In this section, you’ll find articles written by teachers and practitioners from the Zen Kannon Center in Barcelona. Reflections on Zen practice, commentaries on Buddhist texts, personal experiences, and contemporary perspectives on spiritual life. A fresh and current look at the Dharma from the heart of the city.
Effects of Meditation on Pain Tolerance Meditation and pain have a very special relationship for Zen practitioners. On the one hand, we cannot ignore that sometimes we feel discomfort, and even pain, from sitting for long periods in the zazen posture during retreats. On the other hand, however, we have the feeling that meditation changes…
What is Meditation? Today there is a vast array of meditation offerings—there are guided meditation classes, meditation retreats, guided meditation apps for mobile devices, … but not everything among these offerings can truly be considered meditation. But finally, understanding what meditation is can make a big difference. If we want a simple and straightforward definition,…
Preparing for the meditation Retreat We often leave the firm decision to participate in a meditation retreat until the last moment. Now, for example, with only a few months left until the Easter retreat in Catalonia, not far from Barcelona, it’s a good time to start preparing mentally and physically if we want to attend.…
Zen for nothing. The film “Zen for Nothing” is a documentary directed by Werner Penzel. The film follows the journey of a Swiss woman as she spends several months in a Zen monastery called Antaiji. The documentary provides an immersion into Zen monastic life, capturing the monks’ daily rhythm marked by meditation, physical labor, and…
In a small village by the sea, there lived a man named Joan. He was a man who seemed to never have time. He was always rushing from one place to another, busy with his work, his family commitments, and the little problems that arose every day. His friends often told him he needed to…
More and more people are asking how to learn to meditate on their own because they know about the benefits of meditation. Today, it is very easy to find information on how to do almost anything on the internet, and of course, this includes learning meditation techniques. There are guided apps available for mobile phones.…
Satipatthana: Sati – Attention, Patthana – The Four Foundations of Mindfulness The Four Foundations of Attention is the Buddha’s teaching recorded in the Satipatthana, a set of instructions aimed at activating the mind’s mode of full awareness, or mindfulness, as it is known today. This means living in the present moment, without being distracted by…
Once upon a time, there was an old Zen master who lived with his community in a small temple deep in the mountains. The emperor, aware of his wisdom, invited him to a grand Buddhist festival where participants recited sutras for several days and enjoyed abundant and exquisite meals prepared by the palace chefs. The…
