| There is quite a bit of talk these days in the media | | | | enliven their senses by paying attention to everything |
| about meditation and spiritual enlightenment. Some | | | | that they might hear, see, smell, feel and taste. |
| might even think it is a rather trendy thing to "be | | | | Another way of expressing this concept is by |
| into," yet it is doubtful that it will be one of those | | | | attempting to be completely and fully aware, while |
| passing fads of the pop culture. The fact is that | | | | engaged in any activity, at any particular moment. |
| there are numerous methods of meditation, such as | | | | Some people also call this, "living in the moment" or |
| Zen meditation, that have been part of other | | | | "living consciously." The idea is to "become at one" |
| cultures for generations, so it is not likely to be a | | | | with whatever they are currently engaged in doing. |
| passing craze, no matter how little Western culture | | | | Some examples of this would be: when eating, the |
| truly understands it. | | | | practitioner is totally focused on the meal and their |
| There are numerous meditation techniques that | | | | actions involved in eating; when they are engaged in |
| people who are interested and want to learn to | | | | a Zen mediation session, they stay concentrated on |
| meditate can choose from. While all forms of | | | | the reality of that moment and they do not allow |
| mediation have some commonalities, the techniques | | | | their thoughts, their feelings, or their sensations to |
| do differ based on what part of the world and what | | | | preoccupy or distract them; when they are engaged |
| culture the particular practice is rooted in. Zen | | | | in work, they only work; when doing routine tasks |
| meditation has developed out of Zen Buddhism. It is | | | | such as brushing their teeth, they focus on that task |
| also known as Zazen and incorporates various seated | | | | and do not let their minds wander to think about |
| positions, special breathing techniques and chakras. | | | | other things. |
| The discipline of Zen meditation is essentially focused | | | | While the Zen practitioner does not have to be |
| on enabling the practitioner to live their daily lives in | | | | engaged in meditation all day, every day, regular |
| complete awareness of themselves and their | | | | meditation practice helps to calm, center and focus |
| surroundings. Through the practice of this meditation | | | | the mind so that the person is able to focus and |
| approach, people can escape from the "auto-pilot" | | | | retain keen awareness. The Zen practice recognizes |
| existence that is so prevalent and which robs people | | | | that all thoughts are a natural and beneficial function |
| of experiencing their lives fully. | | | | of the human mind and that thought should not be |
| When people fall into the trap of operating primarily | | | | ignored, rejected or stopped. Instead, the practice |
| on automatic pilot, they rarely notice all of the things | | | | allows wandering thoughts to be acknowledged then |
| that are happening around them; even within their | | | | set to the side, keeping the mind from being carried |
| own minds and hearts. This certainly can interfere | | | | away by anxieties, worries, fears and other |
| with a person's ability to be enlivened spiritually or to | | | | discursive notions. |
| be on the path to spiritual development. Zen | | | | This method of meditation practice allows the person |
| meditation can help to break the cycle of automatic | | | | to enjoy a sense of liberation from the "pollution" of |
| living and help a person to engage more fully in their | | | | negative thoughts that can often cloud the mind and |
| own life. | | | | confuse thinking. Zen meditation helps to alleviate |
| Through Zen meditations, people experience each | | | | unnecessary suffering of the mind and allows the |
| moment of a day directly and with awareness and | | | | person to focus on truth, clarity and spiritual |
| responsiveness. They consciously practice being | | | | enlightenment. |
| aware of everything that they encounter and try to | | | | |