MEDITATION HALL GUIDELINES • ZEN CENTER OF
PORTLAND
All of the sitting hall guidelines are helpful
in reminding us to pay attention and to experience
what we are doing when in motion, while not
formally meditating on the cushion. When entering
the sitting hall, put your hands at nose level,
palms together and enter with left foot first. Make
a standing bow. When walking in the sitting hall
hold your hands in walking position, left hand in
fist around the thumb at stomach level, right hand
over the top. To take a seat in the sitting hall,
walk to any seat except the teacher's or
timekeeper's. Once at your chosen seat, make a
standing bow first to the cushion (actually to the
folks on either side of cushion) then turn around
to the right, and bow to the people on the opposite
side of the room. To take a seat, sit down on the
cushion still facing toward the center of the room
then turn toward the right on the cushion until you
are facing the wall unless we are all facing toward
the center. In that case just sit down on the
cushion and don't turn.
Sitting periods
The sitting periods are usually 30 or 35 minutes
long. On Wednesday evenings there are two,
35-minute periods with 10 minutes of walking
meditation in the middle. Participants are welcome
to sit for only one period if they need or want to
leave. Try to stay as still as possible during the
sitting period. Keep bringing your attention back
to the bodily experiences of sitting, to the breath
and to the sounds. People are available to help
with your posture or sitting suggestions if you
would like. It is ok to move or switch positions
during the sitting time if you are too
uncomfortable. Do it quietly and quickly. At the
end of the 35-minute sitting there will be two
bells. After the second bell bow and then gradually
get up for walking meditation. Make sure your feet
are not asleep. If they are asleep please, take
your time in standing up. Wait until they are awake
to stand up. No one minds if you take your time, we
are used to it and we have a lot of folks whose
feet fall asleep. You might hurt yourself if you
start to stand up and your foot is asleep.
Walking mediation instructions
After the second bell, straighten your cushion
and stand with your palms together in front of the
cushion facing toward the center of the room. When
the clappers sound for the first time bow and turn
to the left, still "palms-together," and then when
the clappers sound for the second time, put your
hands in the walking position at mid abdomen with
the left hand in a fist over the thumb and the
right hand over the top. Begin walking right away
starting with your left foot taking one step per
full breath.
You may take a bathroom break during the slow or
fast walking period. Please wait to leave the
sitting hall until the second clapper has sounded
to begin the slow walking period.
Slow Walking Period
The slow walking practice is for 4-6 minutes.
Start walking with your left foot first at the
sound of the second clapper. Take one step per full
cycle of breath paying attention to the sensations
of your feet as they touch the ground, and also to
the sounds you hear. Say to yourself "lifting,
lifting, lifting" to help you focus on the
sensations of the various experiences of lifting
your foot. Then say "moving, moving, moving" then
"placing, placing, placing." Keep these labels in
the background of your awareness, the foreground is
focused on the actual experience of the sensations
in your foot as it is lifted, moved, and
placed.
Fast Walking Period
There will be another clapper to signal the
faster walking period, which will last about 3-4
minutes. At the sound of the clapper, bring your
feet together and make a bow at the waist, then
immediately begin walking starting with your left
foot. Walk at a fast rate, keeping up with the
person in front of you and letting the timekeeper
set the pace for the entire group. In the faster
walking, try and pay attention to the sensations of
your feet on the floor, as well as the sounds. Say
to yourself "walking, walking, walking." At the
last clappers, put your palms together and return
to your cushion, make a bow toward the cushion and
then turn around facing into the center. Stay
standing with your palms together until there is a
final bell. At that time take you seat for the next
sitting period
Practice Principles
At the end of the second sitting period there
will be a bell to indicate the reading of the
Practice Principles. The practice principles are
available on a small card to read if you don't know
them. We recite them three times.
Three Bows
After the Practice Principles stand up (take
your time) and wait for the chime to indicate the
time to bow. With each chime, do a full bow (head
down to the floor with arms on the mat, palms
facing up, then raise just the hands to about ear
level). You will do a total of three full bows.
After the third bow stand with hands in walking
position, at the sound of the next bell bow to the
altar with hands in palms-together position. Return
to facing toward the center of the room with your
hands in walking position, then when the final bell
is struck, bow with your hands in the walking
position. Straighten your mat and then leave. No
need to turn at the entrance and bow to the altar
when you leave the sitting hall, just walk out.
Private Interviews With the Teacher
Our teacher at the ZCP is Larry Christensen. You
can request a private interview with him which will
take place in the small room directly adjacent to
the waiting area, just outside the meditation hall.
To request an interview with Larry, take one of the
numbered cards located on the wall immediately to
the right as you enter the meditation hall.
Interviews are conducted in order according to the
number on the card. Take the card to your cushion.
During the second period of meditation (weekday
mornings and Wednesday evenings), Larry will leave
his cushion and prepare the interview room. When
Larry rings his bell the student with card number
"1" proceeds to the room. At the next bell person
number "2" proceeds to the interview room and
number 1 returns to her or his cushion in the
meditation hall. Please place your numbered card on
the second hook (below the original stack) facing
outward as you go to interview. This helps people
remember what number we are at in the process. On
Saturdays interviews are conducted during the first
sitting because Larry gives a talk after walking
meditation.
The Interview Process
When exiting the sitting hall for an interview,
take your cushion with your. Walk down the hall and
enter through the first door on your right and
closing the door behind you. Approach to the edge
of the sitting mat (the zabuton), place your round
cushion (zafu) on the larger mat, and then do a
standing bow together with Larry (he will be
seated). Sit down, tell Larry your name and the
type of practice you are doing, such as
"experiencing my breath and sounds." When the
interview is completed, you and Larry will perform
a seated bow in unison to each other. After which,
please stand and, while holding your cushion, make
a final standing bow to Larry before leaving the
room. Leave the door half way open.
Schedules, Donations, Membership
Copies of the ZCP sitting schedule are
available. Tapes and books may also be checked out.
ZCP accepts donations to help support the center
and membership is available ($30 a month
"suggested" donation but any amount is ok). There
is usually a donation jar on the coffee table
located in the waiting area. If you are making a
donation toward your membership dues, make sure
your name is attached to your cash donations.
Anyone making a regular membership contribution (of
any amount) is considered a member of ZCP. You can
become a voting member if you make a regular
donation for 6 months or longer and attend
regularly. Voting members can become Board members
and can also help to elect the Board members.
Copies of the By-laws for ZCP and Board minutes (as
well as financial information) are available to
members.
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