Meditation is now mainstream. It teaches us that how we pay attention determines our experience. When we’re in a constant doing or controlling mode, our attention narrows with a thought or a strong feeling. In these moments we don’t perceive the background of experience, the ocean of awareness. The good news is that through meditation practice, we can intentionally incline our minds toward not controlling and toward an open attention.
In the Zen tradition, we shift our attention to this moment of experience where we can rest in pure being so that whenever we step out of thought or emotional reactivity and pay attention to what’s right here, right now we discover the benefits: Greater attention and awareness, the settling down of our emotional life, a growing sense of goodwill and kindness, and a desire to be of help in this world. The latest brain imaging technology is showing what meditators have sensed for millennia-that the brain circuitry associated with relationships, compassion, attentiveness, peace and joy is all amplified in long-term meditator.
When our attention shifts from a narrow fixation on any object—sound, sensation, thought—and recognizes the awake space that holds everything, we’re able to relax back into the immensity and silence of awareness and rest. In this class you will learn that this place of rest already exists right here in our own bodies. The most important point in this class is to learn how to just sit and be very comfortable and restful. It is a practice and a tool that can be applied to any life endeavors and is compatible with any religious faith as well as none in fact Zen meditation my involve letting go of deeply held beliefs we may not even be aware of.
If you want to give sitting a try, what do you need to do?
Attend a presentation on Zen Practice at HOA 2 on March 31, 2026 from 12:00-2:00 pm in the Mountain View Complex. Call or email for additional information and registration.
Contact Patti Mullen at zenintroduction@gmail.com
808-281-9001
