Zendo Choreography – How To Do What
The purpose of the Zen choreography (aka, “protocol”) is to do the practiceenlightenment dance together. And although there are many details, don’t worry – just
show up, look especially to the priests (the woman and man in the black dresses) for how
the dance is done, and do your best. At first, you might feel awkward, but eventually it
will be like your true nature – it just takes practice to reveal.
1. Aim to arrive between fifteen and five minutes before the period is to begin in
order to get settled. There will be two hits on the han (wood board) at ten minutes
before the period is to begin and one hit five minutes before the period is to begin.
2. Remove your shoes and coat in the entryway.
3. When you step into the zendo proper, face straight ahead, place your palms
together (gassho) and do a standing bow.
4. If your plan is to remain through the second sitting, take a sutra book (three-ring
binder) from the shelf from the window ledge in the zendo.
5. Go to an open seat, stand facing the seat, then gassho and do a standing bow.
6. Turn clockwise 180 degrees, gassho and do a standing bow toward the center of
the room (in the zendo, we always turn clockwise).
7. Sit on your cushion (zafu) and turn to face the wall. If you’re going to sit in seiza
(kneeling), simply step to the front of the zabuton (square mat) and sit down. If
you will be sitting in a chair, do the standing bows and then come around to the
front of the chair and sit down.
8. Select a posture that you can maintain for the length of the sitting period. Support
cushions and chairs are available and you are welcome to use them. The purpose
of zazen is not to suffer more.
9. Once you have adjusted your posture, take a breath and exhale fully, rock your
body right and left, and settle into a steady, immovable sitting posture.
10. Before the first period of zazen in the morning, the doshi (ceremonial leader –
either Tetsugan or Dosho) will enter the zendo, offer incense, do three bows, and
then walk around the zendo for the morning greeting (jundo). As the doshi passes
behind you, place your hands in gassho (without a bow), then return them to the
zazen position.
11. The zazen bell is rung three times at the beginning of the period and twice at the
end to announce walking meditation (kinhin). The bell is struck once if there is to
be no kinhin.
12. When the bell sounds twice it signals that zazen is over and we will do kinhin.
Gassho and bow, then turn on your zafu and stand up (do not fluff your zafu or
brush your zabuton). If you will be leaving before the next sitting, fluff your zafu,
and quietly brush off the zabuton (square sitting mat). From your standing
position, turn to your left. Wait for the clappers to clap once signaling the
beginning of kinhin before you begin walking. If need be, at this time, you may
leave the kinhin line and use the bathroom. When you return from the bathroom,
gassho and bow, and reenter the kinhin line in your original place, if possible.
13. The clappers will clap once again at the end of kinhin. Place your hands in gassho
and walk at a normal pace to your seat. Face the seat and bow, turn and face out
and wait for the doshi to lead the gassho/bow (or time keeper if doshi isn’t
present). Then sit down, turn in, etc. The zazen bell will again sound three times
marking the beginning of the period.
14. If you leave between sitting periods or after service, please return your support
cushions to the appropriate place.
15. At the end of the second period of morning zazen, the zazen bell will sound once.
Open your sutra book, place your hands in gassho, and join the recitation of the
“Verse of the Robe.”
16. After the chant, turn, prepare your area for service (remove the zafu from the
zabuton), and stand with hands in shashu (left hand curled over the thumb, right
hand over left, held at solar plexus).
17. When the roll down on the inkin begins, place your hands in gassho, in
preparation for three full bows.
18. Wait until the large bell is rung once followed by two rings on the small bell
before you sit down, pick up the sutra book, and chant along with the group.
19. After the sutra chanting, another rolldown will begin. Stand behind your zabuton
with hands in gassho, and at the end of the rolldown, do three bows. Then stand
with hands in shashu.
20. When the doshi is ready to leave, two bells will sound. Gassho and bow with the
second bell. Two more bells will then sound. Shashu and bow.
21. Gently fluff your zafu and brush your zabuton. Gassho and bow facing the wall.
Turn 180 degrees and gassho and bow again toward the center of the room.
22. Exit the zendo, walking directly out without bowing (you can enter the zendo but
you can never leave).