Shikantaza (Just Sitting)
Learn Shikantaza (Just Sitting) meditation: Soto Zen non-dual awareness technique. Step-by-step instructions, benefits, duration, and tips for practice.
Last reviewed April 2026
What is Shikantaza (Just Sitting) meditation?
Shikantaza -- "just sitting" -- is the principal meditation practice of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, transmitted from China (where it was called mo-chao, "silent illumination") by Dogen Zenji in the 13th century. It is, on the surface, the simplest meditation practice in existence: sit down, be present, do nothing else. No breath counting. No mantra. No visualization. No koan to solve. Just this.
The radical claim of shikantaza is that sitting itself is enlightenment -- not a means to enlightenment, not a preparation for enlightenment, but the direct expression of your original nature. Dogen called this "practice-realization" (shusho ittō): practice and realization are not two separate things connected by a path, but a single activity. When you sit in full presence without trying to get anything or become anything, the awakened mind is already functioning.
This makes shikantaza simultaneously the easiest and most difficult meditation practice. There is nothing to do -- and the mind rebels against nothing. Without an object to anchor attention, the practitioner faces the full force of the mind's restlessness, boredom, fantasy, and resistance. The practice is to remain present through all of it without adding anything or taking anything away. Just sitting. Just this moment. Complete.
Early morning, following the traditional Zen monastery schedule where zazen begins before dawn. The quiet of early morning supports the still, alert quality that shikantaza requires. Evening sitting before bed is also traditional. Many Zen practitioners sit both morning and evening.
Posture
Full lotus (kekkafuza), half lotus (hankafuza), Burmese, or seiza on a cushion (zafu) placed on a mat (zabuton). A chair is acceptable if floor sitting is not possible. The spine is erect, the chin slightly tucked, the crown of the head pressing gently toward the ceiling. Shoulders are relaxed and dropped. The tongue rests against the upper palate. The cosmic mudra is held at the lower abdomen. The half-open eyes are essential -- closed eyes are not traditional shikantaza.
Kapha types face the greatest challenge with shikantaza, as the instruction to 'just sit' can become permission for dullness and drowsiness -- maintaining the upright posture and half-open eyes is essential. Vata types may find the practice agitating without a focus point; shorter sessions and strong emphasis on the grounding quality of the sitting posture help. Pitta types often resist the absence of any goal or measure of progress; for them, shikantaza is precisely the medicine needed -- learning to be without achieving.
How to Practice
Sit in a stable, upright posture on a cushion or chair. The spine is erect but not rigid. Hands form the cosmic mudra: left hand resting on right, palms up, thumbs lightly touching -- forming an oval. The eyes are half-open, with a soft, unfocused gaze directed downward at roughly a 45-degree angle, resting on the floor about three feet ahead.
Breathe naturally. Do not control the breath or count it. Let it come and go on its own.
Be fully present with whatever is happening right now -- the sounds in the room, the sensation of sitting, the feeling of air moving, the arising and passing of thoughts. Do not try to concentrate on any single thing. Do not try to stop thinking. Do not try to achieve a particular state. Simply be aware, openly and completely, without preference.
When you notice you have been lost in thought -- and you will, many times -- do not scold yourself or try to figure out why. Simply return to open presence. This return is the practice.
The key instruction is: do not try to meditate. Sit with the same simplicity with which you would sit in a room with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Let go of all gaining ideas -- the wish for a deep experience, the desire to be a good meditator, the hope that this session will be different. Just sit.
What are the benefits of Shikantaza (Just Sitting)?
Develops a quality of presence that is not dependent on any technique or condition. Reveals the mind's habitual patterns of grasping and aversion without requiring analysis. Produces a profound equanimity rooted not in detachment but in complete acceptance of what is. Strengthens the capacity to be with difficult emotions and physical discomfort without resistance. Integrates naturally into daily life -- the capacity to be fully present without needing a technique transfers directly. Dissolves the distinction between meditation and ordinary experience.
What are the contraindications for Shikantaza (Just Sitting)?
Without guidance from a qualified Zen teacher, shikantaza can easily become either spaced-out passivity or subtle self-torture. The practice requires regular dokusan (private interview with a teacher) to ensure the practitioner is not falling into dead-sitting (blank, dull sitting that mistakes absence of effort for presence). Those with severe anxiety or trauma may find the objectless nature of the practice overwhelming -- starting with breath-based meditation and establishing stability first is advisable.
What are some tips for practicing Shikantaza (Just Sitting)?
If you find yourself trying to achieve a blank mind, you have missed the point. Shikantaza is not about emptying the mind but about being completely present with the mind as it is -- including thoughts. The cosmic mudra is a barometer of your state: if the thumbs press together, there is tension; if they separate, there is dullness; when they lightly touch, the balance is right. Sit facing a wall to reduce visual distraction, following Dogen's instruction. A Zen teacher (roshi or sensei) is strongly recommended. Read Dogen's Shobogenzo (particularly Fukanzazengi, "Universal Instructions for Zazen") and Shunryu Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.
Supplies for Shikantaza (Just Sitting) Practice
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What is the history of Shikantaza (Just Sitting)?
Shikantaza traces its lineage through Dogen Zenji (1200-1253), who brought the Caodong (Soto) lineage from China to Japan. The Chinese master Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091-1157) articulated the practice as "silent illumination" (mo-chao) -- sitting in which the mind's natural luminosity shines without any deliberate activity. Dogen refined and deepened this teaching, grounding it in the revolutionary insight that practice and enlightenment are not cause and effect but two aspects of a single reality.
The 'just sitting' instruction resonates across traditions with striking precision. Dzogchen's instruction to rest in rigpa without fabrication, Mahamudra's resting in the natural state, and the Advaitic sage Ramana Maharshi's instruction to "be still" all point toward the same recognition: the deepest truth is not something to be attained through effort but something already present that is revealed when effort stops. In the Christian tradition, Meister Eckhart's concept of Gelassenheit (releasement, letting-be) and the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing's instruction to rest in 'naked intent' without images or thoughts describe an identical contemplative posture. The Taoist wu wei (non-doing) is perhaps the closest philosophical parallel -- not passivity, but action so perfectly aligned with the present moment that it contains no surplus of self-consciousness. What distinguishes shikantaza within this constellation of traditions is its absolute refusal to offer any technique at all -- it strips contemplative practice to its barest essence and trusts that essence to do the work.
Deepen Your Practice
Your Ayurvedic constitution and Jyotish chart can reveal which meditation techniques align most naturally with your mind and temperament. Understanding your prakriti helps you choose practices that balance rather than aggravate your dominant tendencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I practice Shikantaza (Just Sitting) meditation?
The recommended duration for Shikantaza (Just Sitting) is 20-40 minutes. This is a intermediate-level practice, so build up gradually. The best time to practice is early morning, following the traditional zen monastery schedule where zazen begins before dawn. the quiet of early morning supports the still, alert quality that shikantaza requires. evening sitting before bed is also traditional. many zen practitioners sit both morning and evening..
What are the benefits of Shikantaza (Just Sitting) meditation?
Develops a quality of presence that is not dependent on any technique or condition. Reveals the mind's habitual patterns of grasping and aversion without requiring analysis. Produces a profound equanimity rooted not in detachment but in complete acceptance of what is. Strengthens the capacity to be
Is Shikantaza (Just Sitting) suitable for beginners?
Shikantaza (Just Sitting) is classified as Intermediate level. Some prior meditation experience is helpful. Recommended posture: Full lotus (kekkafuza), half lotus (hankafuza), Burmese, or seiza on a cushion (zafu) placed on a mat (zabuton). A chair is acceptable if floor sitting is not possible. The spine is erect, the chin slightly tucked, the crown of the head pressing gently toward the ceiling. Shoulders are relaxed and dropped. The tongue rests against the upper palate. The cosmic mudra is held at the lower abdomen. The half-open eyes are essential -- closed eyes are not traditional shikantaza.. If you find yourself trying to achieve a blank mind, you have missed the point. Shikantaza is not about emptying the mind but about being completely p
Which dosha type benefits most from Shikantaza (Just Sitting)?
Shikantaza (Just Sitting) has a particular affinity for Kapha types face the greatest challenge with shikantaza, as the instruction to 'just sit' can become permission for dullness and drowsiness -- maintaining the upright posture and half-open eyes is essential. Vata types may find the practice agitating without a focus point; shorter sessions and strong emphasis on the grounding quality of the sitting posture help. Pitta types often resist the absence of any goal or measure of progress; for them, shikantaza is precisely the medicine needed -- learning to be without achieving.. It connects to the Shikantaza's open, non-directed awareness does not target any specific chakra but rather creates conditions for balanced energy flow through the entire system. The stable, grounded sitting posture anchors Muladhara (Root), while the open awareness engages Sahasrara (Crown). The cosmic mudra is held at the level of the lower abdomen, supporting the hara (the Japanese correlate of the lower dantian), which relates to Svadhisthana (Sacral). Chakra. From the Soto Zen tradition, this non-dual awareness technique works with specific energetic qualities.
Are there any contraindications for Shikantaza (Just Sitting)?
Without guidance from a qualified Zen teacher, shikantaza can easily become either spaced-out passivity or subtle self-torture. The practice requires regular dokusan (private interview with a teacher) to ensure the practitioner is not falling into dead-sitting (blank, dull sitting that mistakes abse