A Scientific Study on the Zen Personality
Can we talk about being a zen person? Or having a zen personality? It’s worth noting that in France, the expression “Être zen” (To be zen) has become fashionable. A whole range of self-help books can be found that offer lessons on how to “be zen” in just a few months. Apparently, the expression has crossed borders and is increasingly being used in our language as well. But can we truly speak of zen people?
The Ibero-American Journal of Psychology has published in its issue no. 18 (January–April 2025) an extensive report titled “The Zen Personality”, based on results obtained from a mixed quantitative-qualitative study conducted with zen practitioners in Catalonia.
The Zen Practitioners of the Kannon Center in Barcelona
This group of zen practitioners in Catalonia consists of 25 practitioners from our center, the Dojo Zen Barcelona Kannon. This is because, during the year 2022, several of us participated in this research by answering surveys and interviews about zen on a personal level. This zen group was later compared with a religious group and a third non-religious group, all from Catalonia, with the aim of defining certain psychological traits of zen Buddhists.
Zazen, the Sangha, and the Zen Person
In the field of psychology and health sciences, there is growing interest in Buddhist practice and its positive impact on the mind. This work studies the relationship between the practice of zazen (meditation), the Sangha (the community of practitioners guided by a teacher), and beliefs, with the personality and subjective perception of time among its practitioners. The results suggest an “ascetic” profile in the participants, in the sense that they are spiritual seekers, with a certain disinterest and dissatisfaction with conventional social spaces, and that, disenchanted with Catholicism and/or modern consumerism and modern success values, they find their place in Zen practice.
A Zen Person, a Follower of the Zen Path
The study raises the possibility that these ascetic traits of the zen person may already be present before entering the path of zen. According to the results obtained through the interviews, zen practitioners report that meditation has a positive influence when it comes to managing emotions, impulses, anxiety, behaviors, and thoughts. And it is through entering the practice, and later experiencing certain positive effects—such as impulse and emotion control—that practitioners feel the desire to deepen their commitment to the zen path and later study zen philosophy, and that is what keeps them continuing the practice.
Link to the full article: “La Personalidad Zen: Estudio mixto cuantitativo-cualitativo en practicantes budistas de Cataluña“