In April 2015, during our trip to Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, we met the Dalai Lama. Oh yes, just saying that takes me right back to that moment when he asked me “You came all the way from Bangalore to meet me? Thank you!” And squeezed my hand. And leaned into my…
Posts tagged as “Zen”
The mention of Buddha generally brings a peaceful feeling…for most people, anyway. Combine that with the word diet–something most of us love to hate and stress over, and it seems like a winning combo. To me, at least. But to mention Buddha and Diet in the same breath? Truth is, the…
Zazen
Meditation is a wonderful and easy practice. I see it as a way to sit quietly as my mind gets into neutral gear, leading to a nice state of calm. A state where it is easy to appreciate everything I have.
Zen is the practice of returning to this moment. Rather than getting away from our life, it is about getting into our life just as it is, in all its glory – a sort of awakening to ourselves and generally feeling responsible for life.
Zen meditation, also called Zazen, is an easy and uncomplicated practice. You sit, and start where you are, and finish where you are. In the process, you develop an awareness of whatever you experience without thinking about it or trying to change it.
You don’t even need to aim for a state of calm or stillness – the goal is non-judgmental awareness. This facilitates letting go – and the calm and peace are welcome side benefits.
It is a super-easy practice that follows this sequence:
- You sit comfortably
- You relax
- Each time you feel a thought coming, you acknowledge it and let it go. You do this repeatedly.
- Finally you surrender all thought and gently detach yourself and stay alert, present in this moment.
As a mindfulness meditation practice, Zazen achieves the wonderful challenge of awakening you to the present moment, while gently urging you to let go, so that you see the world exactly as it is. This means you immerse yourself in the present moment with no thoughts interfering with the experience.