Meditation
Every morning, monks and practitioners awaken before sunrise and simply sit in silence. Seated in the lotus position in front of a white wall, with an erect backbone, abdominal breathing, the fingers of the left hand resting upon those of the right hand, thumbs entwined, forming a mudra at a point just under the belly button, they patiently observe the functioning of their own minds. The zazen — sitting meditation or seated absorption — is practiced for about 40 minutes and is one of the central underpinnings of life at Morro da Vargem and all of the other Soto Zen monasteries around the world.
Zazen is practiced in Sodô, the Temple of Meditation; but it has nothing to do with revering or making requests of Buddha. It is a study of one’s self, a silent observation of reality.
According to the Zen masters, the practice of zazen is essential in order to bring the state of mental concentration and observation obtained to everyday activities.
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