Three terms we really need.

To talk about the Yoga of Zen I think it's important to have three terms to use.
They are technical Alexander Technique terms, but Zen student should feel quite at home with them.  With the use of these terms we can see how the AT and Zen relate.


The first term is "inhibition".  That is, hesitating to do an activity.  Stopping.  Creating 'space' between an impulse to do something and it's doing.  It is saying 'no' but not as a negative but to allow other possibilities, not to negate the present but to take another look at it.  It is impulse control.  There is quite a bit to say about inhibition: I'll leave much of it till later.  I'll says now that it is quit a bit more subtle, complex, vexing and more powerful and interesting than Alexander ever imagined.  Alexander was quite clear in his beliefs that if one inhibits the wrong then the right will manifest itself.  But I don't know if he knew just how right he was.

Coupled with inhibition is the second term: "end gaining". End gaining is being preoccupied with the end result of an activity durring an activity.  End gaining is discounting the means by which one gets to a goal.  If one is not end gaining one might be said to be 'present' - or have the sense of 'being in the moment'.  

On brief caution.  Inhibition of end gaining does not result in inactivity.  It is natural to have desires and aversions, and as long as we are alive we might as well act on them.  But I'm saying that with inhibition of end-gaining we can create a choice in how we act.  Instead of acting on our instincts, habits, personality or conditioning, we can inhibit our end-gaining and react from a more considered - or conscious - place.

   Zen practitioners have a word for the practice of the inhibition of end-gaining while sitting.  It's called Zazen, 'just sitting' or shikantaza.  Shikantaza is just sitting: everything that comes up is regarded as end-gaining, because, really we're already sitting so everything else is extra.  Everything.  Yeah, that to.

Actually, here is one exception.  The "posture".  The Zen student is immediately recognized by her posture. The Zen posture is unique among all the Buddhist and non-buddhist schools of meditation.   But lets be honest here.  Why is it important?  Isn't sitting in some idea of a "good posture" just more end-gaining?  Why not just sit more "relaxed"?

Oh, it is so exciting to write about this!

The third term is 'the self'.  Now this is not the "big self" and "small self" we sometimes here in Zen.  The 'self' that I am talking about is the sum of our body sensations, thinking, emotions and personality.  It is the sum total of what we bring to any activity.    The 'self' is a central Alexander term.  In the first paragraph of The Use of the Self Alexander could not have been more clear: "... it is impossible to separate 'mental' and 'physical' processes in any form of human activity. "  For the zen student I'll ask, has there ever been any significant thought or emotion what was not accompanied by a physical sensation?

So this inhibition of end-gaining must have a physical manifestation.  As our proficiency in sitting shikantaza evolves there must also be changes to how we use our body.  Is it reasonable to think that by improving our posture we might get better at just sitting?

But how, honored followers of Zen, could we improve our posture while at the same time staying true to our unshakable conviction that this present moment is perfect the way it it?  Read yet again first paragraph of the Fukanzazengi or here.    By what means could we begin to brush it clean?

There is no basis for 'doing': it's end-gaining.   We must get along without doing.  Fortunately, we have 'not doing': that's the inhibition of end-gaining.  But is there a non-doing?    Hmmm?  That's what I'll write about next!