My First 30 Days of Zazen: What I Learned

Starting a new meditation practice can feel both inspiring and intimidating. When I committed to my first 30 days of Zazen, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I feel peaceful? Restless? Would I even be able to sit still? The answer turned out to be all of the above—and much more.

In this article, I’ll share what I learned during my first month of Zazen: the challenges, insights, and small shifts that helped me begin to understand the heart of Zen meditation. Whether you’re considering starting Zazen or are already on the path, I hope these reflections offer support and encouragement.

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Day 1–7: Learning to Sit with Myself

At first, the hardest part was just sitting still. My body fidgeted, my mind wandered, and the silence felt loud.

“When the mind settles, the heart begins to speak.” — Zen Saying

What I learned:

• I was constantly chasing stimulation—Zazen showed me how busy my mind really was.

• Even 10 minutes of stillness felt uncomfortable, but also revealing.

• I didn’t need to “do” anything—just sit and observe.

This first week taught me that the real practice begins when I stop trying to control the experience.

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Day 8–15: The Breath as Anchor

By the second week, I started to notice my breath more deeply. It became a steady companion—always present, always returning.

What I learned:

• Focusing on the breath helped me stay grounded when thoughts surged.

• Each inhale and exhale was a reminder: This is now. This is enough.

• I began to welcome distractions not as failures, but as opportunities to return.

Breath became more than oxygen—it became a bridge to awareness.

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Day 16–22: Discomfort as a Teacher

Midway through the 30 days, physical and emotional discomfort surfaced. My knees ached, my back tired, and memories I hadn’t thought about in years came up.

What I learned:

• Discomfort isn’t the enemy—it’s a message.

• Resisting pain made it worse; breathing through it made it softer.

• Emotional restlessness passed, just like the breath.

I realized that Zazen doesn’t eliminate discomfort—it changes my relationship to it.

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Day 23–29: Silence Holds Everything

As I entered the final week, something shifted. The silence I once resisted began to feel spacious—even welcoming.

What I learned:

• Stillness isn’t empty—it’s alive with awareness.

• I no longer needed my meditation to feel a certain way.

• The more I let go, the deeper I dropped into the present.

There were no fireworks, no breakthroughs—just a quiet, stable presence that felt like home.

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Day 30: Beginning Again

On Day 30, I didn’t feel like I had “arrived.” Instead, I felt like I was finally starting.

What I learned:

• Zazen is not about achievement—it’s about returning, again and again.

• The most important part of practice is showing up, no matter how you feel.

• Zazen is not separate from life—it is life, observed clearly and lived fully.

“The practice is not about getting somewhere. It’s about being where you are.” — Zen Teaching

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Final Reflection: Zazen Is a Lifelong Path

My first 30 days of Zazen taught me that meditation isn’t about perfect posture or clearing the mind. It’s about presence. It’s about sitting with whatever arises—without judgment, without resistance, without needing to fix anything.

Whether you’ve sat for one day or one decade, the invitation is always the same:
Sit. Breathe. Return.

And in doing so, discover the quiet, steady wisdom already within you.