What is Zen meditation?
Even if they are mostly very similar, there are different forms of meditation. Zen meditation (also called zazen) is perhaps the most classic and well-known variant. In zazen, you sit with your eyes closed in a calm environment, try to linger fully in the moment and look at feelings and thoughts objectively. Zen meditation lives from the knowledge that you don't always have to understand everything, but that it can be enough just to observe. A calm, deep breathing supports this.
Zen Buddhism: The Doctrine of Nothing?
Zen meditation already existed in the sixth century and comes from the teaching of Mahayana Buddhism. But meditation itself is not really in focus – zazen is more of an attitude that can be applied to life. Objectively looking at the moment helps you let go and be simple. That is why Zen masters of Buddhism also liked to answer the question of what "Zen" actually was: "Nothing". Because even though thoughts or feelings often arise during Zen meditation, it is not a question of understanding them. You just accept it and then let it move on.
Can anyone learn Zen meditation?
In fact, everyone can learn meditation. But you should bring a little patience and time – especially top-heavy people will find it difficult to stay focused for longer than a few minutes. Because our minds are trained to want to understand things. If, for example, we pass the thought in Zen meditation that we really still have to shop, it takes some practice to accept this thought and then simply let it go – instead of mentally creating a shopping list. The route will be difficult for many beginners, but it is worth it.
What are the benefits of Zen meditation?
Everyone knows about stress – but if it becomes permanent, it can have serious health consequences. For example, the risk of burnout or depression increases. Meditation of Zen, like breathing techniques or relaxation exercises, is a good way to relieve stress and tension and is often recommended for this by doctors and therapists. Zen meditation can also have the following advantages:
- Calm, deep breathing provides the body with optimal oxygen – this improves blood circulation
- Relaxation begins
- Headaches are relieved
- Sleep disorders subside
- Internal tension is released
- Tensions relax
- Blood pressure is lowered
- The release of stress hormones decreases
- Pulse calms down
- Indefinite pain is alleviated
- Self-healing processes in the body are stimulated
- General risk of illness is reduced
- Immune system is strengthened
- Fears subside
- Positive thinking is made easier
Even with chronic illnesses, Zen meditation can help to reduce the symptoms. But even if you are not sick, it is worth meditating – because Zen meditation is a good tool to prevent illness.
Zen meditation: the timing is crucial
It is important to really take your time for meditation and not to constantly insert Zen somewhere through other everyday appointments. It helps to make it clear that you are consciously taking this time for yourself: To put aside everyday stress as a Me-Time, for your own health. It helps many people to enter this time in the calendar as a fixed daily appointment. In the morning, right after getting up, meditation can help you adjust to the day, in the evening, on the other hand, she helps you to come down and prepare for the night's rest.
It is better to practice a little every day than to overdo it just once a week. Beginners can start with ten to twenty minutes a day, often the concentration no longer lasts anyway.
What do I need to meditate?
If you have decided on a suitable time, you can immediately start zazen in practice. Because: In theory, you don't need anything except your own body and a calm environment. However, since you have to sit still for a long time, a meditation cushion can help, especially for beginners.
Instructions: This is how Zen meditation works in practice
Here follows one Step by step instructions for Zen meditation:
- Choose seating position: In fact, for a suitable sitting position, it is crucial for meditation success with Zen, because good posture puts the body in the peace and quiet that it needs. Beginners will initially focus heavily on correct posture – which is perfectly fine so that it can be taken and held for a long time without thinking about it. The following positions are suitable for Zen:
- Heel seat (Seiza): A traditional sitting posture in Japan, which can also be performed using a meditation bench with a cushion to keep the spine straight.
- Chair seat: Those who have joint problems can also sit on a chair for meditation. You sit on the front edge of the chair and ignore the backrest, the body should hold itself upright. The feet stand completely on the floor and the legs parallel to each other.
- Burmese seat: Here you usually support your buttocks on a meditation cushion and do not sit on your legs, but bend them and pull them in front of each other to the body without crossing.
- Half lotus position (Hanka-Fuza): In the half lotus position, the legs are only slightly crossed and pulled towards the body.
- Lotus position (Kekka-Fuza): The classic meditation seat is only suitable if you are already agile and well stretched. The legs are crossed, tightened and the feet are placed on the opposite thigh.
The following applies to all seats for the Zen: The posture is upright, the spine is as long as possible, the shoulders are pulled back slightly. The chin is lowered slightly and the hands are placed in the lap so that the thumbs touch lightly. The best way to close your eyes is to stay relaxed from face to belly.
- Use breathing exercises: A deep and calm breathing puts the body and mind in the calm that it needs for meditation. After exhaling and before inhaling, count: one (inhale, exhale), two (inhale, exhale), three and so on up to five, then you start over. Thoughts that arise are briefly perceived and then released, the concentration moves back to breathing. The touch of the thumb helps here: if the thought threatens to remain, the thumbs are pressed together slightly and form a mountain, if you let go of the thought, you release the touch of the thumb and let it form a valley.
- Concentration down: Your own concentration in Zen meditation should be in the lower part of the body, because it is assumed that energies tend to rise when meditating. This could be noticed, for example, by a gentle tingling on the back. This is a sign that the body and mind are now one.
- Show up slowly: It is important not to end the meditation suddenly, but to emerge slowly from it. Special meditation apps with a gentle wake-up sound help, for example. When this sounds, you feel slowly through your body from head to toe and move it very slightly to raise your blood pressure and warm your limbs. Only then do you carefully stretch your legs and leave your meditation seat.
Anyone who indulges in Zen meditation every day will soon be satisfied feel calmer and more balanced physically and mentally.
More tips on Zen meditation
In addition to the right time and place, there is still more tips with which Zen meditation can succeed in the long run. These include:
- Comfortable clothing: It is quite difficult to relax your mind when your clothes pinch somewhere. Comfortable clothing is therefore mandatory for meditation.
- Do not give up: Even if the leg suddenly becomes numb or the scalp itches: The corresponding "problem" is perceived and accepted in Zen meditation, but the meditation should not be interrupted to change the state.
- Use helpers: A meditation watch, a gong or a singing bowl are the more traditional meditation utensils if you don't want to use a "new" app. Candles or incense sticks can also help meditate.
- Use positive space energy: It doesn't help if the room in which you want to meditate is quiet, but you don't feel comfortable in it. A peaceful, quiet place that radiates positive energy is more suitable for meditation. This can be outside in the garden or in your own bedroom, the main thing is that you can relax.
Those who take these tips into account is much more likely to do Zen meditation permanently and benefit from their positive effects.
Recommended reading: Would you like to learn more about meditation? Here we explain what Osho meditation and what is Transcendental Meditation and what other relaxation techniques are available.
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