By Bob Zeglovitch
Ritual is an important part of Zen practice. We bow, chant, offer the merit of our practice in stylized fashion, ring bells, hit drums and wooden percussion instruments, hold our hands in certain ways at certain times, and walk in concert, among other practices. Why? One short general answer is that Zen ritual brings us into an embodied awareness. There are, however, many dimensions to Zen ritual. It is helpful to understand what qualities of mind and heart we are expressing when we practice these forms, so that we can enter them more fully and meaningfully—and so they feel less foreign or formalistic. The following talks by Norman Fischer of Everyday Zen provide a wonderful exploration of this aspect of Zen practice.