How Prostrations Clear the Mind and Heal the Body
One reason I ran fast and far away from Catholicism (and towards Zen Buddhism) was Catholicism’s adherence to ritual and formality (among other things). My initial impression of Zen — mainly through the lens of Western “mindfulness” — was that such rituals were unnecessary. The important thing was to “sit Zen” — everything else was a distraction and obstacle to attaining your true self. So when I learned that students of Korean Zen Buddhism, my chosen form of Zen, used bowing and prostrations as part of daily practice, I was reluctant to participate.
In case you don’t know, prostrating is a more “extreme” form of bowing in which the person comes all the way to his/her knees and touches the ground with either the hands or forehead. Many people associate it with Islam but almost all religions have some form of it. For me, prostrations had a negative connotation, showing physical submissiveness and reverence to an idol or deity. I wanted none of that.
Now into my third full year of being a regular participant in a Korean Kwan Um School of Zen practice group, I have changed my mind about prostrations. Here’s why:
First, I now understand that the act of prostrating is not really about showing reverence to the Buddha. One goal of Zen is to bring the body and mind together so that it may function correctly in the present moment. Our minds have a way of wandering around and being distracted by random or impulsive thoughts and feelings. Repeated prostrations (in Kwan Um, we do 108 a day — although I’m still working my way up to that number) have the effect of focusing our minds on a physical activity and helping us attain our true selves. Prostrating each morning quickly awakens my mind and brings it into focus with the physical act of moving. Other thoughts gradually subside as body and mind are joined in a simple, repetitive act.
Second, I have found that prostrations give the added benefit of healing my ailing back. This may sound counter-intuitive in that all that repetitive bending over, kneeling, and standing up should make my back hurt more. And for some people with specific back issues, that may be true. In my case, my back issues are mostly the result of being 50 and sitting too much as part of my job. Before I began prostrating, I used light stretching and yoga poses to loosen up my back — with little long-term benefit. Although by late morning I felt better, by the next day I was hurting again. Now I feel my core is stronger and my back is much less sore each morning.
So here’s what I do each morning:
I get up at 5:30 am and drink a glass of water (room temperature).
I start standing behind my cushion reciting the Four Great Vows:
Sentient beings are numberless. We vow to save them all.
Delusions are endless. We vow to cut through them all.
The teachings are infinite. We vow to learn them all.
The Buddha Way is inconceivable. We vow to attain it.
I then start a combination of prostrations and bows (20 prostrations/20 bows/etc) until I’ve done about a 100. The whole sequence takes about 15 or 20 minutes, depending on how slowly the first 20 go with my back still being tight.
I shower.
I get on my mat and do light stretching and yoga poses for another 15 minutes.
Then coffee!
Prostrating, like other aspects of Zen, is not done because it adds something to our ego (we lose weight, look better, or are prepared for competition). We prostrate because it engages our mind and body in a simple act, and that simple act has a way of connecting us to something essential. And sometimes, it helps heal our bodies as well.
I encourage you to learn more about Kwan Um School of Zen and why prostrations are important.
