However, in the consistent practice of zazen, the belief is that the awareness experienced during meditation will eventually extend into all activities, whether it’s eating, washing dishes, or walking. In the beginning, you are likely to experience intense feelings of physical (and mental) discomfort, experience boredom, doze in and out, lose sight of your breath, and so forth. Each time a thought arises, we just don’t follow the thought and return to the breath.” One inhalation and one exhalation at a time. “Zen meditation focuses on posture: open shoulders, upright spine, soft belly, and on the ground (chair or cushion). Zazen may sound simple, but anyone who has meditated knows how difficult it can be to remain still for five minutes, let alone several hours a day. On the surface, the practice of zazen is quite easy-it consists of many hours of seated meditation. The main practice of Zen Buddhism is sitting meditation or zazen. Koshin Palley Ellison, a Muse Meditation Teacher, Co-Founder and Co-Guiding Teacher of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, explains that practicing Zen meditation is to “take refuge in awakening, receptivity, and connection. Seeing true nature is becoming a Buddha (2).

The core of Zen Buddhism is based on these 4 tenets from Bodhidharma’s writings:Ī special transmission outside the scriptures. Suzuki helped to popularize its philosophy in the late 19 th and early 20 th century (3). In 1004, Daoyun, a Chinese Buddhist monk, wrote Records of the Transmission of the Lamp which is viewed to be one of the guiding books of Zen Buddhism (2).Īlthough Zen Buddhism had been introduced to European cultures before the 1800s, Japanese scholar Daisetz T. Zen Buddhism spread to Korea in the 7 th century, and then to Japan by the 12 th century. Bodhidharma is credited with introducing Zen Buddhism to China in the 5 th century, although Buddhism itself had likely been known in China for centuries before. Zen Buddhism is an Asian religious school of thought that originated more than 1000 years ago.

But where does “Zen” come from? Zen 101: A Brief History of ZenĪlthough “Zen” is the Japanese word for “meditation,” Bodhidharma, an Indian monk, is largely viewed as the founder of Zen Buddhism (1). For others, they might picture a nature scene, garden, or even someone meditating. When you hear the word “zen,” what comes to mind? You’ll likely think of words like peaceful, serene, meditation, and calm.

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