Zen State of Mind: A 13-Step Guide for a Quick and Easy Start

Zen is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes the practice of meditation as a means to achieve a state of calm and clear awareness, known as the “zen state of mind.” Zen practitioners believe that this state of mind is necessary for achieving enlightenment.

Whether you want to get into meditation/zen state of mind to help with stress, help with a health condition, or to get closer to God, you may be interested in this post.

Here, we will guide you through some simple steps or tips to make this practice a regular part of your life for mental and physical health. 

What Is a Zen State of Mind?

A zen state of mind is a mental state in which the person is not focused on either disturbing thoughts or external stimuli. It is a state of being awake but not focused on the world outside. It’s a state of mind created by proper nourishment, healthy lifestyle, and meditation.

A person who meditates may find themselves becoming more aware of their own existence. This in turn leads the person to become more aware of their surroundings.

Origin of Zen Meditation

The origin of this practice of self-care and mindfulness originated in China and its concepts are under the influence of Chinese traditions. After China, it spread to other regions of Asia like Korea, and Japan and got the acceptance of people with its magical effects. 

With the passing of time, various techniques have evolved for practitioners aiming towards calmness, mindfulness, and enlightenment. It reinforces a better understanding of the human mind and its response to various situations. Interpreting your feelings can free the mind for nurturing body and spirit. 

The primary practice that is followed in the Zen State of Mind is zazen featuring a sitting position with crossed legs. This is the typical body posture for meditation too where your sole focus is on breath. 

At present, multiple techniques are in practice like chanting sutras, kinhin with standing position, slow movement activity, etc.  All such techniques aim at mindfulness by embracing self-realization and feelings. Having inner peace by unfolding complex mind settings and freeing yourself from all the unnecessary things is possible with them.

Schools of Zen State of Mind

There are three different schools of Zen; each one has its own approach to life. There are specific concepts under each category. Let’s check them in detail:

Soto School

Among the three, the Soto School of Zen is widely followed by practitioners for mindfulness and clarity. It gives importance to zazen where you have a sitting position in meditation with cross legs. Many people think this is the only posture for meditation because of its popularity.  Here, you have to focus on the breathing pattern to free your mind from unnecessary thoughts. It assists in analyzing your thoughts and feelings without the fear of judgment. 

Rinzai School

This school of thought is famous for its puzzling phrases or questions which are known as Koans. A human brain cannot answer them logically. What is the purpose of such statements? To free yourself from a rational mindset and help to reach enlightenment. This ideology also pays attention to post-kensho spiritual training sessions that may involve different activities both verbal and physical. It removes delusions by letting you reach the path of awakening.

Obaku School

This school is a blend of Riznai and Soto concepts and is less popular than them. Both Zazen and Koan are applicable to the practitioners of this ideology. Its teachings, and religious ceremonies are under the influence of Chinese traditions. Its focus is on sutras for expressing wisdom about religious teachings. Here, meditation is connected with religious thoughts including Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.

Importance of Zen State of Mind

You can guess the importance of Zen meditation by taking into consideration all its benefits. When a person focuses on adopting a lifestyle based on this ideology, he/she will experience the following positive impacts:

Clear Mindset

The human mind is quite complex and it has its specific way of thinking. You cannot perform well without understanding the working mechanism and emotions of your mind deeply. With Zen meditation, you will achieve enlightenment about your mind and spirit which helps in building positive energy. 

Calmness

Being calm in the chaos of life is possible by learning the art of controlling your mind. By unfolding the complex mind and turning it into a free state, you can attain inner peace no matter how stressful your surroundings are. This is possible to achieve with regular Zen practices that let you evaluate yourself to have more control.

Strong Mental Health

Mental health is equally important as physical health. A physically fit person with an unproductive mind can’t achieve anything in life. With Zazen practices, you can achieve mindfulness with a better concentration on positive things and reduce stress and anxiety symptoms. With a strong mindset,  making wise decisions and choices is also possible. One must take charge of life with the incorporation of this practice. 

Higher Concentration

Multiple studies advocate the role of the Zen State of Mind in improving mental health and reducing stress levels. You will have insight into how your brain functions to specific stimuli or situations.  With a peaceful mind, concentration and mindfulness increase. This way, a person can figure out the disturbing emotions or things without being judgemental and can pick the positive things for maintaining inner peace. 

Being Present

Living in the current moment is a must for having a focused lifestyle with better efficiency and productivity. Not letting go of past moments or engaging in future plannings, hinders the acceptance of reality. You can achieve the concept of this universe and the world by leading a life according to Zen teachings. 

Getting rid of all the negative thoughts and emotions and embracing self-clarity is possible with meditation. Only then you can nurture your body by accepting the happiness and all the current blessings of your life. After that, your routine life activities give you satisfaction and a sense of achievement. 

How to Get Into a Zen State of Mind

Getting into a zen state of mind requires practice and dedication, but it’s a worthwhile goal for anyone hoping to achieve happiness and contentment. Zen Buddhism, along with other Eastern religions, has developed a number of techniques and practices that can help you achieve this goal.

Below, I have outlined the 12 most important steps that you can take to develop a zen state of mind.

How to Achieve a Zen State of Mind

01. Practice Meditation

One way to find your own zen state is through meditation. Meditation is the practice of being completely aware of what’s going on around you and inside you.

It’s a mental discipline that trains your brain to focus only on one thing at a time, without worrying about distractions. Meditation has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety and depression. 

Why Should I Meditate?

There are many benefits associated with meditation, and the most obvious of these is the improvement of your mental health.

Meditation improves your mood, reduces stress, and calms you down, which is why it’s now used in many hospitals to help patients heal.

There are so many things that can make a person stressed out. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day hustle and forget about the important things in life.

So, sometimes we need a little extra help to get into a healthy state of mind. Meditation can improve focus, performance and help you reach your goals. It can also help you sleep better.

How to Meditate

Starting with guided meditation will make things easier if you’re just starting out. But what works best for each person is different and in most cases is probably a combination of things.

To learn more about the difference between guided and unguided meditation, please take a look at this blog post on Headspace:
https://www.headspace.com/meditation/guided-meditation

The following are a few tips on how to meditate:

• a) Live in the Moment and Be Mindful
  
  Mindfulness in its simplest form is being aware of what’s happening in the present moment. It is the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
  
  It can range from a simple observation of your surroundings to a complex activity like doing math or playing an instrument. Mindfulness is being present.
  
  Being mindful is being aware of what’s happening in the moment. It’s an awareness that is in the present moment, not in the past or future.
  
  In my opinion, the most common misunderstanding about mindfulness that gets in the way of realizing its full potential is the belief that mindfulness has to do with controlling your attention or focusing on one thing.
  
  Mindfulness is not a way to concentrate better. If you look into mindfulness literature, you’ll see that it’s all about being in the present moment without judgment.
  
  To be mindful is to be aware of yourself, others and the present moment without getting caught up in judgment or expectations. Mindfulness is cultivated through meditation and other training practices, and can be found in most other major religions as well.

• b) Use Your Senses to Find Peace
  
  When you’re meditating, you want to be completely focused on the activity and not let outside thoughts occupy your mind. The best way to do this is to find a quiet, private place to sit, and set a time limit (start with five to 10 minutes).
  
  Just listen to the sounds around you, like waves crashing on the shore or birds chirping in the trees. You might also try to do something soothing that makes you feel good.
  
  Once you’ve settled into your spot, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Let your thoughts come and go, without focusing on any of them.

• c) What Are Mantras and How to Use Them
  
  Zen Buddhism mantras are short phrases that are repeated to help focus the mind. Zen Buddhism mantras can be used in meditation or chanting, or as a form of prayer. The mantras can be used as an affirmation of Buddhist teachings. They can also be used for contemplation.
  
  Many people find that chanting mantras in a rhythmic fashion can be helpful in calming down during times of stress. Mantras can make it easier to stay focused on your meditation or other spiritual practices.

• d) Develop a Meditation Habit
  
  A recent study found that people who meditated for 10 minutes a day improved their mood, reduced their blood pressure and were less stressed. It is not hard to develop a meditation habit. All you need is 10 minutes a day, and it is best if you do it at the same time.
  
  If you want to develop a meditation habit, you will need to be consistent and disciplined. If you are new to meditation, set aside 5-10 minutes each day to meditate. This will help you get in the habit of meditating regularly.
  
  The best way to develop a meditation habit is by starting with short periods of time. It is important to find a time that works for you and your schedule.
  
  Try meditating for five minutes per day for one week before increasing the duration of your sessions. It may be difficult to start something new, but I think it is worth giving it a try.

• e) Establish a Home Meditation Practice
  
  The best way to get started with meditation is to start at home. There are many ways to get started with meditation at home. You can purchase a set of guided meditation CDs or download a free guided meditation app on your phone. There are also many free guided meditation videos on YouTube.
  
  The best way to find your own home meditation practice is by experimenting and trying different types of meditations.
  
  There are so many meditation techniques, from those that require sitting cross-legged on the floor to those that can be done while lying in bed. In the beginning, meditate on something simple, such as your breath, or focus on a mantra.

02. Live Simply

 A simple life is a rewarding life. Life is full of suffering and attachment. Suffering is inevitable, but attachment can be eliminated by living simply.

Zen Buddhism teaches that the way to enlightenment is to live a simple life, one free of material possessions.

Zen monks live a simple life, without attachment to material things. They prefer to practice in solitude and live a very simple life.

They eat only one meal a day and wear clothes made of rough and simple material. They live in a small hut and sleep on the floor with a mat.

They do not need much because they believe that life should be lived with less attachment to material things.

03. Clean up Your Mind

It is only during really stressful times when I start to realize that I am living in my own world, and that the constant flood of thoughts in my head is not helping my situation any.

It’s like when I’m sitting down and trying to have a conversation with someone I really like, but I can’t because all my focus is on what to say next, when to say it, and how to say it. I might be so preoccupied with how to act around this person that I forget to listen to what the other person is saying at all.

Our minds are always on the go. We’re thinking about what we need to do next, how we’re going to get it done, and what we plan on doing after we get it done. But is that how we should be living our lives?

Zen Buddhism teaches that by centering our minds on one thing only – we can find calm and peace. By cleansing our minds of the clutter that can be created from the stress of everyday living, we can be more focused and conscious of what we want to achieve and how we want to live our lives.

Mind cleansing can be done by following some simple steps:

•  a) Work with your mind, not against it.
•  b) Be aware of your thoughts.
•  c) Be in the moment.
•  d) Accept things as they are.

04. Get into a Routine

Some of the biggest changes you can make in your life to fit with Zen Buddhist teachings will take some time to work into your schedule.

It’s easy to say that all the stresses of everyday life can pile up and make you feel overwhelmed. You can get sidetracked and never really find your way back.

When dealing with the stresses and challenges of everyday life, it’s important to never let them get the best of you.

All it takes is a little bit of time and planning to make sure that you are not only on track with your goals but also that you’re able to find the time to make sure that you stay happy. 

05. Spacing Things Out

If you are feeling overwhelmed by things that are causing stress in your life, give yourself a break! Take a walk, listen to some music, or spend time with loved ones.

But even when you are feeling good, you should give yourself regular breaks. Taking a break from your computer, phone, or TV can help you relax and enjoy life more.

Too often, we get caught in the trap of thinking that the way to become a better person is to work harder and harder. We focus on improving our weaknesses, making them stronger. And that’s not wrong.

Before you get started on your work, take a deep breath and ask yourself: “What is this task in the grand scheme of my life?” Is it really worth your life being in a tizzy over? If the answer is no, take a break, space things out a bit.

06. Take One Step at a Time

Zen Buddhism focuses on being mindful in the present moment, and this focus can help you advance in small, manageable steps.

This has big benefits. For example, it can help you make progress toward your goals at a pace that is right for you, and make it easier to adapt to changes in life, such as switching to a vegan diet.

As you move forward, try to set realistic expectations for yourself. Give yourself credit whenever you make progress, even if it is just a small step.

07. Take It Slow

If you look around at the world today, it is easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and lose sight of what is really important.

We work incredibly long hours to afford the material luxuries that our neighbors have, we eat out so much that we rarely enjoy home cooked meals, and we neglect to spend time with our families to get more work done.

We can all stand to slow down a bit and spend a little more time each day cultivating peace within ourselves; and the zen mind state can help us with this..

08. Build Zen Rituals

Zen Buddhism is really a way of living that allows you to take control of your life and achieve happiness in the present moment.

One way to do that is to develop Zen rituals, patterns that allow you to reach a peaceful state of mind quickly. Here are two rituals you can start right now:

a) Japanese Tea Meditation

The traditional Japanese tea ceremony (cha-no-yu) ) is a ritual in which powdered matcha (powdered green tea), hot water and bowls are carefully prepared and then served in a meditative state.

In a sense, it is the Japanese equivalent of the Korean tea ceremony, with which it shares a number of similarities.

However, the goal of cha-no-yu is not to drink tea but to be one with the tea, as the tea master Sen no Rikyū (1522-1591) explains: “When you hear the splash Of the water drops that fall Into the stone bowl You will feel that all the dust Of your mind is washed away.”

b) Sitting Meditation (Zazen)

Zazen is performed in a seated position with the back straight and legs crossed. The practice of zazen has been described as “the sitting practice of dhyana, or meditation, in which one’s attention is focused exclusively on one’s breathing.” 

09. Getting to Know Life and Appreciating It

The ultimate goal of Zen is to achieve a Buddha-like state, in which one is capable of seeing all things without distortion or illusion, and of acting in a way that is harmonious with the natural world.

A lot of people have misunderstandings about Zen Buddhism. Many people think it’s all about sitting in meditation for long periods of time, which is only one of the many things that Zen Buddhism is about.

Another common misunderstanding is that Zen Buddhism is a way to become enlightened or a way to reach some higher spiritual plane.

But Zen is not about reaching any kind of goal, it’s about being in the here and now. The present moment is all we ever have, and so we should appreciate the beauty of every second of our lives.

10. Serve Others with a Smile

When you do something for someone else, you should give the best that you have in you. In doing so, you are not only benefiting the other person but also yourself.

When we do something for someone else, it should be done with a feeling of joy. The Buddha taught that we should serve others as if they were our parents, children, or loved ones.

11. Keep an Open Mind

Zen practitioners need to express themselves in a non-dualistic manner. Known as the original “buddha nature,” it is inherent to all of us.

When you perceive the world as being composed of two opposing forces, such as good vs. evil, it results in an inability to accept the world as it is. This is one of the main reasons why people often suffer from anxiety and depression.

Ego-logical, dualistic paradigm of thinking is a form of thinking that identifies reality as being made up of opposite forces (ego-logical) and interprets everything in terms of opposites (dualistic).

The mentality that there is just two feasible alternatives: “I win – you lose” and “I lose – you win” leads to unhealthy competition and unhappiness. This is a very unwise approach, because the world is a place of continuous changes and uncertainty.

Not everything needs to be favorited over another, and we need not label something bad or good based on preconceived notions. So, keeping our dualistic attitude under control is important. To live in the ‘zen state of mind‘ you have to be in a state of non-judgement

12. Start Reading Zen Buddhist Books

Reading Zen Buddhist books is a good way to learn more about zen state of mind. Books written by Zen Buddhist monks are often very informative and easy to read.

Some of the Zen monks may hold strong opinions and may be regarded as controversial. So, you should begin with familiar and popular books and gradually move on to more advanced study books.

Amazon has a good selection of Zen Buddhist books.

13. Fasting

Fasting is a practice that has been observed in many religions and cultures for centuries. This practice is believed to help individuals develop self-control and discipline, as well as to purify the mind and body.

many Zen practitioners observe fasting as a means of spiritual purification and growth.

In modern times, fasting has gained popularity as a means of improving physical health. There are now many fasting diet plans and apps available that are designed to help people reap the benefits of fasting, such as improved digestion, weight loss, and increased energy levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does it mean to incorporate Zen in routine life?

This ideology states that a person’s daily life activities must be focused on bringing tranquility and mindfulness for better mental and physical well-being. It is the art of remaining calm whatever the difficult or stressful situation is.

Q: What are the Zen Basic principles for inside tranquility and alertness?

Zen is all about learning the art of being conscious about your feelings and emotions toward a particular thing and remaining calm. It has the following principles:

• Elimination of clutter or simplicity
• Stillness
• Naturalness
• Asymmetry

Q: What is Enso?

Japanese Zen is represented by a circle which is known as Enso. A single brush stroke represents this symbol. It has deep meanings in discovering a world that has no start and end point. It is based on the transformation of a person from a completely empty to a full, yet infinite self.  The journey of enlightenment starts by setting the mind free toward the betterment of the spirit.