Zen is sitting meditation, the core of Zen practice. In Japanese it is called zazen.
During zazen, pactitioners usually assume a sitting position such as the lotus or half lotus posture.
This is to regulate the mind.
Awareness is directed towards counting and or watching the breath, concentrating on the energy center below the navel.
A square cushion is used to sit on and in some cases a chair is used.
In Japanese, Rinzai Zen practitioners usually sit facing the center of the room;
where as Japanese Soto practitioners traditionally sit facing a wall.
The one meditating strives to be aware of stream of thoughts, allowing them to come and go without interference.
The amount of time spent daily in zazen by practitioners varies. It is recommended 5 minutes or more daily to be beneficial .
The key is to meditate daily. As the Zen teaches, the ego will naturally resist and the discipline of regularity is essential.
Meditation can be applied in any posture. Walking meditation is called kinhin.
Successive periods of zazen are usually combined with brief periods of walking to relieve the legs.
Source:
http://www.chan1.org/ddp/talks/zuochan.html
http://www.chan1.org/ddp/talks/zuochan.html
http://www.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/shobogenzo/translations/zazengi/zazengi.translation.html
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