IIRC that in Zen usually the beginning monk is usually assigned some breath practice. Counting, or feeling at the nostrils. But the term is "Just Sitting". And I wondered about that, and about the fact that the Chinese term for meditation (again IIRC) is "sitting".

Meditation is observation of the mind. So what would happen if a person just sat down every day without any pregiven practice, close the eyes, sit still and "look" what happens? Wouldn't that do the same in the long run...?

I mean, even without any special intent either the mind would run out of fuel or jump on any little input. Fantasize and whatever. And if you watch long enough, those tendencies would run out of fuel and the mind would settle on its own, creating meditation.

Or so I think. I guess that is how someone came up with meditation, by sitting down and watching nothing but what goes on inside. But I guess as a practice it would require great self-discipline to repeat that experience over and over until you get results. Think: Old wise ancient master on the mountain style of discipline.

So: What do you think about that? And has anyone tried this out seriously or got experience with it?

Oliver