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Values and Principles of Zen Meditation For A Calm and Clear Mind

Zen meditation is considered as one of the most effective and efficient relaxation techniques, and one of the most popular stress busters for a lot of people. While there’s still debate going on regarding the benefits that Zen meditation brings, there are a number of research studies that have already been conducted that prove how healthy it can be both for the mind and body.

Let’s talk about the facts. It’s undeniable that Zen meditation is a great way to relax the mind and allow your imagination to exercise itself. But what are the principles and values does the practice of Zen meditation observe? Here are things you need to be aware of when it comes to this practice.

A Calm and Clear Mind

The ultimate goal of Zen meditation is to achieve inner peace and tranquility. That is why one of the basic principles that Zen meditation stands upon is allowing your mind to be calm and clear. Throwing away distracting musings and focusing one’s thoughts on the mind itself is the way to go in Zen meditation. But achieving this state of mind is easier said than done. However, with continuous meditative practice, you will get accustomed to it and eventually find it easier to practice it. As your mind clears up and your thoughts start to be calm, that’s when you experience the full capability of Zen meditation which will greatly improve your mental health.

Counteracting Bad Thoughts

It’s unavoidable that bad thoughts will enter our minds, even when we’re already meditating. We’re only human and we’re fragile creatures that can get affected by negative thoughts — may it be a coworker who gets on your nerves for some unknown reason, unintentionally hurting a loved one’s feelings, failing to say thanks to someone who did something nice. These things may affect your concentration in Zen meditation and prevent you from achieving the state of inner peace and tranquility. That is why one of the most well-known techniques in Zen meditation is counteracting the bad thoughts. For example, whenever something negative pops into your mind, think of something that can make you smile or happy. Every time you feel annoyed, imagine the face of someone you love. When you feel angry, close your eyes and imagine waves crashing the shore. By doing so, your mind will slowly move closer to achieving a calm and clear state.

Throw Away Worldly Desires

This part may seem familiar to you but in Zen meditation, it’s a must. This principle originated from the beginnings of Zen meditation itself. As with Buddhist beliefs coming from Buddha, letting go of the connections or the things that bind us to the material world is important since being bound to the world will not allow your ego to achieve what the mind needs which is tranquility. Let go of what you desire and let your mind be cleared from all the temptations. This is how Zen meditation works.

Focus and Concentration

 

 

When it comes to Zen meditation, the steady foundation that serves as its strength is the principle of focus and concentration. Zen meditation requires practitioners to focus their thoughts and throw away the distracting things that may ruin the essence of the meditative practice, hindering the goal of inner peace and tranquility.

While it is truly hard to do this, constant practice will allow you to develop the skill. What’s more, this aspect of Zen meditation brings a great advantage in your everyday life, at work or in school since you’re also improving your focus and concentrating ability. This means that your mind can accomplish the things needed at work and not get easily distracted by numerous factors surrounding you. This also means that you won’t have a hard time studying for a long period of time as your mind is conditioned to focus and concentrate on the information it is being fed. Isn’t this amazing?

Zen meditation doesn’t need anything else but yourself. With these principles, the meditative practice exercises its power. And it is very powerful indeed as with focus and concentration and a calm and clear mind, you are able to carry out your tasks well and make sound decisions — not to mention, vastly improve your mental well-being.

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