Is Zen Meditation Right For You?

There are many forms of meditation out there and it can be a challenge to decide which one to follow. We will look at one of those forms of meditation called zen meditation in this article and explore its potential benefits to you. First of all, what is zen meditation?

It is defined as the study of the self.  It is performed primarily in a seated position called the burmese position(this is one of many seated positions) and its practice has now spread to all parts of the world, first starting in the east in China and eventually penetrating into the western world.

 In zen meditation, it is important to keep the back straight as this allows deep breathing to occur naturally. Deep breathing is one the health benefits of this type of meditation. When we breathe deeply, we introduce more oxygen into our system which helps to energize us. In addition, many studies have shown that deep breathing has a cleansing effect on our system helping to remove toxins faster. In zen meditation, breathing is done via the nose and not the mouth.  During deep zen meditation, a person may only take two to three breaths a minute.

Zen meditation offers you a way to release your negative thoughts. You get the opportunity to relax and develop a sense of peace and wellbeing no matter how hectic things may seem in your surrounding environment.  With zen meditation you get to discover your inner self and the things that you are truly capable of doing.  You are taught that you have unlimited potential within you and that if you tap this potential you can solve any problem and rise to any challenge such as losing weight or getting fit and healthy.

During zen meditation, one is taught to stay still in one position for fifteen to twenty minutes. By restricting our movements we help to avoid a scattered mind. A scattered mind is one which jumps from one thought to the next randomly without observing whether or not those thought serve us in the long term. Zen meditation teaches you the power of focus. What are you focusing on right now in your life? Are you focused on the problems or the solutions? Learning to control your focus on the solutions is a great benefit that is acquired through zen meditation.

When we learn to control our focus through zen meditation, we relieve ourselves of the self created pains that we suffer by focusing on the wrong things.  When you learn to focus on the right things, you will find that there are no limits to what you can do and a whole new world of possibilities open up to you. Through zen meditation, you have the opportunity to learn skills to accomplish your true dreams and goals.

Learning to calm our minds or to develop a quiet mind is critical to good health and wellbeing. Through zen meditation, we learn to develop this quiet mind by letting go of extraneous thoughts and focusing only on what serves us. It has also been said that it is in this state of silence, where our thoughts are minimized that ultimate healing occurs both at the physical and spiritual level. Zen meditation can elevate your health to a new level.

Remember that the process of attaining a quiet mind through zen meditation is not something that usually happens overnight. You need to have patience and do not get discouraged if you find yourself clinging to old thoughts during your first few zen meditation sessions. Be a little persistent, stick with it and trust that you will find a way. Do not force yourself to make things happen by trying too hard, but believe that the results you desire through zen meditation will happen in due time.

Developing a connection with the present moment is another benefit of zen meditation. When we learn to focus on the moment and not the past or the future, we become truly efficient in our lives. When we combine focusing on the right things such as solutions to problems and staying in the present, it is not hard to see that we can accomplish some amazing things as we are tapping our full potential and not wasting a moment of our existence.

With zen meditation you develop practical skills that you can apply to your life right away to make positive changes. You can improve every area of your life with zen meditation from your finances, health and even your relationships because learning to focus on the right things, also known as controlling your thoughts rather than having your thoughts control you, is a skill that is extremely powerful and has infinite possibilities. Anyone can benefit from zen meditation and it is something you should definitely consider if you are looking to improve your health and wellbeing.

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Article provided by Superhealthy.org:  http://www.superhealthy.org

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health professional before taking on any health program.