Zazen Practice Tips — To Those of Us Who Can’t Just Be Sonomama

At times, it feels difficult to remain just as we are.

The mind races ahead, the heart grows restless, and even the simple act of sitting can feel far away.

And yet, it is precisely in those moments that we long to return—

to ourselves, and to this very moment.

No matter how hard we try to shift things with thought, the truth is, it doesn’t really help.

When it truly matters, we find ourselves unable to be sonomama—just as we are.

If you’ve been sitting for years, you’ve likely felt this truth deep in your bones.

That’s why there’s no other way but to sit.

Not mindlessly, but with clarity and intention.

Zazen is sometimes called a kind of medicine—for the mind, body, and spirit.

And like any medicine, it works best when taken with care and consistency.

Create a space free from distractions. When you sit, just sit. Face the wall, if it helps.

Once seated, fully become the sitting.

Prepare your environment, and offer your whole self to the practice.

Still the movement of the body, and allow the movement of the mind to be as it is.

Whatever arises, let it be—without judgment, without analysis.

This is why the practice is often called “mental strength training.”

And like any training, it brings a certain amount of healthy resistance.

Naturally, there are times when we get sleepy while sitting.

That’s part of being human—there’s no need to blame yourself.

But if we’re completely asleep, we’re no longer practicing.

So instead of fixating on “I must not fall asleep” or “It’s okay if I do,”

turn your attention toward how you might stay awake.

This, too, is part of the path.

Practice is made up of these small, sincere efforts.

When your schedule is full or your body feels off, sitting may feel especially difficult.

Do what you can—adjust your plans, care for your health, and prepare yourself gently to sit.

When thought no longer helps, we return to simply sitting.

In that simple act, we rediscover the strength to return to sonomama.

Even in the midst of restlessness, sleepiness, or doubt, we learn to steady ourselves and meet what’s here with care.

These small daily efforts become the unshakable ground of our practice.

To sit—just sit—a little each day.

This quiet, steady step is the path that brings us home to sonomama.

Let us walk it together.

Evergreen in spring, we return—again and again—to what’s always here.

words and pictures by K E I K O