Thought I’ve mentioned this one time and again. In fact, I used it as base for other meditation techniques I developed on my own. But here it is, in it’s full glory and simplicity and some more insights on practice. Though a bit of confession before we proceed, Zazen is too astonishing and deep a practice to be explained in words – only experience can best describe it.

What is Zazen?

In brief: The practice of meditation in Zen. Usually it’s called ‘doing nothing’. It unites the body, mind and soul and you experience oneness with yourself and all that is.

What are it’s benefits?

This is the worst questions which aspiring mediators ask, trying to look for ‘benefits’ everywhere. But yet it’s got to be answered – the best of best benefit that you’ll experience is ‘satisfaction’ or ‘contentment’ and ‘knowingness’.

Rest of best is far beyond notions of ‘benefits’. I’d rather call them ‘life transformation’ or ‘miracles’.

Who can practice? When? Where?

Same answer for all meditations: doesn’t matter.

How to Practice Zazen:

1. The Mindset: I know it’s hard, so make no effort to leave worries and tension behind. Meditation’ll let it out.
2. The Posture: You can sit in ‘lotus pose’ or ‘half lotus pose’ or simply on a chair. Keep your back straight.
3. Eyes: Open or close – doesn’t matter. If you have hard time of letting go of thoughts with open eyes then close them. Though, traditionally – eyes half open.
4. Now inhale and let your belly swell out as you do so count ‘1’.
5. Exhale and let your belly go in as you do so count ‘2’.
6. Keep on going like this till 10 and start again at one.
7. Your focus should be blurred on breathe. Don’t try and focus to hard – just be easy about it.
8. When you find yourself tangling with a thought just acknowledge it and let go of it.
9. Continue meditating as long as you want to.

Zazen is Goal (The Story)

Many might ask ‘where are we headed in all this? Where is it leading to? What’s the goal?’. Especially the people who were educated from outside ask these questions and there is nothing bad about it. In fact, being curious is good.

The answer is – the practice is the goal. What you are doing is all we are headed for. It is called ‘art of doing nothing’ for some reason. Experience is and you will get your answers.

Here is a small story for you to explain what I am trying to say:

Once a monk was practicing Zazen and his master came to him. Seeing him practicing since hours he went up to him and asked him, “My great disciple, what are you trying to achieve with such great practice of Zazen?’

Delighted disciple answered, ‘I shall attain enlightenment, master.’

Hearing this, the master took a large black stone and started rubbing it.

Seeing this the disciple asked, ‘What are you doing, master?’

Master said, ‘I will turn this stone into a mirror – I am polishing it.’

Disciple said, ‘O great master, no matter how much or how long you polish it – it can’t turn into a mirror.’

Master replied, ‘If you can attain enlightenment through Zazen, then why can’t I make a stone into a mirror.’

Meaning

I know, it’s one of those Zen Stories that doesn’t make sense at first reading. So here is the meaning for you:

Zazen is not way to make stone into mirror i,e. It is not a way to attain enlightenment – it is enlightenment.

If you practice Zazen for 30 min, you are a Buddha for 30 min.

It is all you need. Zazen is your true state of being – fulfilled, rewarded, joyous, appreciative and at centre of existence. That’s you!

Experience the delight of such wonderful knowing, just go for it. Now is the best time… what better time is there to be all that you wanted to be? What better time there would be to be a Buddha then now? Come joint the oneness.

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Yes there are things freinds don’ talk about and even make fun of! But after reading this post, you will think differently.

You are already doing it.

Believe it or not, you are. Meditation is not sitting in a corner and closing your eyes and breathing. Meditation is when you are happy, full of joy, when you experience time passing by, when nothing else is needed. That what we experience when we are petting our cats (pets), when we are hugging a friend, when we are observing nature, when our minds go blank and empty when gazing at wonders of nature (read: Niagara Falls etc.) is meditation. All we try to do is recreate that experience without any outer help.

Meditation is Way Cool

I know our dear friends comment when we use the word ‘meditation’. Most of them go like, ‘What the…? Are you gone mad? It sux!’ and they are not wrong in doing that. What else can they think of sitting in silence? Until they try it, they won’t know it’s as exciting as listening to your favourite band live! Also we have more confidence, makes you a charming personality and what not? So isn’t that cool.

Meditation is Powerful

It is indeed very powerful; I cannot explain how powerful it is in words –so try it yourself. And yes it makes you powerful over your mind and circumstances. You just won’t loose your temper next time on some stupid thing or a rude comment. You be more calm and at peace. And from peace comes power; not from war. Mahatma Gandhi practiced meditation in form of Satsang, and whole nation followed him to independence, now that’s power.

Meditation is rich, bloody rich!

Yes, because meditation raises our conscious to the level when we come to knowingness of having all, having abundance. And from that knowingness, the law of attraction brings more of abundance and a more of abundance. When you know you have it all, it comes.

When we stop talking about what we need, more of that what we want comes. – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Talk to your friends

So I proved to be a good friend didn’t I? I don’t blame your friends, they didn’t tell you about this coz they didn’t know. But now you know, so be a good friend and talk to your friends or take the easier way: share the link to this article on twitter, facebook etc:
Photo Credit: Photoshop this! by lepiaf.geo, on Flickr

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Whenever I try to sit and study, I just can’t concentrate! There are so many distractions. I just want to open facebook once, check my mails, call that friend or just sleep for 5 min. No matter what I do, I just can’t concentrate. I don’t want to do it.
This is story is not only close to a student’s heart but also to professionals and many more people. So why does this happen and can Meditation help?

Relax

Most of the time we just can’t concentrate because there is so much going on in mind that it becomes hard to focus on a task. Meditation can help in quieting the chatter of mind. Here is a simple exercise you can begin with:

1. Close your eyes and sit comfortably
2. Relax every part of your body.
3. Focus on breathing in and breathing out for few min.
4. Now, in your mind, start counting from 1 to 10 with your breathing.
5. When you breathe in, count 1 and when you breathe out count 2
6. When you reach to ten, start again from 1
7. Let mind think whatever it wants, just concentrate on counting from 1 to 10
8. After repeating this for sometime, you will notice that your mind is quiet and under your control.
9. Now open your eyes and get down to accomplish the mission

The important thing to remember here is that you cannot force the mind to become quiet. Mind is supposed to think, that’s it’s nature. You can ignore, shift the focus away from mind to breathing and counting. This will result in mind becoming calm itself and under your control as you affirm and choose to be in control.
Try it now and let me know how you feel.

Photo by Randy Son Of Robert, on Flickr

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This is first video we did for Meditation Blog. People you will see in this video are: Aryana Vala, Neha and King Sidharth and there is just one voice you will hear from behind the camera, he is Tubb (our cool friend and camera man)

Please pardon the bad lighting and my super tired looks (It was a hectic day, you see) and my school shirt. We will improve as we go.

Same video from Vimeo if you have issues with YouTube (might be blocked at some places:

Please share this video with your friends, you can find this video on Vimeo, YouTube and Facebook.
Please join our YouTube Channel or Vimeo Channel or facebook fan page to receive regular updates.

Here is a bit of what we talked in video:

What is Meditation?

Meditation is disconnecting from body, thoughts feelings and everything else and in that moment realizing that you are none of them. You are far beyond that what you see and think…

How to do it?

A simple method that we discussed in first post…
Can I meditate in school bus? Is listening to music Meditation too?
Yes! And Yes. Doing anything that pleases you and relaxes you is first step of meditation. Listening to music that inspires you are raises your vibes/lightens your mood is most popular form of meditation.

Do I have to wear orange clothes and stuff? That sucks!

Not at all! Think of meditation as breathing. Most of what is true of breathing is true of meditation too…

Here is what to do after this:

Tell us how you liked the video in comments. Tell us what questions would you like to get answered; what are you views about meditation?

Why not record your own video and post them as video reply? Do comment about how you liked the video and what would you like to see in videos in future. Crazy ideas are always invited!

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When I started talking to my friends about meditation, I discovered that many of them think of meditation as a chore, a supplement pill that you could take daily or as a religious ritual. But it is none. Meditation is something as natural as breathing.

Meditation is all about calming your mind’s chatter, letting your body relax, letting your thoughts go and discover the real self in that moment. It is a realization that you are far more than your body, mind and conscious. In fact, most part of us is non-physical and vibrational – soul. It is like going on a treasure hunt, and finding the treasure –you.

What happens next, no language in world can describe. It’s a sleep deeper than sleep and awareness beyond what we know as conscious.
Why should I do it? Why it’s cool?!

“Meditation is pure awesomeness.”

There are loads and loads of reasons. I’ve written the main ones and divided them in sections.

Cool Meditation = Cool Body

• Improves body’s general state of health
• Maintains healthy Blood Pressure
• Increases blood flow to every part of body (especially to heart and brain)
• Increases patience (you don’t loose your temper so often)
• Fast Healing: be it post-operational, wounds, injuries or anything.

And there are many more. If you have a scientific mind (like me ) then an article from my favourite science magazine New Scientist :

“Meditating does more than just feel good and calm you down, it makes you perform better – and alters the structure of your brain, researchers have found.”

Meditation Builds up the brain | Nature

I’ve read articles in Nature magazine too, but you need to pay to read them.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n7219/full/456170a.html

Cool Meditation = Cool You

• Improves concentration: That’s a big one! Very helpful for, both, students and people at work. Make most out of your time, even if kid next door loves rock music!
• Reduces Stress: Tired of looking tired and exhausted? Well, not anymore!
  Boosts Self-Confidence: We know it’s priceless
• More control on thoughts: So when mind tries to procrastinate you can have your control back.

I suggest that mediation breaks the illusion that mind runs the show. We began to realize our true potential and respect & love ourselves even more.

So, where to being?

I will give you some easy steps for starters. Wear easy clothes (you don’t want to keep adjusting that funky jeans, do you?). Now what you need is a comfortable place to sit in. Yoga postures do help, but to start sit in whatever way you like. Just make sure that every part of your body is relaxed. Ease out any stress. Here are steps:

• Close your eyes
• And take a deep breathe in and out ( 2 times)
• Now focus on your breathing, feel yourself breathing in and out.
• Let thoughts come and go, let feelings come and go… just focus on breath.
• If your mind goes on your favourite scene from LOST, lovingly and patiently bring it back and focus on your breathe

Your mind might doze off to sleep or something similar (it’s relaxing finally, you see) let it be. Just focus on your breathe.
That’s it go for as long as you can. Maybe 5 min in beginning and as you will begin to explore and get more comfortable. You will automatically want to do it more.

So how was your experience? Let me know in comments:
Photo by ODDSOCK via Flickr

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