Centuries ago Dogen, the great founder of Soto Zen in Japan, wrote:
To do sitting zen, find a quiet place. Spread a thick mat. . . . The place where you sit should be bright, both day and night. It is wise to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. Cast aside all involvements and discontinue all affairs. Do not reflect on good things; do not think of evil ones. Zen is not the mind, the intellect, consciousness, not thoughts, ideas or perceptions. . . . Be moderate in food and drink. Cherish each passing moment . . . .
When you sit in meditation, sit on a cushion. Sit in the cross-legged position. For the full position, first place your right foot on your left thigh and your left foot on your right thigh. Or you may sit in the half cross-legged position: simply rest your left foot on your right foot [or calf or thigh]. Place your right hand on your left foot and your left hand in your right hand. Touch the tips of your thumbs together. Then straighten your body and sit erect. Do not lean to the left or right, forward or back.
It is helpful to sit about six inches or so above your mat. You can purchase cushions made for zen practice, but for now one way to get something solid is to use a phone book; then put a soft cushion on top of it.
When you begin, first breathe in and out mindfully. Be aware of the air coming into your nostrils and going down into your lungs. Be aware of your diaphragm moving in and out.
Use “diaphragmatic breathing”: when you breathe in, your stomach moves outward. When you breathe out, your stomach moves in.
Zen is an aligning of body, breath, and mind. Be aware of each. When you breathe in, connect with your own vital mind, clear, present, unthinking. When you breathe out, say to yourself, “Don’t know, don’t know, don’t know.” Right now, there’s nothing to know, nothing to think about, no questions to raise, no answers to seek. Simply be there with your body, your breath, and your open, quiet mind.
Keep your eyes open. Cast your gaze downward, at a spot on the floor three or four feet in front of you. Don’t try to force your focus into a steady, small spot, but don’t let it wander around either.
When thoughts do arise, acknowledge them and return to your breath. Your thoughts are not mistakes or even distractions; they are simply thoughts, and as much a part of your meditation as your stomach moving out and in. But do not follow your thoughts. When they arise, acknowledge them (mentally picturing your hands together and your body bowing is a way to “acknowledge them”) and return to your clear mind (inbreath), don’t know (outbreath).
Practice this for fifteen minutes. Warning: be patient with yourself! You’re reversing a lifetime of using your mind to think thoughts!
If you grasp the sense of this practice, you are like the dragon gaining the water or the tiger taking to the mountains. (Dogen)
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