Have you thought of reuploading this video with a lower volume for the music? English is not my first language and it's really hard to make out your words. At least, could you add subtitles? Thank you.
15-60 minutes? what? push yourself to the limits, stay in the meditative state as long as you can, and it (probably) will give you "different" results (might be better/stronger/more intense or none at all).
el Sexto Patriarca dijo: "Detener la actividad de la mente, sentarse en silencio a meditar... ¡todo eso es una enfermedad, eso no es Zen! Poner el cuerpo bajo control, obligándose a estar sentado durante varias horas... ¿que tiene eso que ver con el Dharma?"
If you notice your subconscious internal talk, it's hard to keep calling it subconscious.. Stop thinking about the type of thinking you do, and shift your awareness from your breath to the internal talk. Hold it in awareness as you would do with the breath and keep coming back if your mind wanders. Vipassana
I've been practicing zazen for a couple weeks. Before that I was doing regular relaxation meditation. However, I do it sitting in a chair with my legs crossed over as far as they can go on the ground. But I find it hard stopping the chatter in my mind. I might only get a few breaths before a thought arises. Is that normal?
This is SUCH an awesome video. I've been doing zazen twice daily, for about 10 minutes each session. I love the sitting style you used before the half and full lotus.. I'm going to try that one.
For anyone who is interested in getting into Zen Buddhism & Zazen meditation I recommend the books "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" & "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind". Mu. :)
Great video...that's all that needs to be said...I am not a Buddhist but the truth remains the same. Buddhism is such a good beginning...Buddhists have worked centuries just to get the basics right.
Excellent.very informative and entertaining,best zazen bid I've seen.been practicing this way for almost 20years but found your intro very refreshing.thank you from sunny England, 27tone72@gmail.com. Keep on keeping on!Om Shanti,peace, out....
lol you're so cute... thnx, I really needed this explanation, though its hard to cross my legs the way you did especially the last one you showed us..
I tried the last one but hell what does that position hurt my ankles... still can't understand how these people thinks its a comfortable position.. xx
I love this vid, i just kinda wish you werent so good looking, its a little distracting = Inner Dialog: "Breath in, one, breath out, two, damn hes hot-F*c&!...Breath in, one..."
I searched to learn more about Zazen and I clicked on your video because you're gorgeous. Not only did I learn great practices but I had something beautiful to look at lol. Thanks!
Haha, I love it when people complain about the music....is this video not analogous to life. To hear the truth you have to learn to filter out all the distraction.
If the music is "too loud"...then don't listen to the music!
You have a very good way to explain zazen, the sound effects and music did blur out your voice, which was kinda annoying, cause i really want to fully understand you :).
I have some questions; what did you call that pillow you use for zazen. My dog and I is kinda tired of me borrowing he's pillow every evening.
And is there a time period where you should or should not do zazen? Like after midnight or so. How long should you do it? I only go around 20 minutes...
@LEVRAIVRAIZEN Yes of course anything you could ever put into words is not zen but only pointing to zen. To a very large extent this is all just a waste of breath. But humans love nothing more than chattering away so off we go!
@LEVRAIVRAIZEN I disagree I've had many moments in my life that were beyond "words" or "things". Mind is just an elegant, highly developed sense organ, it's not the whole game!
Haha, "I got to six!" BEEN THERE! :) Thanks for the reassurances in this video; it makes me want to keep trying! I love the analogy about the clouds, especially with the time-lapse clip of cloud evolution... they're so beautiful and intricate, much like thoughts can be, and they are best appreciated against the clarity of blue behind it (not just a mess of more grey). Thanks for this!
I am a beginner. Am I getting it right if I think that zazen is focussing on just one thought at a time and being aware of it, SO a person can cultivate the habit of being mindful of his thoughts during the rest of the day too?
@sehajchawla123 That's one way of looking at it. But, the question is, can you truly focus on one thought at a time, and then just let it go, or do you let the thought lead you around and weave into stories, memories, dreams, fears, etc...?
ALLAH is the only GOD.. THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT ALLAH and none can be worshiped besides ALLAH. ... follow the Quran and the teachings of ALLAHs Final Messenger muhammad(peace be upon him) AND THIS IS TRUE way TO PARADISE
@yogagarden O disbelievers in Allâh I worship not that which you worship "Nor will you worship that which I worship. "And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping Nor will you worship that which I worship To you be your religion, and to me my religion (Islâm)
@az101 jajajaja, the paradise and hell is right here, don`t be stupid beliebing in another paradise..... use your brain and think...........don`t explote your self whit the bomb for go to the "paradise"
@BOTHROP YOu REALLY think YOu are here in this WORLD for Fun and Games?
I invite you to accept islam
Quran says : Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). That is the great success
Ok. I was wondering, when sitting with the spine straight, should I feel slight tension in the muscles in my legs (quad/inner thigh area) trying to keep the body balanced? Whenever I keep my back straight I have to use my leg muscles to stabilize my body or I will fall backwards. Is this normal? Or am I doing something wrong?
To fight distraction, how about humming lightly on every exhale and focusing on the sound of my own voice? Would that be sufficient to stop distractive thoughts?
@RegistrationCop Sure, that would work, but only do it if you're having a rough session when the thoughts just won't stop. Always try a pure gimmickless zazen first before moving on to the "hacks"
@RegistrationCop I may be so bold as to say no, simply because breathing exercises and humming and chanting don't so much STOP thoughts as they do give you one big thought to concentrate on...give it time, Cop, a LOT of time
just trying to understand- u say 90percent of the time its boring, so why is it done? as i understand it, its not done to attain anything. its just done, to just do it. or something. it confuses me........
@yannis5 Simple. Hard work is boring and unattractive. But the hard work is the one that pays the most in the long run. Meditation is not supposed to be easy to keep up. But the benefits are very real and will be worth it. Got it?
@yannis5 I've once heard it compared to playing music. You dont play music to with a goal, you're not trying to reach the end of the piece. You play the song just to play the song, you do zazen simply to do zazen.
ummm i think that dominite hand under other hand applys to your feet also when you do half n full lotus. im not completly sure about this, but whatever makes you more comfterbol i guess.
I'm not able to see my thoughts like clouds passing by (as an observer), instead they always sneak in from behind, and suddenly I realize I'm in the middle of the storm so I have to force myself to go out of the storm (so I don't feed the endless loop of thoughts) and start from scratch again.
My question is, will this always be like this? Or as you say, will there be a moment where you watch your own thoughts "without thinking" them?
Neverthelss, using your cloud analogy, instead of "brute" forcing my way out of the storm I tried to let them (my thoughts) slowly vanish, this way I could "appreciate" the process of SLOWLY gaining conciousness of my own thoughts. I found this little experience somehow rewarding.
Btw, also big thanks for doing this video, it motivates people like me that want to practice but are too lazy (I've already watched this a few times :P )
Hi estonazo - I think it's a very interesting observation you make.
I've been sitting for a few years. I pretty soon realized that I only notice I'm (was) thinking/lost in thought when (somehow) the thinking stops and I become aware of myself again - sitting on my zafu, facing the wall. (I don't consciously stop my thinking - it just happens). So I can't 'watch' myself thinking, or watch my thoughts...my sense of self as a witness/observer is always 'lost' in my thinking.
I think you're onto something with the whole "counting your breaths" thing. I have a SUPER hard time getting my brain to shut up, and I think something like a breathing exercise may be exactly what I need to start up with zazen for real.
I also need to work on my posture, but whatev. One thing at a time.
Thanks for making the video. And thanks for having a sense f humor at the same time.
Excellent video, Good sound quality compared to other videos.Like how it creates imaginery thoughts, while trying to meditate and also l like how it shows the different views of sitting up straight correctlly. Well done.
The main thing about the zazen posture is that, by getting your spine straight and allowing gravity to put all the weight on your 'sit bones' (in your butt) it allows you to sit in a balanced way with very little tension. So if you can get onto a chair, put a cushion under your butt to raise it, andyou're set.
If you can't get onto a chair, do the next best thing - find your own way...or wait till yogagarden answers. If he don't, there are plenty other zen resources online.
You write "to meditate properly...is purely mental / psychological". I think, whether you're a Buddhist from India 500BC or a modern scientific, super-ratrional kinda guy, there's no doubt that 'body' and 'mind' are not merely linked, but are aspects of one organism. The state of what we experience as the 'mind' is a manifestation of the state of the body. Unless you believe in a seperate spirit/mind that inhabits the body?
You say, "try to focus in the important thing". What is the important thing?
You say the zafu is "too flat for... a full lotus seating". While I prefer a high zafu, seems to me that 'yogagarden' has managed a perfectly authentic, comfortable full lotus - see 1.09
I wondered who you might be - so I checked your channel. You're 19 years old. May I suggest you wait a few years before putting yourself forward as a "constructive critic".
Zen is zazen, and the important thing in zen is the posture, it is the only thing actually.
One of the important things in the posture is push the floor with the knees and the sky with the head, that is why I suggested a higher zafu, to basculate the pelvis. If he tries it he will feel the diference, That comment was just for him.
By the way, don´t trust apperances, I use the account from a work partner, a young boy who happens to be a constructive critic
Having sat for a few years with other people, I've been surprised to notice that many of them, unlike me, are satisfied with a low zafu. But satisfied they are - and that includes my teacher, and other 'masters'. Initially I thought I was right and they were wrong. Now I realise that bodies, lengths of limbs and their proportions differ, and each individual finds the way best for them.
Still, yogagarden may be grateful for your suggestion. after all he's just 'a nice guy trying to be funny' .
So videovolador - I agree with your emphasis on posture; it is the important thing, perhaps even the only thing. But as an introductory video, this is one of best I've seen. Yes, there are all sorts of details I can find fault with...but I'm confident that each of us finds our way - and that includes the right zafu - through this practice of 'receiving and using the self'.
Appropriately expressed, respectful guidance is invaluable, of course. Maybe, like me, you don't mean to be patronising ;-)
So almost all the video...you look like a nice guy trying to be funny...but never saw you actually adopting the correct posture...The chin, the eyes, the neck, the pelvis...the tongue...etc. Good thing trying to make people know the original posture but as a constructive critic try to focus in the important thing. By the way, your zafu is too flat for you even for a full lotus seating.
That's totally the idea behind zazen. It's to learn to be motivated to go to youtube and troll, not to achieve control of your own chattering thoughts and emotions.
I do 50 minutes of Zazen every day and I have never felt so utterly bored with my life. I'm bored by everything and everyone. It's possible my ego is starting to shatter. Is it natural to experience a profound sense of boredom following months of meditation? Any guidance or advice would be appreciated.
Zazen will not change anything about you, it will only make you more authentically what you are. So if you're having a bored and listless time in your life it will only accentuate it.
Sounds like you need to get out there and do something new dude.
Meditation will not lead to boredom, in Indian shastras it refers to "Bairag" the mind suddenly starts detaching from the world around, but one needs to be careful to note that one should not drift away from the true self. Ask yourself a question, did you started meditating to evade something, a feeling or an action, if yes then the answer is very simple.
I loved your video lesson! Your easy going presentation; demonstrations; and humorous examples of what to expect; worked together to make zazen meditation approachable by the neophyte ( that would be me ). Thanks!
oh man, if this kind of meditation (zazen) didn't exist ...wow life would suck horribly. it's cool how you made this actually funny and explained it really well....amazing, this mind calming stuff is.
Not a Buddhist myself, but MAN this video is helpful. I picked up the practice of zazen last year after being lent a brad warner book by a friend. Helps me clear my head in the morning and before I sleep, generally makes me feel better.
I enjoy correct grammar too, but if you expend energy on correcting grammar on youtube, you will quickly become exhausted. Try meditating instead: you may find it more beneficial.
Thank you Patrick for this great vid! I've seen it a lot of times now and check back from time to time because it's very positevely and very well done!
You and Gwen are always an inspiration with "zen is stupid". Keep on doing the great work! :-)
I agree with Yogagarden. I have fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, and type II diabetes, and it is impossible for me to sit on my zafu and zabuton any longer. So, I sit where and how I am able!
ty
MySpaceSuckx 12 hours ago
Have you thought of reuploading this video with a lower volume for the music? English is not my first language and it's really hard to make out your words. At least, could you add subtitles? Thank you.
Caliniphr 2 weeks ago
Wow, thank you! This video will inspire many.
PartyMarty4000 1 month ago
15-60 minutes? what? push yourself to the limits, stay in the meditative state as long as you can, and it (probably) will give you "different" results (might be better/stronger/more intense or none at all).
tomek92pl 1 month ago
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el Sexto Patriarca dijo: "Detener la actividad de la mente, sentarse en silencio a meditar... ¡todo eso es una enfermedad, eso no es Zen! Poner el cuerpo bajo control, obligándose a estar sentado durante varias horas... ¿que tiene eso que ver con el Dharma?"
SuperOwni 1 month ago
Great vid. My thoughts are a llll over the ADD place. Thanks for this. My Sensei might not give up on me yet.
michellesaikidolife 3 months ago
I tried this and my girlfriend come in and burst out laghing at me. So I jumped up and beat her with my pillow : (
SuperALguitar 3 months ago
"Hey I got to six!"
Haha, accurate.
oywidapoodles 4 months ago 2
When I practice I feel like my mind is empty and after some time I start thinking with my subconscious mind. Do u have some ideas :D ?
P.S sorry for bad grammar :) .
cecopenev 4 months ago
@cecopenev
If you notice your subconscious internal talk, it's hard to keep calling it subconscious.. Stop thinking about the type of thinking you do, and shift your awareness from your breath to the internal talk. Hold it in awareness as you would do with the breath and keep coming back if your mind wanders. Vipassana
:]
Michel1977 4 months ago
I've been practicing zazen for a couple weeks. Before that I was doing regular relaxation meditation. However, I do it sitting in a chair with my legs crossed over as far as they can go on the ground. But I find it hard stopping the chatter in my mind. I might only get a few breaths before a thought arises. Is that normal?
21madmethod 5 months ago
@banzaiiish There is absolutely no point to zazen! That's the point!
yogagarden 5 months ago
@yogagarden isn't sitting doing nothing just a waste of time, wouldn't it be more productive to just do anything else at all
RelativelyHostile1 5 months ago
Monkey is good ! There is no monkey
oliverking90001 5 months ago
This is SUCH an awesome video. I've been doing zazen twice daily, for about 10 minutes each session. I love the sitting style you used before the half and full lotus.. I'm going to try that one.
fredtracydotcom 6 months ago
this practice changed my life. I've been doing it for many years.
lauraleigh76 6 months ago
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zazen is not boring, zazen simply is/is not
abyssalanguish 6 months ago
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abyssalanguish 6 months ago
For anyone who is interested in getting into Zen Buddhism & Zazen meditation I recommend the books "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" & "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind". Mu. :)
coffunism 6 months ago
thank you.
artfan101 6 months ago
Great video...that's all that needs to be said...I am not a Buddhist but the truth remains the same. Buddhism is such a good beginning...Buddhists have worked centuries just to get the basics right.
Mortaryan 7 months ago
Near the end You almost brought me to tears and blew my mind. I Should try learning The Buddha Religion.
killtodie777 7 months ago
@killtodie777 Just do zazen and you'll already be a Buddhist!
yogagarden 7 months ago 2
@killtodie777 Why don't you seek your own answers. If you ask yourself
enough times, the answer will come to you! Frame the question
correctly and you will get the 'correct' answer.
Good luck!!!
fntime 5 months ago
My mind was like 5:52 these days and this video helped me a lot. Thanks again :)
Great choice of music, though :D
Filaxsan 8 months ago
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NEW`';IPAD2``'ＦＲＥＥ;''SITES'''`''
ＷＷＷ.ＤＯＮＴＭＩＳＳＦＲＥＥＩＰＡＤ２.ＴＫ
COPY SITE & PASTE
qwcflhna6888 9 months ago
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Excellent.very informative and entertaining,best zazen bid I've seen.been practicing this way for almost 20years but found your intro very refreshing.thank you from sunny England, 27tone72@gmail.com. Keep on keeping on!Om Shanti,peace, out....
27tone72 10 months ago
Wow! Awesome video! You seem like a very likable guy! :)
shellpeck12 10 months ago
@19justme51 looks like some concentration gained from meditation would help you slice through the music to focus on this, ironically!
600euros 10 months ago
Still one of the best video i've ever seen.
I really love it. Thank you :)
Filaxsan 10 months ago
Hahaah I love this video very funny and refreshing!! Arrrrhhh, Mmmm !!
vsakaria 11 months ago
im reading alan watts\s' "The way of Zen"... very pleasing and different..
seigneurvoland666 11 months ago
lol you're so cute... thnx, I really needed this explanation, though its hard to cross my legs the way you did especially the last one you showed us..
I tried the last one but hell what does that position hurt my ankles... still can't understand how these people thinks its a comfortable position.. xx
SweetMorena1990 11 months ago
i was trying but you are too cute for this...i was distracted by u:)
nacht98 1 year ago
I love this vid, i just kinda wish you werent so good looking, its a little distracting = Inner Dialog: "Breath in, one, breath out, two, damn hes hot-F*c&!...Breath in, one..."
17sundays 1 year ago
@17sundays It might be helpful to try and not think exclamations of frustration and failure when you lose count.
0420sa29 10 months ago
super video!
pieditorino 1 year ago
I searched to learn more about Zazen and I clicked on your video because you're gorgeous. Not only did I learn great practices but I had something beautiful to look at lol. Thanks!
NaturallyFay 1 year ago
Haha, I love it when people complain about the music....is this video not analogous to life. To hear the truth you have to learn to filter out all the distraction.
If the music is "too loud"...then don't listen to the music!
Well done Patrick.
maramyfriend 1 year ago
Just Let Go Of Your Thoughts... you'll see the clear sky fast ;) ty for this awesome video :)
Thesoulofalion 1 year ago
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Breaking you habit with Russian lady gettop5.info
DesgWamrt 1 year ago
You have a very good way to explain zazen, the sound effects and music did blur out your voice, which was kinda annoying, cause i really want to fully understand you :).
I have some questions; what did you call that pillow you use for zazen. My dog and I is kinda tired of me borrowing he's pillow every evening.
And is there a time period where you should or should not do zazen? Like after midnight or so. How long should you do it? I only go around 20 minutes...
Really hope you write back.
MrPhotoMatt 1 year ago
@MrPhotoMatt I usually do 15 minutes a day. I like the mornings the most, but I think any time of day is ok. The pillow is called a Zafu.
wayoutwest7 1 year ago
Sorry to say that whatever instructions you are giving are nearly impossible to follow due to the distracting music that drowns out your words.
19justme51 1 year ago 4
@19justme51 oh well!
yogagarden 1 year ago 11
@yogagarden - I guess that means that they were paying attention.
dnp562 1 year ago
@19justme51
lol
It's an intro, dude, not a practice aid. It's a good intro, too.
preslove 1 year ago
very sexy legs :)
tetsuoooo 1 year ago
Very good video. Interesting and easy to understand.
Quick question - what is the name of the song that starts at 3:51? Beautiful. Thanks!
crizpy9119 1 year ago
Thanks will do that then.
jamessy007 1 year ago
very good video. Gets the point across of how to sit in zazen and be completely blank and thoughtless. Not always easy.
How many times a day or in a week do you recommend?
Recommended movie ZEN 2009 (japanese movie) life about Dogen.
jamessy007 1 year ago 3
@jamessy007 Every day for 5 minutes is better than once a week for 2 hours. Quantity over quality when it comes to zazen.
yogagarden 1 year ago
sounds like a plan to me !!
astroturf999 1 year ago
Good approaching ,imo after a couple of days of "counting" it's better just letting pass the thoughts
juaxix 1 year ago
@juaxix I agree completely
yogagarden 1 year ago
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LEVRAIVRAIZEN 1 year ago
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LEVRAIVRAIZEN 1 year ago
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LEVRAIVRAIZEN 1 year ago
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LEVRAIVRAIZEN 1 year ago
@LEVRAIVRAIZEN Yes of course anything you could ever put into words is not zen but only pointing to zen. To a very large extent this is all just a waste of breath. But humans love nothing more than chattering away so off we go!
yogagarden 1 year ago
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LEVRAIVRAIZEN 1 year ago
@LEVRAIVRAIZEN I disagree I've had many moments in my life that were beyond "words" or "things". Mind is just an elegant, highly developed sense organ, it's not the whole game!
yogagarden 1 year ago
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LEVRAIVRAIZEN 1 year ago
I'm in love.
tigerborn62 1 year ago
Fantastico, la postura siempre la postura, y volver a la postura no hay mas , pero eso es demasiado simple para la mente humana jajajaja.
buscandolapaz 1 year ago
Adorable Zazener you are! : )
laraskye 1 year ago
Haha, "I got to six!" BEEN THERE! :) Thanks for the reassurances in this video; it makes me want to keep trying! I love the analogy about the clouds, especially with the time-lapse clip of cloud evolution... they're so beautiful and intricate, much like thoughts can be, and they are best appreciated against the clarity of blue behind it (not just a mess of more grey). Thanks for this!
Qrystal37 1 year ago
This is a great way to explain it! The counting breaths thing is very helpful.
mlinn1980 1 year ago
This is an excellent video.
rockemsockem2 1 year ago
Great video! Very informative, straight forward and entertaining too:)
whitelotuswithsnake 1 year ago
I have a hard time keeping my back straight. Any suggestions?
NewVinland 1 year ago
@NewVinland Start doing pull-ups. Seriously.
yogagarden 1 year ago
u look alot like ashton kutcher
heheaw12 1 year ago
should it be in silence, is soothing music too distracting?
bmwz20 1 year ago
@bmwz20 enjoy the ambient sounds of the room, of your breath, of your heartbeat. You'll find silence to be it's own kind of soothing music.
yogagarden 1 year ago
it is boring, it is painful, and it is one of the best thing you can ever do... AND IT'S FREE! lol
mugglelist 1 year ago
where is Patrick!!! i need a yoga teacher like him!!!!!
minitrufa 1 year ago
Ufff !! dónde está Rian!! me pido un profe de yoga asíiiii!!!
minitrufa 1 year ago
I am a beginner. Am I getting it right if I think that zazen is focussing on just one thought at a time and being aware of it, SO a person can cultivate the habit of being mindful of his thoughts during the rest of the day too?
sehajchawla123 1 year ago
@sehajchawla123 That's one way of looking at it. But, the question is, can you truly focus on one thought at a time, and then just let it go, or do you let the thought lead you around and weave into stories, memories, dreams, fears, etc...?
yogagarden 1 year ago
ALLAH is the only GOD.. THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT ALLAH and none can be worshiped besides ALLAH. ... follow the Quran and the teachings of ALLAHs Final Messenger muhammad(peace be upon him) AND THIS IS TRUE way TO PARADISE
az101 1 year ago
@az101 To each his own brother!
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden O disbelievers in Allâh I worship not that which you worship "Nor will you worship that which I worship. "And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping Nor will you worship that which I worship To you be your religion, and to me my religion (Islâm)
az101 1 year ago
@az101 jajajaja, the paradise and hell is right here, don`t be stupid beliebing in another paradise..... use your brain and think...........don`t explote your self whit the bomb for go to the "paradise"
BOTHROP 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@BOTHROP YOu REALLY think YOu are here in this WORLD for Fun and Games?
I invite you to accept islam
Quran says : Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). That is the great success
az101 1 year ago
Gaea Love-lifestyle
chess1111 1 year ago
can anyone tell me what hes says about the clouds? right before "made of nothing"?
i dont understand the word.
xthewordlessx21 1 year ago
@xthewordlessx21 ...ephemeral!
yogagarden 1 year ago
Ok. I was wondering, when sitting with the spine straight, should I feel slight tension in the muscles in my legs (quad/inner thigh area) trying to keep the body balanced? Whenever I keep my back straight I have to use my leg muscles to stabilize my body or I will fall backwards. Is this normal? Or am I doing something wrong?
RegistrationCop 1 year ago
@RegistrationCop eh, that leg muscle thing will go away in a few weeks. Keep going.
yogagarden 1 year ago
To fight distraction, how about humming lightly on every exhale and focusing on the sound of my own voice? Would that be sufficient to stop distractive thoughts?
RegistrationCop 1 year ago
@RegistrationCop Sure, that would work, but only do it if you're having a rough session when the thoughts just won't stop. Always try a pure gimmickless zazen first before moving on to the "hacks"
yogagarden 1 year ago
@RegistrationCop I may be so bold as to say no, simply because breathing exercises and humming and chanting don't so much STOP thoughts as they do give you one big thought to concentrate on...give it time, Cop, a LOT of time
evilwuun 1 year ago
thanks
jonathan88zz 1 year ago
i liked it :)
saridonelan 1 year ago
Great job! I'm always skeptical when westerners start explaining Zazen, but you're very honest and candid about what it is and isn't. Thanks!
chigasakigaijin 1 year ago
<3 Thank you
loveyogalfe 1 year ago
I would prefer no music at all.
bonigala 1 year ago
just trying to understand- u say 90percent of the time its boring, so why is it done? as i understand it, its not done to attain anything. its just done, to just do it. or something. it confuses me........
yannis5 1 year ago
This is the kind of trouble thinking about zen will get you in. Better to just skip it all together!
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yannis5 Simple. Hard work is boring and unattractive. But the hard work is the one that pays the most in the long run. Meditation is not supposed to be easy to keep up. But the benefits are very real and will be worth it. Got it?
RegistrationCop 1 year ago
@RegistrationCop brilliant response, you speak the truth . got it :) thank you :)
yannis5 1 year ago
@yannis5 I've once heard it compared to playing music. You dont play music to with a goal, you're not trying to reach the end of the piece. You play the song just to play the song, you do zazen simply to do zazen.
eshoobarnun 1 year ago
i imagine u have read some of eckhart tolle
good video btw
yannis5 1 year ago
ummm i think that dominite hand under other hand applys to your feet also when you do half n full lotus. im not completly sure about this, but whatever makes you more comfterbol i guess.
dodgingaces 1 year ago
Excellent video. You have explained and the practice better than any one I have seen.
My only gripe is that the music in the video is much too loud and your soft voice is very hard to follow. Rock music for a zazen video is weird.
I will be watching you other videos now to learn zazen.
bonigala 1 year ago
Would you prefer pan pipes and harps?
yogagarden 1 year ago
Excellent video!
DineshJamwal 1 year ago
interesting hints for success
atfatw 1 year ago
thank you.
ryanmillerart 1 year ago
I'm not able to see my thoughts like clouds passing by (as an observer), instead they always sneak in from behind, and suddenly I realize I'm in the middle of the storm so I have to force myself to go out of the storm (so I don't feed the endless loop of thoughts) and start from scratch again.
My question is, will this always be like this? Or as you say, will there be a moment where you watch your own thoughts "without thinking" them?
estonazo 2 years ago
It will always been like this, but with enough practice you stop caring so much how "this" is. You'll just be sitting.
yogagarden 2 years ago
Hey, thanks a lot for the quick reply.
Neverthelss, using your cloud analogy, instead of "brute" forcing my way out of the storm I tried to let them (my thoughts) slowly vanish, this way I could "appreciate" the process of SLOWLY gaining conciousness of my own thoughts. I found this little experience somehow rewarding.
Btw, also big thanks for doing this video, it motivates people like me that want to practice but are too lazy (I've already watched this a few times :P )
estonazo 1 year ago
Hi estonazo - I think it's a very interesting observation you make.
I've been sitting for a few years. I pretty soon realized that I only notice I'm (was) thinking/lost in thought when (somehow) the thinking stops and I become aware of myself again - sitting on my zafu, facing the wall. (I don't consciously stop my thinking - it just happens). So I can't 'watch' myself thinking, or watch my thoughts...my sense of self as a witness/observer is always 'lost' in my thinking.
It's a mystery!
hceggeberth 1 year ago
Thank "you" sir. good instructional, imma try not to procrastinate with this shit now lol
ravkes 2 years ago
I think you're onto something with the whole "counting your breaths" thing. I have a SUPER hard time getting my brain to shut up, and I think something like a breathing exercise may be exactly what I need to start up with zazen for real.
I also need to work on my posture, but whatev. One thing at a time.
Thanks for making the video. And thanks for having a sense f humor at the same time.
aphat 2 years ago
hey guys, what's the music you used in the video?
Pawlik4U 2 years ago
I think Brian's last name is Wellsley...
Good video and I enjoy your podcast as well.
PaulBarte 2 years ago
Excellent video, Good sound quality compared to other videos.Like how it creates imaginery thoughts, while trying to meditate and also l like how it shows the different views of sitting up straight correctlly. Well done.
blazeryin 2 years ago
Yogagarden, I am over 300lbs and morbidyly obese. I wish there was some way for me to practice this.
Koreys666 2 years ago
Hi Korey666 -
The main thing about the zazen posture is that, by getting your spine straight and allowing gravity to put all the weight on your 'sit bones' (in your butt) it allows you to sit in a balanced way with very little tension. So if you can get onto a chair, put a cushion under your butt to raise it, andyou're set.
If you can't get onto a chair, do the next best thing - find your own way...or wait till yogagarden answers. If he don't, there are plenty other zen resources online.
hceggeberth 2 years ago
OR -
Diet,
and/or get the excess fat surgically removed, and/or
get a Gastric Band.
But you knew that already, right ;-)
hceggeberth 2 years ago
okay thanks
Koreys666 2 years ago
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Jalexorid 2 years ago
Hi Jalexorid -
You write "to meditate properly...is purely mental / psychological". I think, whether you're a Buddhist from India 500BC or a modern scientific, super-ratrional kinda guy, there's no doubt that 'body' and 'mind' are not merely linked, but are aspects of one organism. The state of what we experience as the 'mind' is a manifestation of the state of the body. Unless you believe in a seperate spirit/mind that inhabits the body?
...Don't mean Korey can't meditate, of course ;-)
hceggeberth 1 year ago
Hi videovolador -
The 'posture' looked pretty good to me.
You say, "try to focus in the important thing". What is the important thing?
You say the zafu is "too flat for... a full lotus seating". While I prefer a high zafu, seems to me that 'yogagarden' has managed a perfectly authentic, comfortable full lotus - see 1.09
I wondered who you might be - so I checked your channel. You're 19 years old. May I suggest you wait a few years before putting yourself forward as a "constructive critic".
.
hceggeberth 2 years ago
Hi hceggeberth
Zen is zazen, and the important thing in zen is the posture, it is the only thing actually.
One of the important things in the posture is push the floor with the knees and the sky with the head, that is why I suggested a higher zafu, to basculate the pelvis. If he tries it he will feel the diference, That comment was just for him.
By the way, don´t trust apperances, I use the account from a work partner, a young boy who happens to be a constructive critic
gasho
videovolador 2 years ago
Having sat for a few years with other people, I've been surprised to notice that many of them, unlike me, are satisfied with a low zafu. But satisfied they are - and that includes my teacher, and other 'masters'. Initially I thought I was right and they were wrong. Now I realise that bodies, lengths of limbs and their proportions differ, and each individual finds the way best for them.
Still, yogagarden may be grateful for your suggestion. after all he's just 'a nice guy trying to be funny' .
hceggeberth 2 years ago
So videovolador - I agree with your emphasis on posture; it is the important thing, perhaps even the only thing. But as an introductory video, this is one of best I've seen. Yes, there are all sorts of details I can find fault with...but I'm confident that each of us finds our way - and that includes the right zafu - through this practice of 'receiving and using the self'.
Appropriately expressed, respectful guidance is invaluable, of course. Maybe, like me, you don't mean to be patronising ;-)
hceggeberth 2 years ago
Looking forward to your video that shows us how it's done!
yogagarden 2 years ago
So almost all the video...you look like a nice guy trying to be funny...but never saw you actually adopting the correct posture...The chin, the eyes, the neck, the pelvis...the tongue...etc. Good thing trying to make people know the original posture but as a constructive critic try to focus in the important thing. By the way, your zafu is too flat for you even for a full lotus seating.
gasho.
videovolador 2 years ago
That's totally the idea behind zazen. It's to learn to be motivated to go to youtube and troll, not to achieve control of your own chattering thoughts and emotions.
Gotcha.
Djentsylum 2 years ago
Ok master, go practice zazen while you listen to a nice song...I suggest you use a hammock.
videovolador 2 years ago
Gasho !
videovolador 2 years ago
May lord bless you
SumerVsingh 2 years ago
Can I listen to music while I do zazen meditation?
Djentsylum 2 years ago
Listen to the music of the room, the passing noises outside, and your own breath. It's quite a show!
yogagarden 2 years ago
thank you for the video, it gave me a basic info about zazen
ghaz83 2 years ago
i teach energy cultivation
aminjani 2 years ago
Explain to me please WHY Zen is stupid, as you like to say.
Koreys666 2 years ago
Zen, what a waste of time!
yogagarden 2 years ago
Thanks for the thorough explanation. You really helped me out to answer my question.
Koreys666 2 years ago
Tic toc tic toc tic toc... Time, what a waste of Zen !
videovolador 2 years ago
Mu!
rogeriocsenna 2 years ago
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malatae4 2 years ago
5 stars for including the ulrich schnauss tune.
jeroen198 2 years ago
Good video but the music is little to loud
eagletree2006 2 years ago
Thank you for this lesson.
hanzelrosario 2 years ago
you are so cute!
a4fernan61 2 years ago 7
Hi,
Please kindly switch the music off in the background. Let's people to focus on the zazen, not on the music unless you promote grindcore!
londonsoundsgood 2 years ago
I do 50 minutes of Zazen every day and I have never felt so utterly bored with my life. I'm bored by everything and everyone. It's possible my ego is starting to shatter. Is it natural to experience a profound sense of boredom following months of meditation? Any guidance or advice would be appreciated.
ZenBarracuda 2 years ago
Zazen will not change anything about you, it will only make you more authentically what you are. So if you're having a bored and listless time in your life it will only accentuate it.
Sounds like you need to get out there and do something new dude.
yogagarden 2 years ago
Guess I should listen to myself more and then respond to my real needs. I thought I was cracking up. Thanks for your guidance. I may seek it again.
ZenBarracuda 2 years ago
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bushidokop 2 years ago
Meditation will not lead to boredom, in Indian shastras it refers to "Bairag" the mind suddenly starts detaching from the world around, but one needs to be careful to note that one should not drift away from the true self. Ask yourself a question, did you started meditating to evade something, a feeling or an action, if yes then the answer is very simple.
SumerVsingh 2 years ago
Boooring!
yogagarden 2 years ago
That is a brilliant video! ;D
outsidepers 2 years ago
I have been really looking into this stuff. Some of the best days that i had in my life i dint care about the outcome.
zacx91 2 years ago
Patrick (?),
I loved your video lesson! Your easy going presentation; demonstrations; and humorous examples of what to expect; worked together to make zazen meditation approachable by the neophyte ( that would be me ). Thanks!
mfenrn 2 years ago
cute
saadaya 2 years ago
Great video, easily one of the best I've seen on Zazen, thank you.
iluvdancin 2 years ago
Man, what a great video! Good job brother!
bizzyb7th 2 years ago
Thank you for the vid. it was both insightful and humorous
mosle123 2 years ago
oh man, if this kind of meditation (zazen) didn't exist ...wow life would suck horribly. it's cool how you made this actually funny and explained it really well....amazing, this mind calming stuff is.
rockrapgirl 2 years ago
I have a meditation seat... not as hard-core as the safu, but it works..
Very pretty boy by the way ;)
BodhiBones 2 years ago 2
Not a Buddhist myself, but MAN this video is helpful. I picked up the practice of zazen last year after being lent a brad warner book by a friend. Helps me clear my head in the morning and before I sleep, generally makes me feel better.
AlexKincaid 2 years ago
You're 100% correct!
zviagam 2 years ago
Dude i second that...you know your stuff...might i ask, the background music; where it from bro?
Also Zazen is NOT boring! :D
bizzyb7th 2 years ago
Sometimes it is!
I'd probably never get bored if that annoying horn went off every time I had a thought, though.
spinpsychle 2 years ago
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zviagam 2 years ago
I enjoy correct grammar too, but if you expend energy on correcting grammar on youtube, you will quickly become exhausted. Try meditating instead: you may find it more beneficial.
artandpart 2 years ago 2
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zviagam 2 years ago
Are you referring to 5:15, because I said "between him and us"
yogagarden 2 years ago
What a beautiful man
malatae4 2 years ago 4
Thank you for this video.
tjd07x 2 years ago
Thank you Patrick for this great vid! I've seen it a lot of times now and check back from time to time because it's very positevely and very well done!
You and Gwen are always an inspiration with "zen is stupid". Keep on doing the great work! :-)
Norman
Norman1977 2 years ago
I agree with Yogagarden. I have fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, and type II diabetes, and it is impossible for me to sit on my zafu and zabuton any longer. So, I sit where and how I am able!
TasiaBrooklyn 2 years ago
Dude, this is an excellent video. Very well done.
Koreys666 2 years ago
RED DRAGONS!
BadHat9 2 years ago
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hceggeberth 2 years ago