Why Do Zazen? 

Thank you so much for doing this! I feel like I am operating in a parallel universe to what I am hearing here. Being an improvising musician and a runner and also now a Zen beginner has really brought me to your work. I just purchased Hardcore Zen and Don't be a Jerk, and I was telling my son that it is one of the few times I have belly laughed at a spiritual book! Again Thank you and Take care. Roy

My introduction to Zazen was Sit Down And Shut Up. That was over a decade ago. Probably one of the most influential books in my life. Thanks for sharing all your Zen stuff.

Ziggy looks extra happy today. I'm glad he's feeling better.

The best Hardcore zen bass riff ever - fingers crossed that the gods of groove continue to smile upon us. Zazen wise there may be something essential about freedom from gain itself - freedom from the constant striving of self.

This is the full quote by Kodo Sawaki. I find the last part to be essential to understanding it: "What’s zazen good for? Absolutely nothing! This ‘good for nothing’ has got to sink into your flesh and bones until you actually practice what is truly good for nothing. Until then, your zazen is just good for nothing."

"Green eyed lay-deh, ocean lay-deh!" I forgot what a great song that was. I vaguely remember once reading in some text that the only thing to be attained in meditation is non-attainment. This paradox perplexed me. Then it finally sunk in: Why was I working so hard for something that should really amount to, well, nothing? "My child can learn!" Even this thick skull of mine can eventually be penetrated by some wisdom. Looking forward to your future tasty bass riffs, mahalos! 🤙🎸🧘‍♀️

Fellow bass player here. I think bass is one of the most unforgiving instruments there is when it comes to making 'mistakes'. I read somewhere this has to do with the fact that human ears are more sensitive to pitch and rhythm irregularities in lower frequencies than in the frequency spectrum of say a guitar. That being said, I find myself making far and far less mistakes since i'm practising zazen. I feel I can connect better with the music, the groove, the moment and my fellow musicians. Thanks for again a great video (and great playing)!

Great topic and video! There are certain phrases that distill everything Zen “is” - all the simplicity and complexity - into a concise expression - and Sawaki Roshi (via Okumura Roshi) did that precisely.

Bad ass intro, dude. 🎸👍🏻

Thank you! Bingo, if it does not do anything it wouldnt be around.

genius! thanks!

Great bass line! Great question and answer. I’ve lived a sedentary desk job life and the last thing I want to do or think I should do is spend more of my life sitting on my fat ass. So I got into thru hiking- day after day. I disconnect from electronics and have no choice when I’m out there to - just walk. Like just sitting. Or as I think of it- just f-ing walk. And out in the middle of nowhere you have no choice but to just f-ing walk or you’ll die. It’s always too hot or too cold and you’re too tired or want to rest but there’s no good place to rest and the birds are too noisy when you want to sleep in the morning, etc. so you have to deal with it. As hikers say-- embrace the suck. That’s the mantra. I wish I knew more about zen but from what I gather from the many hours of RU-vid and books I’ve read, zen is the attitude towards life situations and that attitude can be applied to anything. So sitting for long periods of time is a great way to harness the attitude, and thru hiking as well (if you do it the way I describe, alone or at least not as a caravan of partying revellers or pot heads, and without earphones). Anyway, I guess I’m trying to re-ask the same question you just answered, but more specific with a comparison to the hiking I describe. Hiking as described is good for nothing. It’s JUST hiking. And although I’m not doing it for health reasons, at least I’m not sitting down for hours a day. Also, I’d imagine the origins of zen were at a time where people had to walk all day and do manual labor. So the sitting was a nice break from that. Which means it’s the opposite of what most people today need, given their/our sedentary lifestyle. I guess I’m looking for a stamp of approval on my hiking as a way of not sitting. That said, when I’m tired and at camp, and alone under a tarp, I just sit, or lie down. And there, perhaps I’m doing zazen. It’s all good for nothing though. And so are your videos.

Been fooled before, but not by you. Thanks for sharing the Zen wisdom.

I'm digging the bass riffs.

I’m reading Don’t Be a Jerk. Love it!

Weather is nice nowadays, good thing

Thing about meditation is that its not just stress relieving. An activity that rewires the brain and myelinates to the point of reducing apparent difussion coefficients in brains that are well into the 50s 60s and even older practicioners... A practice powerfull enough that if done right and for long enough it induces drastic reductions in need for sleep without sleep deprivation symptoms (some meditators sleep less than 5h a night amd feel refreshed) a practice powerful enough to uproot how you see life itself and that grants you a more balanced and equanimous perspective shoulnt need touting, It already speaks for itself to people with the right inclinations. Those are the real reasons to meditate, to erradicate suffering, and live the same but different life. Its not about creativity although it might be a neat side effect. People are putting the emphasis on the wrong thing in my opinion

Green-eyed lady! That is great riff to start off the day. During one sesshin, I lost my balance while turning around on the cushion and rolled into the center of the zendo. I laughed out loud and the teacher also laughed. I still think it’s funny. I noticed that if my zazen did not have ups and downs, then it was not zazen. I hate it when people want someone to sell them zazen. I usually reply that will much likely enjoy something else.

Hi Brad! Been listening to your vlogs for some years now and don’t remember you ever talking about the hand positioning in zazen. Why is it this specific mudra (it’s a mudra, right?) and what’s its use? Thanks!

There are many paths, there are many reasons, there are many imagined purposes. Better to look for commonality than contrast. Let's all figure things out together

Zazen is good to encounter "no-thing"

One of the reasons why I did zazen was to be more balanced and less distracted. Because my mind was always very hyperactive and it has always caused me some problems.

Shades of Mike Watt

You are talking about Alpha Frequency dominant brain activity. The Mind Mirror can show you visually when you are in that state. Focused Relaxation causes it. It is well known. Long distance running combines Alpha Brain waves with massive endorphin release... a response I've not studied up on. I suppose orgasm is similar... endorphin rush could also be Kundalini.

Though others may talk of the Way of the Buddhas as something to be reached by various pious practices and by sūtra-study, you must have nothing to do with such ideas. A perception, sudden as blinking, that subject and object are one, will lead to a deeply mysterious wordless understanding; and by this understanding will you awake to the truth of Zen. The Zen Teaching of Huang-Po: On the Transmission of Mind (p. 92). Grove/Atlantic, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

What you (and your teacher in his running days) describe is what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called "flow". Maybe you could check his work.

All activities are zazen!

Maybe it was an insincere question. I was "sold" on zazen long time ago but it took a very long time before that desire to do it became a dedicated daily practice, so what I tend to muse about is what causes someone to sit zazen. In a sense it seems like a person couldn't really want to do zazen, at least not in the same way they'd want anything else. "Zazen is easier" is definitely false advertising! I think I know what's meant though -- more direct, more efficient, perhaps. If I thought a little but harder about my question it might've been "if zazen is so great why's it so hard?" (ohhhhhhhh... I think I get it).

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

After you used the Hokyoji zendo as the video cover I was disappointed to hear no mention of Hokyoji.

Not a big fan of cops but it does make sense that a city known for terrible traffic would have helicopters Anyway haha I really appreciate the reminder about Zazen

Nothing is something

I have a good friend whose sister in-law worked for the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and she said TM is a scam.

You look like you're in your early 30's, that's a sign you did it knowing it's good for nothing but it was good for something because of that. Such is the zen koan.

There is no way you're 58 dude lol

Good for nothing? Isnt Zazen good for "discovering the true self"?

another BS from a guru...