Shikantaza, sometimes known as "just sitting," is a kind of meditation with deep roots in Zen Buddhism. Shikantaza focuses on merely sitting and being present without having any agenda or purpose. It's a way of being that entails practicing a pure state of consciousness and letting whatever arises in the present moment be experienced without judgment or attachment.

Unlike other forms of meditation that could use concentration techniques or guided meditations, Shikantaza instructs practitioners to let go of any conscious attempt to control or manipulate their experience. Instead, they are encouraged to cultivate an attitude of open awareness and to feel each moment as it arises. Being detached from ideas, feelings, and experiences as they arise and pass away entails not striving to change them.

Shikantaza is a technique for developing attention and a close relationship with the present that emphasizes the simplicity of being entirely present without aiming for any particular objective, which is why it is frequently referred to as "just sitting, doing nothing" or "just being." A profound road leads to self-discovery and waking to the reality of the present moment.