Yaza

A typical zendo where Yaza is performed. This one is at Chapin Mill

Yaza is a Zen Buddhist term for a sitting time during sesshin that is above and beyond the normal daily routine. It is generally encouraged because it is more difficult to sit at this time when your body is exhausted from the entire day's routine.

How to do Yaza

While most Yaza is performed after the last evening sitting, some is done early in the morning. If the practitioner is too tired to go on at night they can get up a few hours early in the morning. Because no alarm clocks are used during sesshin a good way for a person to get up for Yaza is to drink a good deal of water at bed time. This will encourage them to get up when they have to urinate.

References

• Victoria, Brian Daizen (1997). Zen War Stories. Weatherhill Publishers. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-7007-1580-0.