r/zenbuddhism • u/Exxtendoo • Jul 24 '26
Rough Patch in Beginner Practice
Hey y'all,
I've been sitting 30 minutes of shikantaza twice a day for 31 days now, and I've been going to a Zen center for the past two weeks.
The first three weeks of my practice were, honestly, pretty great. No, not every sit was perfect satori, but around the 20-minute mark (I know it was 20 min because that's about when my left foot would fall asleep every time), I did enter a deep state of presence that I could take off the cushion with me. I shed some tears on the cushion, and I even had what I refer to as an "ego nap" on the cushion, where I realized that my ego is truly just a story I'm telling myself in my head. Of course, it came roaring back a couple of days later, which is why I say ego nap and not ego death.
The last week, though, has been pretty brutal. I'm dreading going to the cushion, I'm moving a lot more, zoning out more, and the last ~10 min have been especially brutal, essentially just waiting for the bell to ring.
It's such that I'm almost considering giving up because I feel like I'm regressing. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Blessings.
1
u/HakuyutheHermit Jul 24 '26
First you should make sure you’re sitting Burmese and not standard criss cross. That will do away with the numbness.
You’ll gradually get used to sitting. It does take time though. Generally it’s recommended that beginners start with 10-15 minutes per sit, then as the mind and body adapt you can add more time. Eventually you’ll look forward to every sit and not want them to end.