter of each word representing a carpal.  Another example is "Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas," which represents the leukocytes and their concentration levels typical in the blood.

5.     Get triple exposure to the material.  Read the assigned text before its corresponding lecture period.  Without worrying about remembering too much, identify any potential questions or unclear concepts so they can be addressed during lecture.  Finally, take good notes.  Reviewing these will constitute exposure to the material for a third time.

6.     Take full advantage of lab time.  This is especially important in the case of dissection.  Whether you're working with cats, fetal pigs, or human cadavers, you'll simply need to take the time necessary to develop an eye for what your looking for.  Recognizing structures on a cadaver is far more difficult that doing the same on a diagram.

7.     When examining prepared, histological slides, try to draw what you are seeing in as much detail as possible.  This will help encode the information in the brain in multiple ways.  It also ensures that you spend enough time examining the slide visually.

8.     Many structures are known by multiple names.  While this may not be a requirement of your professor, learning the possible alternatives will be important when you actually start working in a clinical situation.

9.     Cramming is extremely ill advised.  Not only will you almost certainly not get an A, but you won't retain very much.  Reviewing the material on a weekly basis will go a long way towards passing those licensing and entrance exams in the future.

10.     Try telling stories to your friends and family.  Being able to synthesize the information into a narrative that can be recited to others helps lead to a more in depth understanding of the material being memorized.

11.     Don't miss out on sleep in favor of study time the night before an exam.  Proper rest and a healthy breakfast with adequate protein and low glycemic carbs (fast carbs lead to a crash) will lead to better performance on tests.

12.     An approach centered on in depth understanding of material is very important.  It's possible to get good grades by working hard and understanding relatively little, but this devalues the GPA in the end, and leaves you ill equipped to deal with the realities of graduate school or clinical work.

13.     Some professors post their presentation material online before the lecture.  While it may seem convenient to bring your own paper copy of the lecture to add notes to, it is highly recommended to take notes the old fashioned way.  Taking a complete set of your own notes turns the otherwise passive learning process of lecture into an active one.  It forces one to engage and process the information in a way that will make it easier to remember.

I hope these tips are helpful!  Leave any questions you have about study habits or A&P specifics in the comments below.  Thank you.

Stephen is a senior level biology student. He works professionally as a tutor for undergraduate students of biology and other subjects.  Other areas of expertise in biology include microbiology, genetics/molecular biology, field ornithology, and evolutionary biology.  When he isn't wearing the hat of a scientist, Stephen often dons the hat of an amatuer philosopher, with a keen interest in propositional logic.