Within the Sōtō Zen tradition, shikantaza is characterized precisely by the absence of special techniques, mantras, or structured methods. The very heart of the practice is “just sitting”: an upright, stable posture, natural breathing, and an open, ungrasping awareness of whatever arises. There is no mantra to repeat, no visualization to construct, no breath to count, and no koan to contemplate. Thoughts, sensations, and feelings are allowed to appear and disappear without interference, without suppression, and without deliberate cultivation. The sitting itself is regarded as complete, not a means to an external goal.

In this mode of practice, attention is not fixed on any particular object, nor is the mind given a specific task beyond simple presence. When distraction occurs, the instruction is not to apply a new technique, but gently to return to the attitude of “just sitting.” Natural breathing is allowed to unfold without manipulation, and the eyes are typically kept open or half‑open, supporting a quiet, wakeful awareness. The emphasis is on pure, goalless sitting, free from the mentality of gaining or achieving something through meditative effort.

Around this core, there may be supporting elements that help create the conditions for shikantaza, though these are not considered techniques within the sitting itself. Guidance on posture, basic breathing instruction for beginners, and attention to a quiet, simple environment all serve to stabilize body and mind so that “just sitting” can be sustained. Some teachers may suggest brief preliminary aids, such as lightly following the breath to settle, but once shikantaza proper begins, even these are set aside. The distinctive spirit of this practice lies in its radical simplicity: an unadorned, open awareness in which nothing needs to be added and nothing needs to be removed.