Objectless meditation

This is the approach to meditation that has been encouraged recently in western countries where the traditional disciplines of, for example, zazen meditation are familiar to only very few people. It is derived from zazen meditation but has necessarily evolved to encompass the social, cultural and religious context of the west. It takes into account the probable previous neglect of the inner, spiritual life symptomatic of the acquisitive, materialistic approach current in the west and of the mistrust of the mystical as opposed to the liturgical aspects of Christianity among those who espouse religion; and attempts to calm the fears of those who see it as a threat to orthodox belief rather than a means to stimulate religious observance. Meditation is guided rather than imposed in an authoritarian manner, as the would-be practitioner is encouraged to change habitual attitudes and automatic responses. Awareness of the body is emphasized and much of the training is based on bodily posture and breathing so that the body is no longer seen as a burden to be endured. On the contrary, the whole of everyday life is seen as full of meaning, with the individual no longer being passively swept along in the stream but being aware of and balancing the inner, spiritual life and the outer, active life so that he or she may not only develop personally but may become a positive influence on others and on the environment as a whole.