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Meditation Styles are Different Yet the Same

Combining Zen and Vipassana in walking meditation

“Buddhism originated in South Asia around the 5th century B.C.E. with Siddhartha Gautama, and over the next millennia it spread across Asia and the rest of the world. Buddhists believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana.”
(Nat. Geo.)

Zen Buddhism, which is generally the practice of monastics in the East, came to the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from Japan. It became popular in the 1950s with the Beat Generation and is well established around the country, including Upaya and Mountain Cloud zen centers in New Mexico. Vipassana or Insight Meditation which has its roots in Theravada came to the US in the 1970s with the founders of the Insight Meditation Center in Barre, Massachusetts.

In this month’s column, we will compare Zen meditation with Vipassana, which is the style that I guide in the classes and workshops of my meditation studio, Mindful Frontiers. Both traditions are grounded in mindful awareness of the present moment. “The main emphasis in Vipassana is on using mindfulness in such a way that we develop insight, wisdom, and, ultimately, inner freedom. In Zen, the primary emphasis is on being present for the sake of being present — their perspective is that inner freedom is found right here, so we should just focus on the actual act [of what] we’re doing”. (pathofsincerity.com)

The fundamental difference between these two styles is the attitude that we bring to meditation practice. Using a daily routine such as driving, one may understand the difference. “The purpose of driving is to get from point A to point B. The purpose of driving is to drive.” (pathofsincerity.com). Both Zen and Vipassana agree that you need to have a sense of direction, but you also need to be present for the ride. Taking these concepts further, “Zen driving” would emphasize being present for the ride, which helps you increase your capacity to be in the moment, just driving the car. “Vipassana driving” emphasizes the practice of driving during which we acknowledge that there are many possible routes as well as being open to any potential complications along the way. We are still just focusing on the drive but we also realize there could be a traffic jam, a flat tire, and so forth. Vipassana driving would help us tap into the process of driving and be aware of what is actually happening; it’s like the process of driving from A to B while also enjoying the ride.

In the following meditation practice, we will use both styles to deepen our awareness of walking. This can be done on a long or short walk or even just walking around the house.

Zen and Vipassana Style Walking Meditation

Gather up your family or group in an area that allows enough room for each person to have a clear path on which to walk. If you are walking indoors, it may be nice to remove shoes and walk either bare-footed or sock-footed. The basic practice is to walk without a goal or destination. Just walk forward until you need to turn around, or walk in a circle so you are walking without having to change directions.
The beginning practice is to simply notice that we are walking (Zen style). Notice the foot coming off the ground behind you and then stepping in front. Each foot is doing the same motion, alternatively.
Traditional Zen walking meditation asks us to synchronize the breath with the feet movements. We breathe in as the footsteps off the ground, and we breathe out as the foot settles in front of the body and the weight shifts to the other foot. The movement of the feet with the breath continues as slowly as is comfortable and for as long as possible.
Vipassana walking meditation adds another dimension. As we synchronize the breath to the walking movement, we may also notice how the body feels, and what sounds are around us, and when the mind starts to analyze what we are doing, we bring our awareness back to walking and breathing.
Taking the insight further, we can notice the feeling of the floor in contact with the feet, the texture, and the temperature of the flooring. Maybe we also notice the color of the flooring and whether it is carpet, wood, or tile.
We can also bring awareness to the rest of the body. What are the arms doing? Can we relax our shoulders? Is my back straight? What if I closed my eyes while walking?
In both styles, we also notice when the mind takes over. When we catch ourselves contemplating what’s for dinner, where we would rather be right now, we come back to the movement of the breath and the feet.
Some people have told me that walking, hiking, and biking are their meditation practice. That is wonderful! For these activities to be truly meditative, we need to be aware of disconnecting the mind from the movement so that we are in the present moment, engaged in the act of just moving and breathing.

Originally published in The Taos News, March 14, 2023

Photo credit: Photo by Alberto Casetta on Unsplash

Meditating Through Transitions:

Using equanimity and mindfulness during times of change.

Published September 15, 2022 in The Taos News

It is said that the one thing constant in life is change. Transitions are sometimes difficult and we grow in many ways as we experience times of change. Everything changes, from the seasons, our health, our thoughts, and our bodies, to our perspectives on life. The way we understood and thought of life as a child is not what we understand as adults. We continue to learn and evolve as humans based on what is going on right now and how we relate to each situation.

Equanimity is a way to work with change that helps us accept transitions with grace and patience. Equanimity is defined as, “mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.” How do we bring mental calmness and composure to difficult situations? Life can be really challenging and many times it seems we will never make it through. Equanimity helps us bring ease and acceptance into stressful and unpleasant experiences so that we are at peace no matter what changes come into our life.

In an article in Lion’s Roar entitled Finding a Better Balance, author Christiane Wolf writes about how equanimity can protect us from emotional overreaction and allow us to rest in a more balanced perspective. She explains a few things we can do to bring equanimity into how we relate to life.

Be willing and able to accept things as they are in each moment— whether they’re challenging, boring, exciting, disappointing, or even exactly what we want.
Equanimity should not be confused with indifference. Equanimity isn’t gritting your teeth or white-knuckling it. Rather, it’s caring deeply with acceptance and nonreactivity.
Equanimity and mindfulness are closely interwoven and mutually reinforcing. Through mindfulness, we can observe the flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the body without having a knee-jerk reaction.
Living life in a conscious way will make us more equanimous over time but we don’t have to leave that up to the worldly winds. We can practice it deliberately. Ultimately, our equanimity isn’t only good for us, but also for everyone we encounter.

The following practice is a group contemplation on change. We sit together in a circle and one person shares the reading while everyone else listens attentively. Then, we all answer the final questions and discuss together how we can bring equanimity to changes in our daily life.

Equanimity Contemplation and Meditation

Change surrounds us. It lies within us, too. The trees in the yard have changed. They’ve grown taller. Their leaves die and scatter on the ground in the fall. We don’t resemble our baby pictures much anymore, either. Like trees, we’ve grown up. As babies, we couldn’t walk. But we learned to run, ride bikes, go out alone to movies and parties.

Some changes we don’t notice while they’re going on. The snow melts; the birds fly south; our hair grows a little every day. Other changes startle us. A best friend moves away. Perhaps a favorite grandparent dies. These changes we wish hadn’t happened, and we have to remember that change is as natural as breathing. We can’t keep it from happening, but we can trust that change never means to harm us. It’s a sign we’re growing up and becoming more resilient.

What changes have you noticed today?
Choose one change and explain how you can bring equanimity to it.
(How can you be mindful of what happened and accept it without getting wound up in despair or over-reactivity?)

This contemplation was inspired by the book, Today’s Gift by the Hazelden Foundation. Article photo courtesy Melissa Askew for Unsplash.

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Meditating with Mother Nature:

Showing gratitude for our relationship with the natural world.

Published August 11, 2022 in the Taos News.

Meditating in nature is a satisfying activity. Many enjoy sitting under a tree or by a stream, lying on our back in a meadow, or just sitting on a bench in the backyard. Communing with nature can be a rewarding experience, especially if we are showing gratitude and paying close attention to what is around us. In the book, Awake in the Wild, author Mark Coleman writes, “Nature has the power to transform and awaken us. For centuries, monks, mystics, and other individuals have lived, meditated, and sought refuge in the forests, deserts, and mountains.”

Recently, I spent 4 days in a hermitage at Lama Foundation. This is something I’ve enjoyed since 2008. When I was teaching, a personal retreat helped me nurture inner strength before going back to the classroom. As a retired educator, I enjoy silent retreats as a way to feed a relationship with nature and all life forms. This fall, I’m looking forward to a 7-day group retreat at Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center. I highly recommend retreats to parents and individuals; it’s a great way to draw inspiration from stillness, tranquility, and inner wisdom while close to nature.

Mark Coleman is a meditation teacher who incorporates Buddhist philosophy. I practiced with him in 2020 when an in-person retreat at Vallecitos was canceled due to Covid. It was transformed into an online at-home meditation retreat that was really lovely. Mark explained how meditating in nature has a long history. The Buddha spent much time in the forests of northern India and this is where it is said he reached enlightenment under a grove of Bodhi trees. Buddha then spent nearly 50 years teaching and meditating in nature and encouraged his students to meditate at the foot of trees.

Thich Nhat Hanh was also a firm believer of meditating with nature. “When we look into our own bodily formation, we see Mother Earth inside us, and so the whole universe is inside us, too. Once we have this insight of interbeing, it is possible to have real communication, real communion, with the Earth;” from Love Letters to the Earth. The idea of “interbeing” is very important to Thay and his followers. Interbeing is the belief that we are one with nature, its beings, and all that is part of our planet. We breathe together, hold space together and depend on each other for survival.

The following practice is intended for families to practice together in a natural setting. Find a quiet place outdoors – the backyard, a city park, next to a stream, or in a forest and enjoy this practice together. It is appropriate for all ages.

Meditating with Mother Nature

Once you’ve found your spot in nature, gather everyone around and find a place to sit. If you have brought chairs, cushions, or blankets, they can make sitting on the ground more comfortable. Barefooted would also be nice.

– As you take your seat, notice what is going on in the body or mind. We can always be aware of something, whether it is thoughts or sensations. This is Mindful Awareness.

– Close your eyes and bring attention to the body. Sense your posture and what parts of the body are in contact with the earth. Sit with as much ease as possible so that relaxation can be present.

– Breathe normally and feel the full movement of your breathing as it moves through the body. As you breathe, feel the air coming in and going out, and imagine that you are breathing with all life forms around you. The plants breathe, animals breathe, insects breathe, etc…Do this for a few minutes together, allowing everyone to enjoy their own breathing sensations as well as the appreciation that there’s a community breathing together.

– Now, bring your awareness to the natural environment around you. What do you hear? What do you feel? Are there sensations in relation to the areas that are in touch with the earth? Tickling of grass, Crumbling of earth, Solidity of rocks …?

– Open your eyes and look around you. What do you see? Trees swaying in the wind. A bird on a branch, an ant on the ground; pay attention carefully and with a curious heart.

– Allow everyone time to silently engage with their surroundings so that there is an awareness of the relationship we have with all kinds of life forms – the plants, the insects, the trees, the birds, and even the hidden animals. Feel into the fact that we are all part of this living, breathing ecosystem. Even if the family can only sense this for a short time, it is worthwhile, and with practice, the time can to extended. ( Worthy goal is to sit in nature for at least 30 minutes.)

Anne-Marie Emanuelli is the founder and Creative Director at Mindful Frontiers LLC, an education-based mindfulness meditation center offering workshops, classes, and coaching for children, families, individuals, and classrooms. For more information please visit the website at MindfulFrontiers.net.

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