| This article is specifically for those of you who | | | | bordering on ADD, and a restless mind and body |
| recognize and want to experience the benefits of | | | | whose most difficult challenge is to sit still! Perhaps |
| meditation, but who can't seem to meditate | | | | it is these personality traits that have fueled my |
| properly! I'm going to tell you how I am finally able | | | | interest in Zen meditation over the years. I know |
| to enjoy the benefits of Zen meditation through a | | | | it's good for me. I just have difficulty doing it! |
| process called binaural meditation. | | | | The Benefits of Binaural Meditation |
| My Zen Meditation Journey | | | | Several months ago, I learned about binaural |
| For most of my adult life, I've had an interest in | | | | meditation. This form of meditation uses binaural |
| Zen meditation. After I graduated high school, I | | | | beats to quickly and painlessly achieve a level of |
| developed a keen interest in Zen philosophy, an | | | | relaxation, centeredness, and present-moment |
| interest which eventually lead me to make a | | | | clarity that is the aim of Zen meditation practice. |
| pilgrimage to Kyoto, Japan, where I visited Zen | | | | Binaural beats is the scientifically verified |
| Buddhist temples and took part in Zen meditation | | | | phenomenon of two slightly different audio tones |
| retreats. | | | | heard separately by each ear, which causes the |
| During these retreats, against the backdrop of | | | | brain to tune into one of five specific frequencies. |
| ancient temples, precisely manicured Japanese | | | | Successful Zen meditation results in the brain |
| gardens, and among devout Buddhist monks with | | | | reaching the Alpha brainwave frequency, which is |
| orange robes and shaven heads, I finally | | | | the state that results in a sensation of relaxation, |
| experienced the levels of relaxation, spiritual | | | | centeredness, heightened awareness, and lack of |
| awakening, heightened awareness I had been | | | | stress. |
| reading about for so many years. | | | | Binaural meditation has changed my life. Now, |
| Meditation Frustrations | | | | instead of struggling, and usually failing!, to sit still |
| Inspired by this unforgettable experience, I took | | | | and quiet my mind, I simply sit in a comfortable |
| my newfound insight and spiritual awakening back | | | | chair or lie down on the floor, put my headphones |
| home, only to find that within a matter of weeks, | | | | on, play a binaural beat audio that was created to |
| my sense of clarity began to dissolve, drowned | | | | tune into the Alpha frequency, and let the relaxing |
| out by the sights and sounds of the modern | | | | sounds take me into a deep state of relaxation. |
| world and the distractions of my daily life. As | | | | Binaural meditation now unfailingly allows me to |
| much as I tried, I was unable to repeat the deep | | | | achieve the same sensation on a daily basis that I |
| meditative experience I experienced during my | | | | had to journey all the way to Japan to experience |
| travels in Japan. | | | | once in my life. I'm now definitely able to go |
| In a sense, this is not surprising since I have | | | | through my day more relaxed and with greater |
| always struggled with a short attention span | | | | clarity and awareness. |