An overview of Zen meditation for an office Lunch n Learn.

1. Meditation
The Subtle Art of Being

2. Mindfulness
"We're in the midst of a popular obsession
with mindfulness as the secret to health and
happiness—and a growing body of
evidence suggests it has clear benefits."
Kate Pickert, Time magazine

3. Benefits of Meditation
● Lowers blood pressure
● Boosts immune system
● Improves physical and emotional response
to stress (MBSR)
● Improves ability to concentrate
● Broad range of effects - Tinnitus example
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/meditation-heals-body-and-mind

4. Benefits of
Meditation
TED Talk: How Meditation
Can Reshape Our Brains
https://youtu.be/m8rRzTtP7Tc?list=P
Lo63lK-
eKEPQnXV02PP20n8_IsWO3IOKy

5. Benefits of Meditation
Benefit of Awareness
to overall happiness:
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=TR8TjCncvIw

6. Types of Meditation
● Guided imagery
● Body Scan
● Contemplation (of a prayer or passage…)
● Focus (breath, mantra, mandala, etc.)
● Awareness
o Of body and breath
o Of surroundings
o Of thoughts

7. One sees a
lot of images
like this in
health
magazines.

8. You might think
only beautiful,
thin young
women can
meditate.

9. Or handsome
young men.

10. Or you have
to be an
asian monk.

11. Ordinary
people
can
meditate!

12. Even
college
students!

13. Taken at 7am, after sitting for one
hour already since 6 am, in 42F.
Everyone loved the pre-dawn
meditation!

14. My Meditation Buddy
Young children
can meditate

15. Maybe Even
Babies….?

16. What is Meditation?
per Merriam Webster:
● to engage in contemplation or reflection
● to engage in mental exercise (as
concentration on one's breathing or
repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of
reaching a heightened level of spiritual
awareness

17. What Meditation is Not
Hard (no more so than exercise ;-)
Esoteric / mystical (anyone can do it)
Hypnosis
Religious (unless you want it to be)

18. What is Meditation?
per Master Dogen (13th cent.) - Fukanzazengi
“put aside the intellectual practice of
investigating words and chasing phrases, and
learn to take the backward step that turns the
light and shines it inward. Body and mind of
themselves will drop away…”

19. What is Meditation?
Simply being with what IS
● No (intentional) thinking
● No judging
● Simple awareness

20. Sound Examples
You become very aware of sounds: Air Cond.,
people in the hallway, neighbor’s breathing...
● Dump trucks - emotional response, annoyance
● Car doors and alarms - judging
● Birds chirping - pleasant - also judging!
Thinking, judging, feeling are extra baggage - just be!

21. My Qualification to Teach Meditation
20+ years of Zen practice.
Zen = Chan = Dhyana = Meditation
I am authorized to teach Zen Meditation by the
Silent Thunder Order in the Soto Zen tradition.

22. The Secret of Meditation...
Is that there is no mystical secret!
The “open secret” is the same as for running a
marathon
● put one foot after the other (for 26 miles)
● watch one breath after the other (for 26 mins)

23. Simple Instructions
Book title by Brad
Warner - Zen Priest

24. More Detailed Instructions
● Disposition of the Body
● Disposition of the Breath
● Disposition of the Mind

25. Disposition of the Body
● Body - Mind connection
● Stilling the body helps still the mind
● Comfortable stability is the goal
● Harder than you think to find stable position
● Move if you need to, not meant to be painful
● But experiment with letting an itch go...

26. Disposition of the Body
● Wakeful, not sleep
● Three point base - stability
● No muscle strain
● Pelvic tilt - spine curve
● Proper padding at pressure points
● Position of head
● Direction of gaze

27. Burmese Posture
Easy, legs not crossed,
wide position.
the following images from:
http://zmm.mro.org/teachings/meditation-instructions/

28. Half Lotus
One leg over, one leg
under.

29. Full Lotus
Very stable, but
requires flexibility.

30. Seiza Position
Very stable, easier on
knees.

31. Chair Position
Make sure to have
proper spine curve
and pelvic tilt.

32. Disposition of the Body
Keep back straight and centered
Don’t lean or slouch
Allow diaphragm to move freely
Chin slightly tucked
Gaze about 3’ in front of you
Hands in lap, forming oval
Rock gently to find balance point

33. Disposition of the Breath
Focus attention in the belly (the hara).
Breathe naturally, through your nose.
Count breaths, to ten, then repeat.
First inhale and exhale.
Then only exhales.
Then maybe no counting, just watching...

34. Disposition of the Mind
You can not stop thinking by will, but
You can learn to let go of thoughts.
Focus on your breath to minimize thoughts.
When a thought comes, notice “I am thinking”
And then let it go.
Then return to the breath…
Repeat...

35. The Real Secret of Meditation
When you do this thousands of times:
● Fewer thoughts arise
● You notice the thought rather than “be” it
● It becomes easier to let it go
● The emotional impulse becomes clear
● It is easier to not be affected by it
● You can choose your response

36. Last Thoughts
● This time is a gift to yourself
● you have permission to do nothing
● relax, don’t stress
● don’t judge yourself
● you can’t do it wrong
● whatever your meditation, it will help

37. Let’s Do It!
Signaling
Time
Try to be still
Move if you need to
Your meditation is whatever it needs to be

38. References
Written Instructions:
http://zmm.mro.org/teachings/meditation-instructions/
Intro video: https://youtu.be/csyCrcpDs58
TED Talk: How Meditation can Reshape our Brains:
https://youtu.be/m8rRzTtP7Tc?list=PLo63lK-
eKEPQnXV02PP20n8_IsWO3IOKy
TED Talk: Why a Neuroscientist Would Study Meditation:
https://youtu.be/TR8TjCncvIw

39. Meditation Timer App
“Insight Timer” is my
favorite:
https://insighttimer.com/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d
etails?id=com.spotlightsix.zentimerlit
e2