The Zen Olympiad

Meditation, a swift view. When it delivers you, in good time, it delivers completely.

Archived: How (and why) to Meditate effectively

“Blessed One, let mind, body, and all things be included.”

– Siva to Devi in Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Paul Reps.

Meditation is the art of inner peace and the present moment, and is similar to prayer. Although it is true that everyone is already here and now, the paradox is that unless we deliberately take time out to be still, we remain adrift in a sea of endless doings that all too often overwhelm our sanity.

Although the meditative teachings of sages like Buddha have been largely obscured by the ”broken telephone effect” of historical time, seemingly shrouding the whole endeavour in doubt, contemporary practitioners who have walked the path can attest that the fundamental insight of meditation is correct: we are conditioned to avoid discomfort (and uncomfortability), hence we have lost sight of feeling without condition, which is the Kingdom Now (and our soul condition). The paradoxical consequence of this unconscious bias within our awareness is typically the opposite of what we truly need. Meditation helps us to resolve this fundamental blind spot, teaching us instead to be unconditionally with the present moment, realising authentic peace in the process. Here is a simple guide to meditating effectively:

Be seated, Gentle One, on a cushion-upon-a-cushion, or something soft – clothes, blankets – in lotus or half lotus position so that your knees resting upon soft cushioning are lower down, slightly, than your bum. Fold your hands upon your lap. You are thus in a comfortably grounded posture – chin slightly tucked in.

Remain in this position, eyes lightly closed, for an indefinite and preferably untimed period naturally seeming to last between twenty minutes to an hour. Whether you meditate only sporadically/ occasionally, or as a regular daily or weekly practice, the benefits of sitting quietly in this way are enormous!

For the purposes of this type of meditation, called Zazen, you have only to sit in posture being present to what is – nothing more; you might observe your breathing, or enjoy a daydream, or explore an idea, or visit a fond memory; but for this practice, avoid listening to guided meditations or music, chanting mantras, or generally occupying the mind with any externals. Instead, simply be and feel unconditionally the present moment in which you, life, is.

Seemingly, it is especially critical for fallen man (that is, domesticated man annexed from the veld) to experience moments free of externals, so that what remains of his fragile and tenuous sense of Self, be strengthened.

South African Michael Brown’s book The Presence Process is a seminal manual for anyone intending to awaken to present moment awareness. It is fully applicable to modern life, consisting of a practical guided process over the course of ten weeks, which can be repeated year in and year out for new insights along life’s journey.