So today, as usual, when I give a talk in the afternoon, it's about some aspects of Zazen. So it's always a Zazen refresher or you might even learn something new. But today, I want to start with a subject that came up recently about posture adjustment. And it turns out that some people really don't like to have their, don't like to be touched. The way we, you know, when I, sometimes when we are doing zazen together, I see how people are sitting, and we'll say something about that during Zazen.

[01:06]

But then nothing changes. So I'll say sit up straight or put your ears in line with your navel, I mean your nose in line with your ears in line with your shoulders, but nothing changes. So what actually works is when I physically adjust your posture. walk around and physically adjust your posture, then you can feel what that feels like. Sometimes we'll be sitting like this, you know, and you're thinking, I'm sitting up straight, really sitting up straight. And then the posture is adjusted and you feel, oh, now I feel crooked. Yes, that's very common because you think that what you're doing is correct, but it's not correct. So that's why That's why we correct it, so that you actually feel comfortable.

[02:08]

So recently, it's been some people don't like to be touched. So that's become a subject. ASTD, you know, I think everyone has been traumatized in some way. Is there anybody here that has never been traumatized? Okay. Traumatization is an aspect of human life, like pain and pleasure and so forth. My experience when I was practicing with Suzuki Roshi back in the 60s, he would go around and adjust everybody's posture, and nobody ever complained.

[03:13]

It was just the way we did things. I used to do that, but I haven't done a posture adjustment for a long time because I'm mostly out doing dokasan. If I was in the zendo more, I would adjust posture more often. I think it's an important thing. I talked about this, I think last time I talked about this a bit, but I didn't talk about that part. And I'm wondering if there's anyone here, I mean, you don't have to say, if you don't want to say, you don't have to, but is there anyone here who really feels that they do not like to be touched for adjustment, for posture adjustment? I think it's not so many people.

[04:16]

Most people say that they really appreciate it. That's the message that I get, is people really appreciate it. But since this subject has come up, I wondered if anybody had any question about it or wanted to discuss it. You know, I've come to the conclusion myself that if someone doesn't want to be touched, I don't want to touch them, you know. In the yoga world now, it's become a big subject. But I think in yoga, you're getting closer to private parts and body adjustment. Zen body adjustment is very subtle or direct, I would say.

[05:18]

Mostly when people are slumping like this, there are two pivot points that are really very simple. Whoever's adjusting the posture should know how to use these two pivot points. to adjust a posture. So if someone is like this, to put one finger on the chin and one finger in the small of the back, and then you simply align the small of the back with the chin. That's the simplest, most direct way to adjust posture. And we should all understand that. If you're ever giving anybody zazen instruction and you see them slumping over, you know, the back should be, the back is like, has a curvature at the small of the back here.

[06:27]

And so you want to emphasize that, not too much. You don't want to strain it, but you want to, in order to sit up straight, you pull on your chin. Actually, if you lift up your sternum, your chin automatically goes in. So some people have a problem. They say, oh, pulling my chin is not easy. You don't have to pull your chin in. If you lift up, your sternum and push your lower back forward, your chin automatically falls into the right place. When you adjust posture this way, everything falls into place. It's so simple. To manipulate, when I see people manipulating posture, it doesn't work very well because It's like when you hang a puppet by a string by the head, the puppet, everything falls into place because there's no opposition. And the weight of the body itself adjusts the posture.

[07:33]

So we always think of somebody, a string hanging from the ceiling, and you are like a puppet. If you actually allow yourself to be like a puppet, then you put your hands in the mudra, everything falls into place. Because the weight and the balance of your body, the balance of the various parts of your body just naturally fall into place. So, Zazen posture is really quite simple. But often people think of it in parts, like there's back, lower back part, and then there's the upper back part, and then there's the neck and the head. And sometimes we're trying to adjust all these parts when you simply just let them drop. Your whole upper body is loose and there's no effort. And then you put your hands in, if you simply lift up the sternum and push the lower back forward, that's all there is to it.

[08:42]

Very simple. And then everything else can just fall, and you put your hands in the mudra, and there's no, you relax. You don't relax your posture, but you relax your inner, those parts that are not necessary to help you sit up. The parts that don't help you sit up can just fall. And then you have ease, wonderful ease. So not everybody can sit that way, of course. So this is the ideal. to have to find just the right amount of effort to do the most work. Conservation of effort.

[09:50]

You just do the right amount of effort to create a nice structure and then just let yourself be. and breathing take care of itself. Now, if you're sitting in a chair and can hold your back straight, that's very nice. You don't have to lean against the back of the chair. And so you're creating a structure that's allows your body to sustain itself, maintain itself, with your feet flat on the floor. When we do sadhana, we should be able to account for every single part of our body.

[10:54]

The whole body is working in wonderful dynamic activity of balance and energy. Yeah? I have a question. I've actually had this question for a long time. In New York at the Metropolitan Museum, there are really big Buddhas. It's just a wonderful place to be there. But, you know, you don't see a curve in the lower back. I mean, maybe you could say, but you see, you know, the back of the head and the spine all the way down, but you don't actually see it. So it's really a long, beautiful line. Yes. Well, that's artist's conception. Okay, well, your back has a curve in it.

[12:04]

You can feel it. Yes. Well, you know, it's because they have clothes on. Well, he's not doing it. You know, I sit here and I see people. I see everybody's back. And even the most seasoned Practitioners sometimes sit with their back like this. Yes. Yes. Like this. Like this. They do. I can't help it. You know, I say something, but I bring the horses to water. But I can't make them drink. Yes. That's what I do.

[13:23]

That's what I do. Nowadays, that's what I do. I say, I'm now going to adjust posture. Here's one of the problems. People say, well, if you don't want your posture adjusted, you know, you don't know whether your posture needs it or not. So the thing about walking around and adjusting people's posture is that they don't realize that their posture's a little out of sync. So, I know you don't, yes. I thought that was good. Someone might feel comfortable enough to just turn when they saw him and say, please don't touch me.

[14:36]

If they felt that way, I don't know. Well, here's what happens. I always say that. I always say, now I'm going to walk around and adjust posture to let people know that. And then some people let me know that they don't want their posture adjusted because they freeze up. They get more rigid. They're like stone. That's amazing. So, you know, okay. Or that could be nervousness. Whatever it is, yes. It's like, you know, don't tell me, you know, I want to do it this way or whatever, you know. And there's so many different reasons. You don't always know what the reason is, but I can kind of tell what the reason is through the message of the body. It's okay, you know. That's your prerogative. I'm trying to help you. You don't want help? I can't help it.

[15:37]

So... I think, personally, it would be great just to start doing it, like, often. Yes. And then feeling this end up being an expectation of it. Right. And then, it's like anything, when it's done repetitiously, then we develop confidence or comfort. Yes. You know, for a long time, I didn't do zazen, I didn't do adjustment, because we have the same people, mostly, every day, and for long periods of time. So you know what people, what you can actually do and what you can't do. So I didn't actually do it for a long time. But I think that, so I'm beginning to want to do that again.

[16:39]

So that's what's happened for a long time. For a bit of time, we didn't do it. So, because people were sitting fairly well. People do sit fairly well, but new people need instruction. And sometimes I think, well, maybe I can actually help somebody who doesn't want to be helped, you know. Yes, so that's where we are. You're right.

[17:45]

Yes. Inattentiveness. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yes, yes.

[19:06]

Well, I do think, you know, out there, so to speak, our postures are conditioned. Our postures are conditioned by what we meet, what we fear, what we like, what we don't like, what interferes with us, what we're afraid of. And so we develop conditioning. Our conditioning develops our postures. And when we sit to us end, our effort is to let go of all that so that our posture is not conditioned. And when it's not conditioned, then we allow the energy to fulfill us and let us sit up straight, because that's our natural posture. Now, some people can't sit up straight. Some people are very limited as to what they can do. That's called compensation.

[20:13]

To find your way in Zazen when you can't do all the things I'm talking about. So that's, I think that I really have to admire those of us who really cannot assume the postures I'm talking about. Assume some, to actually practice with the posture you have. We all have limitations, you know, so to be able to practice within our limitations is a really great thing. I've practiced at places that you've visited. Yes.

[21:16]

But always you request it. Yes, you request it, yes. And so it's clear who would like that and who wouldn't. Yes. And so maybe if we get some kind of signal, like you suggested, where you said, I'm going to adjust posture and everyone wouldn't like that. Yeah. Anybody who doesn't want to. Yeah. Yeah, they could do that. Something like that. Yeah. Whoever does not want to have their posture adjusted, say, yeah, do something. Say, raise your hand. Yeah. I think that's okay, yeah. I would really appreciate to have my posture corrected, because I have no idea about anything since I started two years ago. I mean, I know I started English there. Yes. And so it's hard to correct posture there, but now they are. Yes. I'm trying to feel it, but I have no idea, so I need my correction. But maybe also people begin to come here

[22:21]

When I was actively adjusting people's posture, I also would say something during Zazen, which would remind people of what we're doing. And that's also helpful, even though you kind of wonder whether anybody's really paying attention to that or not. But still, it's a good thing to do. We don't carry the stick anymore like you're talking about. We used to carry the stick all the time. to wake people up.

[23:23]

But it's also okay to say, time to wake up or pay attention to your posture. I like to say that, pay attention to your posture, sit up straight, lift up your sternum. So yes, that's also important. But when you're sitting in a chair, it's hard to help people physically because the back of the chair is there. And people sitting in a chair have various reasons for doing that. And so, you know, the problem is when you're sitting in a chair, it's easy to just kind of sit in a chair. But it's nice if you can sit on the edge of a chair and sit up straight. That's really good. That's the way, but if you can't, then you have to lean against the back.

[24:24]

But there's so many variables in that area that I just pretty much leave people alone because you have to find your way. But since you're sitting, I notice you are sitting on the cushion now. And if you have, if your posture's not so good, we'll help you. You can. People do come in, sometimes they come in and I'll say, I would like to adjust your posture. It's not the best place to do it, but it's still, people do come in. Sometimes they ask for it and sometimes they don't. And I'll say, by the way, I'd like to adjust your posture. But the concept of sitting up straight is sometimes hard to understand.

[25:36]

because people are not used to doing that. Some people will say, well, it's unnatural to sit up straight because they've given themselves over to feeling that natural posture is just whatever you want. See, we're actually, we're doing Zazen all the time. If you're a Zen student, you're doing Zazen all the time. And you have your sitting posture, you have your walking posture, you have your eating posture, you have your Whatever you're doing, you have some posture. So when you're aware of your posture all the time, or as much as you can be all the time, it relates to the zazen that you're sitting in the cushion. So the zazen that you're sitting on the cushion really helps, should be able to, if you're aware of your posture, in ordinary activities, then you're really doing zazen all the time.

[26:43]

So it's not just in the zendo. So when you're doing that all the time, then it feels more natural to sit up straight and zazen. To walk straight, if you can. And to feel that the sidewalk is walking you. To feel your feet on the floor when you're walking, on the ground when you're walking. And your breath, to feel that your step is in sync with your breath. It's like kinhen. Kinhen is also zazen. Walking, moving zazen. Yeah. I'm not sure if this will formulate into a question, but I was just thinking about, you mentioned about compensating, and I was thinking about how when I came here, I was used to sitting 20 minutes a day on a softwood home.

[27:59]

And to come here and do 40 minutes a day, I realized I probably spent nine months really struggling to figure out how to compensate because my colon is always right versus wrong and I'm sure I was doing something I figured out how to do it here, I know where the benches are, I know which position I need, but then I was in this other temple, and boy, when they do service, they hit the ground running. Right.

[29:07]

Yes. But what I say to that is, you know, when... Zazen is, has a a little bit of an athletic component, right? So yoga, it's a yoga, actually. And when you do yoga, you kind of ease into it, but, and when your body, you keep working at it so that your body becomes flexible. And while you're working at it, it's painful. But you don't avoid the pain. you learn how to deal with the pain. If you don't learn how to deal with the pain, it's really hard to sit that in. You learn how to flow with your sensation rather than feel that the pain is an intrusion.

[30:12]

So, I, for a long time, you know, I didn't like having Zazen, Seiza benches, or people putting a lot of cushions under their knees to ease it, because you never get, you're always avoiding. I'm not saying that sitting on, I don't feel that way now. That was my original feeling. You know, when people start to practice, they mostly sit cowboy style, you know, campfire style, and their knees are up. And so, if you continue to just sit with whatever discomfort there is, then pretty soon your knees will go down. But if you don't do that, if you shore them up, they'll never go down.

[31:22]

So I no longer have anything against what people do or the way they sit, but I still feel that you have to allow for your body to adjust to the position. And in the process of allowing that to happen, it's like any sport, you know, there's discomfort or pain that companies working into the form. See, I just have to let it happen. And the benefit is that you learn how to deal with pain. That's the benefit, is you, instead of being dominated or afraid of pain, you allow yourself to flow with the sensation.

[32:28]

You only call it pain. It's a name, you give it to it. When you don't give it that name, then it's not the same. It is just this sensation. Well, that's what I was talking about with compensation. Yes, that's why I don't force people to do something, right? I say just if you can do this, you should do it.

[33:29]

If you can't do it, if there's some reason like the reasons that you expressed, then don't do it. You know? It all depends on the person. So I can't, there's no way to judge that. No way for me to know that. I only know my own experience. My own experience. I've never had surgery. But my own experience is I had lots of pain. And getting to understand what that is, and to not let it dominate me, to allow, to find my freedom within my difficulty. But everybody has that, you know. Even if you, like, your body is not malleable, you still have your problem.

[34:38]

you have the problem of not being able to move. And that's a big problem. So how do you deal with that, right? So whatever the condition is, that's your problem. Without a problem, you're not sitting zazen. Yeah, so do what you feel is right. I'm talking about for a person who has all this flexibility and so forth, or at least has the ability to be flexible, I encourage that. But within any posture, you should be able to find your flexibility even though you can't move. That's what we all do. In Zazen, we can't move. So we have to find our comfort within. I think you had a question. Yes. Yes.

[35:41]

Yes, yes, you know, it's little by little. You know, you make progress little by little and not expect a lot. Just little, that's my old teacher always used to say, don't force yourself to do anything, little by little. So if you continue your practice and not force yourself to do something, and just have progress little by little, that's good. Or even without having progress, that's good. But you simply put yourself in the position to allow yourself to do the practice, one way or another. So people with severe disabilities, to do the practice, they have to. you're forced to find some freedom within your disability.

[37:22]

So when we don't have that kind of disability, we're forced to find our freedom in a little different way. Yeah.

[37:34]

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