Meditation is without a doubt one of the most beneficial activities you can do as a human. Just some of the benefits of meditation include increased peace, joy, compassion, health, intelligence and awareness. So what does it take to develop your expertise in meditation? Below are the 8 requirements that are necessary in order to meditate deeply like a Zen monk.

8 Requirements to Meditate Like a Zen Monk

1. Passion:

This is requirement number 1. You must have great passion for spirituality and spiritual evolution in order to give this great science the attention it needs. Without passion, it will be hard to master such a subtle art, but if you are passionate about meditation, half the battle is won right there.

2. Adequate Intelligence:

Ultimately, to master meditation you will have to learn to watch your thoughts very carefully and comprehend them via direct perception from moment to moment. Don't be intimidated by how that sounds. In general, the human being has this inherent capacity, although it is only developed by a few of us.

3. Courage:

Meditation, can be defined in many ways and one way to look at it, is as a process of letting go. This letting go, also means being open to the unknown, which requires courage and heart. It is easy to stay within the safety of your seeking, but to drop seeking, means to be totally open and vulnerable to what life has to offer. This is the essence of courage.

4. Self-Confidence:

This is closely related to courage above and is also almost as important. Finally, the journey back to the Source is a road walked alone. Teachers, gurus, guardian angles, spirit guides, etc, etc, can only take you so far. Finally, you have to cross the bridge, into the now, all by your lonesome. In addition, each journey to awakening is unique, which means you will have to trust yourself in finding your own way. Believe in yourself, rely on your intelligence and inner voice, and you will be fine.

5. Urgency:

If you want to be a Rafael Nadal of meditation, you can't be postponing starting or doing your daily spiritual work. Procrastinating your meditation practice, means you are putting on hold developing your real human potential.

6. Health:

A certain degree of good health is needed to meditate well. You do not have to be Bruce Lee, but for effective meditation you do need energy for which a healthy system is important. Don't be discouraged though if your health is not is tip-top shape, just embrace your spiritual practice as best as you can, as that itself will help your body heal and rejuvenate.

7. Humor:

Yup, a good sense of humor will not only get you many dates , it will also get you through some tough phases you are sure to encounter on your spiritual journey. Being able to laugh at these situations and your petty little mind will go a long way in helping you stay sane on this roller coaster like journey.

8. Basic Needs:

This may not occur to many of us who live relatively wealthy lives, at least relative to the world poverty line, but let me tell you that it would be very difficult to devote yourself to mastering meditation, if you and/or your children were hungry and cold. So food, clothing and shelter, which is basically all you really need to survive, are also prerequisites to becoming a champion meditator.

Summary:

Without a doubt, the rewards of meditation far exceed any material pleasures. In fact, the true purpose of life which is to discover God, is ultimately fulfilled by those who undertake and master this highest of all spiritual sciences.

Anmol Mehta is a Yoga & Meditation master. His free website offers the best Yoga Relaxation Technique, free Shiva Mantra MP3 download, and the popular Yoga Weight Loss Exercise Video.

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