Zen enthusiasts find quiet space in student union

By John Caldwell
Daily Forty-Niner

Separated from the bustle and noise of a hurried campus, four people sit in silence on small round mats facing a wall in a dark room.

A bell signals the beginning of a session. A clock ticks, an air conditioning vent blows and workers crash about somewhere off in the distance, well beyond the quiet darkness.

"This group is not focused on any religious discussion," said Christopher Mefford, a linguistics graduate student, and founder of the Zen Sitting Club at Cal State Long Beach. "It's for the practice of quiet sitting."

The Zen sitting club meets twice a week in the University Student Union to sit and meditate for two, 20-minute sessions. They follow the Japanese tradition of "Zazen," (quiet sitting meditation). New members and curious visitors can be instructed in basic body posture and breathing technique.

Mefford, who lived in Japan for two years and has studied Zen for about ten, began the practice of Zen meditation roughly five years ago.

"The purpose is to have a place on campus for quiet sitting," Mefford said. "I think it's a great opportunity for any student."

The club, which had five to 10 members at its inception two semesters ago, now has only four consistent participants. Apparently the club has had trouble getting the word out to potential sitters.

"Right now we are just sitting," said Lorraine Kumpf, a linguistics professor at CSULB, and faculty advisor to the club. "The character of the group is going to depend on what the students want to do with it."

The club is loosely affiliated with the Los Angeles Zen Center, which meets every Sunday morning for formal sessions, Mefford said. They hope to tie the CSULB Zen club in with the L.A. Zen Center for future activities. They also plan to host guest speakers at club meetings and go on field trips, Mefford said.

"For me, the purpose of the club was to bring the experience of sitting to the students," Kumpf said. "We like to provide a place to sit."

Kumpf explained the philosophy behind Zen sitting as a quieting of the mind and a heightening of awareness. The club welcomes participants to bring in all styles of meditation and sitting, including Japanese and American variations.