FAQ
Can I join in-person Zen training?
Information on our dojos is here. Please contact info@choseizen.org before visiting Daikozen-ji in Madison, WI. Online training in the Virtual Dojo is also available.
Where should beginners start?
Please joing our Intro to Zazen class. After that, you can join Daily Zazen and other classes. For beginners, we also recommend reading, doing exercises and attending the monthly hara development drop-in sessions. Other information for beginners can be found here.
How often should I do zazen?
We recommend doing zazen twice a day, in the morning and evening, and to build up to sitting for 45 minutes each time. You can join online Daily Zazen at 7-7:30am and 7-7:30pm CT on weekdays. Information for students in Europe is here. You're welcome to join up to 15-30 minutes early to extend your sitting time.
Are there any rules for attending zazen?
Please arrive 5-15 minutes early to start on time. We also ask that you don’t move during zazen (video explanation).
How should I set up for online zazen?
We recommend sitting on a floor cushion (zabuton) large enough that your knees do not hang off the edge (30” x 30” square or 76 x 76 cm). More important is a small cushion (zafu) under your bottom that is high enough for your knees to be lower than your hips, in order to achieve a stable base (1”-4” thick, or 3-10 cm thick). Best is to use two or more zafu wedged to support a forward angle or one that can be molded into a wedge (e.g., buckwheat hull). If you cannot sit cross-legged in this way, you can also try kneeling position with cushions under your hips (seiza) or sitting in a chair.
Other tips for online zazen are:
- Alert family members and roommates to the uniqueness of this time and ask that it not be interrupted
- Put your computer at chest/head height (e.g., on a table with books). Maintain good posture (don’t slump)
- Look below the screen, using 180-degree vision (this works better with a computer that's elevated, rather than on the floor)
- Observe the group in gallery view and center yourself to align your position/camera to match those above and below
- Keep your microphone muted. Before a sit starts, silence your cell phone and put it away
- "Hide self view" (click 3 dots on your picture) may also be helpful if you don't want to be distracted by looking at yourself
- Arrive at least 5-10 minutes early. If you arrive after a sit has started, stay muted and off video.
For more instruction on zazen and orientation to the dojo, we suggest you attend one of our online introductory sessions, if you have not done so already.
How should I take feedback given in the dojo?
Please take feedback seriously but in stride. The leader of the sitting (jikijitsu) may say "Don't move," "Wake up" or other things during of after the sitting. Often the feedback may not be for you individually, but for the good of the group. Having a reaction is normal and part of why the correction is effective. But we recommend not to dwell on it. Perfectionism is a habit that many of us need to overcome.
What do I wear to zazen?
For beginners, we recommend wearing loose-fitting pants (e.g., sweatpants) and a plain shirt without writing. We also recommend wearing a hara belt during zazen to support and develop your breathing (see question below).
After 6-12 months, students are recommended to wear a navy blue kendo gi (top), hakama (bottom), and obi (belt). This can be purchased locally or online.
What is the clothing I see others wearing in the dojo?
Experienced students usually wear martial arts clothing that supports their sitting (see question above). Depending on the occcarion, Zen priests may wear a rakusu around their neck or priest robes.
What is the hara and why is it important?
Hara is a Japanese word that refers to the lower abdomen, but also has psychological and spiritual dimensions. The development of the hara is fundamental to all Chosei Zen training: it enables a person to enter deep samadhi (a state of relaxed concentration from a position of “no mind”) and to generate ki (chi, in Chinese), vital psychophysical energy. You can find more information here.
Where do I buy a hara belt (obi)?
We recommend wearing a hara belt during zazen to support and develop your breathing (read more about why here). You can buy a velcro hara belt here. Traditional Japanese obi can also be purchased locally or online.
How much experience is needed to join intensive training?
Students should have received basic instruction on how to sit zazen and be able to sit for 45 minutes at a time without moving. In addition, students should understand the basic principles of hara breathing and have a hara belt (see below). Students may be ready to participate in a student-led zazenkai after sitting daily for at least a month. Participating in zazenkai is good preparation for keishin/sesshin. You can find more information here.
What are the options for live-in training?
We have 4- or 7-day in-person sesshin at Daikozen-ji in Madison and the Spring Green Dojo that occur four times annually (see the calendar). There are two options for training at Daikozen-ji in Madison on a longer-term basis. First, students with Zen teachers (see questions below) can arrange through their teacher to live at Daikozen-ji and do a full-time Zen training schedule, consisting of zazen, classes in martial arts and fine arts, training on your own, and manual labor. Second, students without teachers can arrange for their own accommodation in Madison and attend in-person zazen and classes at Daikozen-ji on a daily basis. Please contact info@choseizen.org for more information. We are in close contact with Chozen-ji in Hawaii so it is best that students talk to a Chosei Zen teacher before reaching out to them directly.
Who are the teachers at Chosei Zen?
You can find information about our history and lineage here. More information on our teachers is here.
What should I call the teachers?
In training environments, you can refer to teachers that are Zen masters by their last name, followed by "Roshi." For other teachers, you can refer to them by their last name, followed by "Sensei." In less formal interactions, most Chosei Zen teachers are fine with being called by their first name.
How can I do sanzen with a teacher?
Sanzen is the interview between a student and teacher, often centering on the student's koan. A student becomes a formal Zen student when they have a sanzen teacher. In general, students can choose a teacher for sanzen training after completing two keishin or one sesshin. Students are recommended to get to know different teachers and choose the teacher with whom they feel a good match. Sanzen is offered during intensive training and may be offered bi-weekly, depending on the teacher.
What books on Zen training do you recommend?
We recommend starting with "Introduction to Zen Training" by Omori Sogen. "Fudochi Shimmyo Roku" is another core text for our tradition. You can find links to these and other books here.
Where can I find online resources to support my Zen training?
The Virtual Dojo has a number of online training opportunities, including online classes and online intensive training. We have webpages on Hara Development and Okyo (chanting). Other online resources can be found here.