Meditating at the San Antonio Zen Center

June 30, 2008 · Like church bells calling the flock to service, the sound of the Han is the signal to practitioners of zen meditation that it is time to get comfortable and prepare to meditate.

So, as I sit on my small square pillow, listening to sound of silent meditation going on around me.  I suddenly jerk awake and wonder how long I was out.  So, I reposition myself on my pillow and start again.  And then my nose starts to itch, and I feel my left foot starting to fall asleep.  After thirty minutes, 3 re-positionings, two nose scratches and one nap.  I finished my first zen meditation practice. 

Not sure, how I did I ask Tracy Lynn Tucker, a leader at the San Antonio Zen Center.

"Sleepiness is a very big one and I will fully admit to sleeping on a cushion many times."

While not all is lost, Tracy explains why we might feel sleepy or jittery or distracted while practicing meditation.

"Your mind sort of defines itself by how much you do and what you do and how fast you do it and how well you do it and it seems a little ridiculous and counter-intutitve to sit and do nothing and to purposely do nothing."

She says there are a million and one ways that we don't want to be calm.

 "It's everything : so sleepy, angry, thirsty, itchy and it's usually if you just wait then you actually aren't itchy and the itch goes away."

So I decided to go back and practice again and this time while I did manage to stay away the whole time a pesky little itch on the tip of my nose did me in.  I don't know if I have them, but I blame allergies.

"That's why they call this practice because it's just a little bitty things you can practice doing and when you actually step out in the big world, you use those same skills to, not yell at your children or scream at people in traffic, you use those same skills to step back a little."

Tracy also says the act of meditating can be adopted by all people of different abilities and backgrounds

 "Christianity, Muslim, Judaism, you know alot of this practice has it's roots in India, so it's similar to some Hindu practices.  but, they're all the same thing: it's a contemplative meditative connection with the present moment.  Or, you know, it get worded differently, like God or inner god but it's all similar in that it's just a quiet time for reflecting."

So, the next time I catch the bright KC lights of a jacked up truck blinding me in the reflection of my little car.  I'll remember my practice.  While I'll try not to sleep at the wheel I will remember that in my neighborhood, the average red light lasts about thirty-nine seconds.  Just enough time to sit, breathe, then step on the gas.

The new home of the San Antonio Zen Center.  Meditation practice is held at this home at 1442 West Woodlawn on Mondays at 7:30 PM, Wednesdays at 6:45PM, Saturdays at 6:45AM, and Saturdays at 8:45AM.

The alter is a part of the meditation practice.  The San Antonio Zen Center practices Soto Zen, which is taught in the tradition of Shunryu Suzuki.