Breathing, Posture, and Awareness

Please register here: https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=97048311 Join Rev. Gakudo Midgley of the Daiyuzenji Rinzai Zen Temple for an introduction to traditional seated meditation in the Osaka Garden alternating Saturdays. Every first Saturday will provide an introduction for beginners exploring simple yet powerful methods for cultivating calm attention through upright posture, natural breathing, and focused awareness before our regular session including opportunities for questions. Over time, participants learn how steady attention and relaxed presence can support clarity, balance, and resilience in everyday life.These intro sessions introduce the fundamentals of seated meditation in a simple, practical way. Participants will learn how posture, breathing, and attention work together to develop calmness, stability, and clear awareness.Over the course of the summer sessions, participants will gradually become familiar with:● Comfortable and balanced sitting posture● Natural breathing as a focus for attention● Methods for steadying the mind● Developing relaxed concentration and awarenessAll dates welcome return guests to continue their practice for regular sitting starting at 11AM. First Saturday of the month begins at 10AM for beginners and leads into 11AM for continuing practitioners. We hope all will come to experience the Osaka Garden one breath at a time. Registration is limited to 15 participants each session, but will accept walk-ins if capacity allows. Registration is highly recommended. Participants must bring a yoga mat, beach towel or something similar as a mat to sit on. Smaller cushions to be placed on this will be provided. No dogs, food, or photography is permitted in the Osaka Garden. Thank you for helping us be great stewards of this historic gem in Chicago! We recommend parking in the Hayes Lot south of the garden, or on Stony Island.