![]() ![]() #ZEN BOUND INHALATION FREE#There is an important difference between normal breathing and breathing in zazen: In zazen, the free contraction of the abdominal muscles and their upward pushing movement are opposed by the diaphragm. Inhalation is done by inflating the lower abdomen, while exhalation is performed by contracting the abdominal muscles. In zazen, the thoracic cage (between neck and abdomen) is to be kept as still as possible. This tension leads to samadhi, which is a steady wakefulness, with thoughts controlled and spiritual power maximally exerted. The effort involves keeping up or renewing the tension in the respiratory muscles. Each time, they can be inhibited by a renewed effort of concentration. ![]() Even in spite of this, certain lapses of concentration appear and thoughts threaten to creep in. ![]() When you observe carefully how it is done, you find a tremendous amount of effort is being used. You will find your attention can be sustained by the tension of the respiratory muscles.īreathing has an extremely important role in controlling thoughts in zazen practice. Then breathe slowly and deeply, repeatedly generating new tension in the abdominal respiratory muscles. Now try a variation of the one-minute zazen exercise: Repeat the same process time and time again, and at last you come to realize that you cannot control the thoughts occurring in your own mind. But before long you will suddenly become aware of yourself and start once again trying not to think anything.īefore perhaps twenty seconds have passed, however, you will once again find a new idea cropping up and will be drawn into thinking about it, forgetful of yourself. Presently, however, some idea will come into your head, and you will become absorbed in it and forgetful of yourself. Sit down quietly for a time with the intention of not thinking anything. But it proves true, as we shall try to show. At first this may sound somewhat ridiculous. Mental power, or we might say spiritual power, in the sense of this strong inward concentration, comes from tension in the tanden. And stopping breathing necessarily involves straining the abdominal respiratory muscles ? in other words, developing tension in the tanden. Where does this mental power come from? In our experiment it came from stopping (or almost stopping) breathing. It is not an inarticulate state of mind but a strong, voluntary, inward concentration. While James considered that to some degree we seem able to "lapse into this inarticulate feeling at moments when our attention is entirely dispersed," in our one-minute zazen strong mental power controls our mind and inhibits dispersed attention and wandering thoughts. In our experiment of one-minute zazen, sensation resulted from strong inhibition of the process of thinking. We seem to be able to lapse into this inarticulate feeling at moments when our attention is entirely dispersed." In general, this higher consciousness about things is called perception, the mere inarticulate feeling of their presence is called sensation. 'Ideas' about the object mingle with awareness of its mere sensible presence, we name it, class it, compare it, make propositions concerning it. Another sort of feeling and a higher grade of cognition are the consequence. "The next impression produces a cerebral reaction in which the awakened vestige of the last impression plays its part. They are the immediate results upon consciousness of nerve-currents as they enter the brain, before they have awakened any suggestions or associations with past experience: absolutely pure sensation. All we can say is that what we mean by sensations are first things in the way of consciousness. "Sensation distinguished from perception ? It is impossible rigorously to define a sensation.and perceptions merge into each other by insensible degrees. William James, in his classic Textbook of Psychology, depicts this pure sensation as follows: ![]()
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