What is Zen Meditation?

2010-09-08T07:44:00.003-07:00

In Zen Buddhism the fundamental practice is zazen, or sitting meditation. In zazen we observe the mind and cultivate awareness of sensations, thoughts, and feelings without getting caught up in them or characterizing them as good or bad. Another facet of Zen practice is bringing this nonjudgmental awareness into each moment of daily life. Without criticism, analysis, evaluation, or diagnosis of ourselves or others, we simply allow our innate inner wisdom to dictate the most beneficial response in any situation.

As children we often display an innate non-verbal wisdom that responds spontaneously and naturally to each situation. Growing up, we are encouraged to adopt the standards and beliefs of our family, peer group, communities, society, and nation. We lose the sense of the boundless possibilities that are available in each moment as we assimilate concepts, images, social conventions, religious dogmas, marketing memes, and political rhetoric; develop our own distorted thinking patterns, behaviors, memories, judgments, biases and self-restrictions; and acquire various other forms of mental conditioning.

Meditation helps us to strip away this conceptual overlay, and discover that underneath our surface differences there exists a boundless and open awareness, clarity and freedom; a common spiritual heritage that we share with every sentient being on the planet. The direct experience of our deep connection with everyone and everything arising in the universe in this very moment naturally compels us to adopt more compassionate thoughts, words, and actions. By learning to stay present in each moment, we can realize our unlimited capacity to respond to life’s challenging situations with compassion, humility and inner peace.

Buddha's Footprints

What is Zen Meditation?