Meditation series 1: Zazen and the integration of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Zazen or Zen Buddhist meditation is the central practice of Zen Buddhism derived from the Chinese Chan school of Buddhism and developed by Dōgen Zenji (1200-1253) who was a seminal figure in Japanese Zen Buddhism, renowned for founding the Sōtō school of Zen Buddhism. Zazen or sitting meditation, also called Shikantaza which translates as "only sitting" is one of the most important and well known types of meditation. This type of meditation consists in sitting on a cushion or zafu with the legs crossed in the so called lotus position, with the back perfectly straight and the hands connected in what Zen practitioners call the "cosmic mudra,”Mudras are different positions the hands are placed in during rituals or spiritual practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions In this particular mudra, your right hand rests in your lap facing up and your left hand sits lightly on top of it. The thumbs gently touch each other. Zazen consists i...