Zen Meditation (Zazen): How to Practice

Zen meditation, or zazen, is a seated practice from the Zen Buddhist tradition in which you sit upright, keep your eyes softly open and pay steady attention to your breath or to the act of sitting itself. It is a spiritual practice first, and research on meditation in general suggests small to moderate benefits for stress, though results are mixed.

What is zen meditation (zazen)?

Zazen means "seated meditation" in Japanese. It is the core practice of Zen, a Buddhist tradition that developed in China and Japan, and it is usually taught in a temple, zendo or sangha where people sit together.

Zen is part of a religious and philosophical path. Many people today come to it for calm or focus, and that is fine, but it helps to know that teachers often describe the purpose in terms of insight and awakening rather than stress relief.

Compared with other approaches, zazen is quite plain. There is no guided script, music or visualization. You sit, breathe and notice thoughts without chasing them.

How do you sit in zazen? Posture basics

Posture is a major part of the practice. Teachers often suggest the following, and you can adapt it for your body.

• •Sit on a cushion or chair so your hips are slightly higher than your knees.
• •Cross your legs in whatever way is stable, or sit on a chair with both feet on the floor.
• •Keep your spine upright but not stiff, with your chin gently tucked.
• •Rest your hands in your lap, one over the other, thumbs lightly touching.
• •Lower your gaze to a spot on the floor about a yard away, with eyes half open.

Pain is not a goal. If a position hurts your knees or back, change it, and ask a teacher or clinician about adjustments.

How do you count your breath in zazen?

Breath counting is a common starting method for beginners.

• •Breathe naturally through your nose.
• •Count "one" on the exhale, "two" on the next, and so on up to ten.
• •When you reach ten, begin again at one.
• •If you lose count or drift into thought, gently return to one without scolding yourself.

Many teachers say losing count is normal and part of the practice. Over time, some people move to simply following the breath, and others to "shikantaza," often translated as "just sitting," where attention rests openly without a focus object.

Start with 5 to 10 minutes a day. Short, regular sessions are usually easier to maintain than long, occasional ones.

What does the evidence say about meditation?

Zazen itself has not been studied as widely as mindfulness programs, so the research below is about meditation in general.

A 2014 systematic review in JAMA Internal Medicine by Goyal and colleagues pooled 47 trials with 3,515 participants. It found moderate evidence that mindfulness meditation programs may ease anxiety, depression and pain, and low evidence for stress and quality of life. It found little or no evidence for effects on mood, attention, sleep or weight, and no evidence that meditation beat active treatments such as exercise or other behavioral therapies.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says meditation may offer a variety of health benefits, but much of the research has been preliminary or not rigorous, and results may have been interpreted too optimistically. Evidence for zen as a tradition is largely experiential and traditional, and scientific research does not establish the spiritual claims.

Safety and who should check first

NCCIH notes that meditation is usually considered to have few risks, though few studies have examined harms. A 2020 review it cites found about 8 percent of participants reported a negative effect, most often anxiety or depression.

Talk with a health care provider or mental health professional before beginning intensive practice, if you have a history of trauma, severe anxiety, depression or psychosis. Meditation should not replace conventional care or delay seeing a provider about a medical concern. If sitting stirs up distress, stop, and consider a teacher who can offer support.

How is zen different from other meditation styles?

Zen emphasizes upright posture, minimal instruction and practice in community. Vipassana meditation comes from a different Buddhist lineage and focuses on systematic observation of sensations. Guided meditation uses a voice to lead you, which many beginners find easier. The broader field is covered under meditation.

If you would prefer movement, yoga offers breath and posture work.

How to find a practitioner

Zen centers often welcome beginners with an introductory session. Ask about the lineage, how long the teacher has trained, whether the center expects religious participation, and whether sessions are free or by donation.

Related reading: vipassana meditation and the Buddhist practice of insight compares another seated tradition, a plain guide to meditation, research and safety gives the broader picture, and forest bathing and how to practice it is a moving, outdoor alternative.

Browse zen meditation teachers on Gyfts, or start from Gyfts explore to compare other contemplative practices.