HARA DEVELOPMENT

A CORE CHOSEI ZEN TRAINING

Hara is a Japanese word that has no equivalent in English. While it literally refers to the lower abdomen, the term also has profound psychological and spiritual meanings in the Japanese language and culture. Hara can be seen as the unification of a person’s physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions. And the development of the hara is fundamental to all Chosei Zen training: it enables allows a person to enter deep samadhi (a state of relaxed concentration from a position of “no mind”) and to generate ki (chi, in Chinese), vital psychophysical energy.

Hara is best understood in terms of breathing.  In hara development, we think of a progression along three levels of breathing:

• Thoracic or chest breathing — The breath comes from the upper body, with little activity in the lower abdomen. 

• Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing — The lower abdomen is highly engaged in breathing.  It functions like a bellows, expanding on inhalation and contracting on exhalation.

• Hara breathing — The lower abdomen remains expanded whether inhaling or exhaling.

Online hara development “drop-in” sessions

Join Kenneth Kushner Roshi’s online hara development “drop-in” on the last Saturday of each month, from 7:30-8:45am CT / 2:30-3:45pm CET, after Daily Zazen (7-7:30am CT / 2-2:30pm CET). Kushner Roshi will teach a set of exercises that he has found helpful for students to progress from chest breathing to hara breathing and to deepen hara breathing once they acquired it. There will also be ample time for questions and answers about hara development. It’s open to anyone, regardless of experience level.

Hara Development Resources

Short videos

Seminars

Writings

Training aides