Chan meditation: What it is, benefits & how to practice
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
What is Chan meditation? We explore the philosophy, teachings & benefits of Chan meditation. Plus, how to practice and integrate Chan meditation into your life.
If you’re searching for a meditation practice that feels right for you, you might give Chan meditation a try. Chan meditation focuses on improving self-awareness and mental clarity and teaches practitioners to be fully present in each moment. Through regular practice, Chan meditation can also help you reduce stress, enhance focus, and develop a calmer approach to daily challenges.
What is Chan meditation?
Chan meditation is a practice that originates from the ancient teachings of Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism. At the core of Chan meditation is the quest for enlightenment, which is a state of profound wisdom. According to Chan philosophy, enlightenment is accessible through insight and compassion and is about cultivating a deep, intrinsic understanding of who you are and the nature of reality — emphasizing firsthand experience over an intellectual understanding.
Central to Chan meditation is the concept of mindfulness, where you learn to maintain a moment-by-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, and sensations. This awareness is cultivated through both a formal meditation practice, but can also be integrated into your daily activities, such as walking or eating.
As a practice, Chan meditation is suitable for everyone, because it teaches that enlightenment is a possibility for all.
The benefits of Chan meditation
Enhanced mental clarity and focus: Chan meditation trains you to clear away mental clutter and distraction, increasing your ability to concentrate and focus. Over time, this can lead to stronger decision-making and problem-solving skills, as well as a greater capacity for learning and creativity.
Emotional resilience: In meditation, you’re encouraged to observe your feelings without judgment. This helps reduce the impact of negative emotions, enhancing your ability to stay composed and objective in challenging situations.
Physical health benefits: A Chan practice promotes better posture and breathing, which enhances breathing and can lead to overall improved bodily functions. For example, through regular practice, you may experience reduced tension in your muscles and joints, which can alleviate pain and stiffness. Mindfulness and meditation have also been linked to lower blood pressure and a boost in immune function, making you less susceptible to illness.
Reduction in stress and anxiety: One of the most immediate benefits of Chan meditation is its ability to significantly lower stress and anxiety levels. The practice supports staying present and mindful, reducing the tendency to worry about the past or future.
Improved interpersonal relationships: By becoming more aware of your own emotional states and reactions, you're better positioned to engage with others in a kind, understanding manner. This can lead to healthier, more fulfilling relationships both personally and professionally.
The philosophical foundations of Chan meditation
The philosophical principles of Chan meditation lay out a technique for relaxation and a radical way to navigate life.
Use koans to challenge your patterns of thought
Koans are one of the most distinctive features of Chan practice. These are puzzling or paradoxical questions or statements that are meant to exhaust the analytical mind and its habitual patterns of thought, facilitating a deeper, intuitive insight. Koans challenge you to move beyond conventional ways of thinking.
💙 Like a koan, you can use meditation for Reframing Difficult Thoughts once you become aware of your thought patterns.
Be aware that each moment holds the potential for profound awakening
While other spiritual traditions suggest that enlightenment is a distant goal to be achieved after prolonged effort, Chan Buddhism is known for its doctrine of sudden enlightenment — the belief that enlightenment is an inherent condition that can be realized instantly, at any moment.
💙 Deepen your Mindfulness practice to become more aware of each moment.
Cultivate your understanding of the inherent perfection of the mind
Chan meditation aims to move past everyday distractions to lean into the existing perfection within us.
💙 Practice Deep Acceptance to help you open your mind and heart to the perfection within you.
Perceive life without the filters of discrimination and separation
Chan meditation encourages you to focus on building connection with others above all, especially in a society that may prioritize separation, discrimination, and various forms of othering.
💙 Discover how building Empathy may help you form stronger connections with others, especially people who come from different backgrounds.
The practice of Zuo Chan (sitting meditation)
Zuo Chan, also known as sitting meditation, is a cornerstone of Chan meditation. It provides the structure and discipline needed to quiet the mind, understand it, and achieve a sense of inner clarity and freedom.
Be attentive to your sitting posture
In Zuo Chan, the sitting posture is a reflection of the meditator's inner state. The classic posture involves sitting with a straight—but relaxed—back, hands folded in the lap, and eyes half-closed. This posture helps maintain alertness and focus during meditation. Maintaining this posture can be challenging initially, but it becomes more comfortable with regular practice, serving as a foundation for deeper states of meditation.
Return focus to your breath
Breathing techniques are integral to Zuo Chan, helping to steady the mind and bring about tranquility. Observe your breath, recognizing thoughts and emotions as they arise, and gently returning focus to the breath. This continuous loop of awareness and refocusing helps calm the mind, making it less susceptible to distraction and more capable of entering deeper states of meditation.
Overcome dualistic thinking
One of the primary goals of Zuo Chan is to stop categorizing and judging all experiences as good or bad or pleasant or unpleasant. By sitting in meditation and observing how these dualities arise and fall away in the mind, you learn to not cling to these distinctions. This leads to a more unified, non-dualistic perception of reality, where the separation between self and others, observer and observed, begins to dissolve.
How to integrate Chan meditation into daily life
Integrating Chan meditation into your daily routine can greatly improve your overall quality of life by helping you cultivate a continuous state of mindfulness.
Center your thoughts through mindful breathing: Periodically focus on your breath when you’re at work, commuting, or doing chores. This brings you back to the present moment, reducing stress and increasing your overall mindfulness.
Be fully aware during routine activities: Whether it’s eating, showering, or walking, try to be fully present in the moment. Notice every detail of the activity, from the sensations it brings to the emotions it evokes.
Aim to engage compassionately: As you interact with others, try to practice active listening and empathetic engagement. By being fully present in conversations, you respect and acknowledge the value of others' perspectives. This improves your relationships and deepens your personal practice of mindfulness.
Reset and refocus with mindfulness breaks: Even a few minutes spent in quiet reflection can help dissolve stress and enhance your mental clarity. Use these breaks throughout your day to observe your thoughts without judgment, realign your intentions, or simply breathe deeply and reconnect with your surroundings.
Establish a consistent meditation practice: This doesn’t necessarily mean lengthy sessions as even ten minutes daily can be beneficial. Consistency is key to deepening the benefits of meditation and ensuring that it becomes a stable, enriching part of your life.
Chan meditation FAQs
What is the best time of day for Chan meditation?
Chan meditation can be practiced at any time, but many people prefer to practice in the early morning. Morning meditation sets a calm, mindful tone for the day ahead, helping you start your day with clarity and peace. However, the best time for meditation is ultimately when you can consistently fit it into your schedule.
Can Chan meditation help with anxiety?
Yes, Chan meditation can be effective in managing and reducing anxiety. This practice can help you cultivate a state of mindfulness, in which you learn to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Over time, this helps decrease the power of anxious thoughts and the grip they may have on your mind. Chan meditation’s focused breathing and mindfulness techniques activate your body’s relaxation response, counteracting physical stress responses that often accompany anxiety. Regular practice can lead to long-term improvements in how you handle stress and anxiety.
How long should a beginner practice Chan meditation at a time?
For beginners, starting with short sessions of about five to ten minutes is ideal. This helps you build the habit without feeling overwhelmed. Over time, you might extend your meditation to 20 minutes or longer, depending on your comfort and schedule. The key is consistency. Regular short sessions can be more beneficial than sporadic longer sessions, as they help integrate the practice into your daily life more effectively.
What are the differences between Chan and Zen meditation?
Chan and Zen meditation share the same roots, with Chan originating in China and Zen developing in Japan. Both practices emphasize simplicity, mindfulness, and the direct experience of enlightenment. However, there are subtle differences in approach and technique influenced by cultural differences. For instance, Zen often places a greater emphasis on the use of koans. In contrast, Chan may focus more broadly on meditation and mindfulness as paths to understanding life, others, and self. Despite these differences, the core essence of achieving sudden enlightenment and the importance of personal experience remain central in both traditions.
Are there any specific texts I should read to deepen my understanding of Chan philosophy?
To deepen your understanding of Chan philosophy, you might consider exploring classic texts, such as The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, which is one of the foundational texts of Chan Buddhism. Works by contemporary Chan masters also offer insights and practical guidance on integrating Chan practices into modern life.
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