Hi Dan,
Sorry to only be able to provide empathy but I've been doing zazen for
years and my legs (stocky) just seem to be built for going numb - so
I've just come to accept that that's what I have to deal with. One small
suggestion is that something soft under my legs (e.g. soft rug or a
really fluffy zabuton) usually gives me an extra 10 minutes or so...
>
> Dear list,
>
> This is really a question about practicing Zen meditation, so I hope it is
> not too off topic for the list. I have a question about posture and
> approaches to sitting while practicing suizen. For many years I've found
> peace and calm just reading and contemplating Buddhist and Zen literature,
> but not until I took up playing the shakuhachi (last May), did I begin a
> regular practice of sitting/meditating. I practice shakuhachi for about 90
> min. at a stretch once or twice a day, and for all but the first 10 minutes
> I'm just fine sitting cross-legged or half-lotus, but the manner of sitting
> that seems most profound to me (kneeling and sitting on my ankles or feet),
> also causes my feet and legs some serious discomfort (ultimately numbness!)
> after only 10 minutes! Therefore, I only sit this way while blowing RO for
> the first 10-15 minutes. I would love to be able to sit in this posture
> longer, but just can't. I don't want to believe that being 50 years old is
> an excuse. Am I being too ideological? Is this just the naivety of a
> beginner? Suggestions -- comments?
>
> Dan Gutwein
-- Karl Young kyoung@slac.stanford.edu SLAC M/S 71 PO Box 20450 Stanford, CA 94309 650-926-3380 (voice)
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