Nicole asked me about my specific daily practice; hope this isn’t too specific for you Nicole :-)

My Practice Today

I keep my zafu on the floor against the wall on the inside left of my bedroom door so that I see it first thing in the morning on my way to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth and showering, I throw on a tee-shirt and my black sweats. I wear black sweats when meditating at the zendo and it sometimes helps to "get in costume" so to speak while practicing at home.

I place my zafu about 3 feet from the wall and stand right in front of it facing the opposite wall in shashu (the "ready" stance).

I then bow in gassho to the opposite wall and turn clock-wise all the way around and bow in gassho to my cushion.

I then get down on my cushion and settle myself into the most solid zazen position that I can, put my hands in cosmic mudra and meditate facing the blank white wall.

After meditating, I bow in gassho (in appreciation) to the wall while still sitting. Then I slowly get out of the seated position and reshape my zafu.

Then standing up, still facing the wall (and my cushion), I bow in gassho to my cushion in appreciation for it's support during meditation.

I turn clock-wise with hands in shashu to the opposite wall. I then bow in gassho one last time to the opposite wall.

Once in a great while I'll do kinhin (walking meditation) for 5 minutes or so. Then I put my zafu back on the floor against the wall on the inside left of my bedroom door for next time.

Bowing in gassho to the opposite wall those few times might not make sense, but when meditating in the zendo we're actually bowing in gassho to the other practitioners who are meditating along the opposite wall. I just follow that same practice at home to keep my practice congruent with my practice at the zendo.

As far as Buddhist icons or other paraphernalia, other than my buckwheat hull zafu (I like the firmer support that the buckwheat hulls give over kapok), bedroom carpeting and blank white wall, I don't have an alter or anything else set up yet as part of my practice. I would like to offer a lit stick of incense for my meditation period, but my wife is allergic to the smoke (grrrrr...).