Breath Counting Meditation misconceptions & relation to Koan Practice – Meido Moore Roshi

The Innercraft Podcast
The Innercraft Podcast
Breath Counting Meditation misconceptions & relation to Koan Practice - Meido Moore Roshi
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Overview

In this talk, Meido Roshi discusses common misconceptions about Susokukan, or breath counting meditation in the Zen Buddhist tradition. He also describes what Koan and Wato practice is, and how it relates to Susokukan.

Topics Discussed

  • Pronunciation of the word “susokukan” (breath counting)
  • Misconception #1: It’s only a beginner’s method
  • Misconception #2: We do it only on the cushion
  • Misconception #3: It’s primarily a psychological or mental activity
  • Counting in different languages
  • What are Koans and Watos? How are they related to Susokukan?

Questions Asked

  • What are the signs that samadhi has come to fruition during daily activities?
  • Why do we have different Watos? If we don’t work with them intellectually, then  are we just working with the different sounds they bring?
  • In order to bring samadhi into daily activity, should we change conditions that are conducive to practice or adapt to current conditions?

Teacher Bio

Meido Roshi is the abbot of Korinji, a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monastery in Wisconsin, and the guiding teacher of the international Korinji Rinzai Zen Community. Meido Roshi began Zen practice in 1988 and trained under three teachers in the line of the great 20th century Rinzai master Omori Sogen Roshi.

He has completed the koan curriculum of this lineage, and in 2008 received inka shomei: recognition as an 86th-generation Zen lineage holder empowered to transmit the full range of Rinzai Zen practices. Aside from Zen, Meido is also ordained in the Mt. Koshikidake tradition of Shugendo.

He is the author of two books: The Rinzai Zen Way: A Guide to Practice and Hidden Zen: Practices for Sudden Awakening and Embodied Realization

To learn and practice with Meido Roshi check his courses, and live events on Innercraft and his website:

To support your practice we have also created the following resources:

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