Zen Buddhist in the Contemporary Society
Introduction
Since the Zen Center of San Diego evolves the traditional theories of Japanese Zen
Buddhism into more universal type of religion unlike the Zen Center of Los Angeles or
Japanese Zen temples. The sociological causal models would apply to the causes, internal
dynamics and sociocultural functions of the Zen Center of San Diego and how its converted
into the universal thoughts of the Zen Center is essential as a structural mode of analysis in
this paper.
Zen is influenced by the belief in intuition and meditation rather than focusing on the
use of scriptures and ritual worship. Zen Buddhism beliefs are very down to earth and
realistic without paying attention to the doctrine rules in religion (Needleman 2009, p17). Zen
originally began in China but later spread to South Korea, Japan, and the West where its
teachings became commonly practiced. The practices of Zen mainly emphasize on Buddha
insight, meditation, extreme self-control and insight into the well-being of others. Zen
meditation is the key to Zen Buddhism with the focus being driven towards building ones
self growth and reflection. The practice of Zen Buddhism appealed to many Americans due to
their anti-authoritarian and skeptical nature. The practice of Zen has thus appealed to many
people which have increased its spread across the entire world. A sociological analysis of Zen
Buddhism allows for efficient differentiation between Zen Buddhism in Japan and Zen
Buddhism in California, United States of America.
The spread to the west led to varied influences when compared to other religions
especially for the Zen Center of San Diego. This center has evolved from the traditional Zen
Buddhist temples into a more universal religion which is different from the Zen Center of Los
Angeles. The sociological causal model is therefore applicable in relation to the causes,
internal dynamics, sociological functions and how the center became universal provide a
structural analysis of the paper.
There has been an increase in the practice of Zen Buddhism in the United States in the
last few years. Zen Buddhism has an influence on the psychological model and the
sociological model of American believers. The psychological causal model looks at the
causal influences that have led to the development of a certain system. The psychological
model influences focus on the impact that Zen Buddhism had on the behaviors, practices,
emotion, motivation, and cognition of the US citizens. The conversion to practicing Zen
Buddhism involves a journey of self-discovery which does not insist on following some
doctrines, unlike other religions. Zen Buddhism has affected the lives of many individuals in
America who are now able to focus more on individual growth which is the main cause of
conversion. Through meditation, the believers of this practice have reported to feeling
happier and becoming more compassionate and caring to other people around them. There is
a relationship between the socio-economic status of the American people and their religious
affiliations. People with religious affiliations are often from a higher social-economic status
when compared to those who have no religious affiliation. Buddhism is not a religion but
rather a practice which requires freedom from the economic influences of the world. There
exists a causal relationship between Zen Buddhism and poverty. The teachings of this
practice encourage people that the single minded focus on acquiring material health is not the
key to finding happiness. The relation between the psychological causal model, sociological
causal model and Zen Buddhism in the United States is extensively discussed in this essay.
History and Background
Japanese Zen Buddhism is derived from Chinas Chan Buddhism and it mainly
focuses on dhyana concentration-meditation. This practice has been known to provide insight
into an individuals true nature which allows for a liberal way of thinking and living. This
practice was introduced in Japan in the 8th century during the Nara and Heian periods. Zen
Buddhism easily fits into the lifestyle of Japanese Samurai who was able to courageously
confront death and act in intuitive, sudden ways. In this time, the Five Mountain system was
being introduced where it was a critical part of the Rinzai School. Mahayana Buddhism
teaches mostly on emptiness which is strongly emphasized by Zen. The Buddha nature
explains that all human beings have the ability to be awake which most people do not realize
due to their lack of ability to be awake.
The second teaching of Kensho focuses on seeing into our true nature as individuals.
Seeing our own true nature means that there is not individual I rather emptiness is our true
nature. We should also be able to express this selfless nature in our day to day lives. The
methods used in Japanese Zen Buddhism include Zen meditation and Koans. Zen meditation
emphasizes on zazen which is the use of meditation to achieve awakening. There are two
main meditation techniques that are used to achieve awakening in zazen. These are; samatha
which refers to concentration specifically for the mind and vipasyana which focuses on
training on awareness. This means that zazen not only focuses on concentration but it also
focuses on personal awareness (Preston & Preston 1988, p45). This includes awareness of
ones consciousness, reflex reactions and thought process. The Koans contain insight into
Buddhist teachings which are able to grow insight into ones personal growth.
Zen Buddhism has become a great part of Japanese culture where it is practiced in tea
ceremonies, martial arts, and landscaping. Aside from the Rinzai influence, it was also
developed by the Soto schools. In Rinzai Buddhism, there is a need for quick enlightenment
which is mostly characterized by loud shouting and physical blows. On the other hand, Soto
Buddhism is aimed at achieving gradual enlightenment through meditation and calmness.
There are other organizations such as the Obaku organization which is a small branch in
development of Japanese Zen which is part of the Rinzai schools. The Sanbo Kyodan
organization, by Hakuun Yasutani, is slightly small with heavy influence in the west. FAS
Society is non-sectarian and it was founded by Shin’ichi Hisamatsu. It focuses on
modernizing Japanese Zen Buddhism to fit into the current modern world. Over the last few
years, there has been an increase in the number of critics regarding Japanese Zen Buddhism.
The critics have suggested that very few people have been able to realize true enlightenment
where these schools have been passed down from father to son which has reduced their
relevance.
In the last fifty years, there has been a growth of Zen in the west which has been
influenced by teachers trained in the East. A visit to Chicago by a Japanese Zen master,
Soyen Shaku in the year 1893 during the World Parliament of Religions has often been
labeled as the mark of the spread of Zen in the west (Preston & Preston 1988, p53). In the
year 1844, a publication in the Dial magazine translated the Parable of the Medicinal Herbs
chapter of the Lotus Sutra which is a core reading in the Buddhists teachings to the
Americans. The parliament provided a forum where the Zen Buddhists could speak openly to
the Americans as there were many teachers and observers.
D.T Suzuki has been termed as the most influential person in the spread of American
Zen Buddhism due to his passion for Zen and his extensive knowledge of Western culture.
Sanbo Kyodan is believed to be the most numerous school in North America. It is based
mostly on the Soto tradition but also incorporates the Rinzai koan meditation practice. The
book The Three Pillars of Zen by Phillip Kapleau increased the popularity of Sanbo Kyodans
zen schools in the US as more of a practice and less as a philosophy. Shunryu Suzuki
established a school in San Francisco led to the widespread practice of Soto Zen Buddhism.
The San Francisco Zen center established the first American zen monastery in the Big Spur
mountains which increased the Soto Buddhism popularity.
D.T Suzuki and Soen Nakagawa increased the prominence of Rinzai Buddhism
through establishing schools in New York. In the late 1940s and 1950s, there was the
development of Beat Zen which was viewed as a consciousness transformation that paved a
way for fine arts. It was published in a book The Dharma Bums which focused on the way
that the American youth and hipsters were absorbed into the Japanese Zen. The popularity of
Zen Buddhism in the United States grew in the 1960s through Soto teachers Shunryu Suzuki
and Taizan Maezumi who built large centers that attracted many people. The American
educational system developed the university at Naropa which focused on Buddhist traditions
which paved way for other universities such as Soka University and the Maitripa College in
Oregon. The Engaged Buddhism campaign has also been adopted by the environmental
and justice movements which seek at achieving non-violent and peaceful solutions to critical
world problems. This movement was inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh who was a monk and an
anti-war activist. The medical establishment has also adopted treatments such as Vipassana
for insightful meditation of patients. Zen Buddhism has also been used in the entertainment
industry as well as practice by athletes as a means of acquiring insight into ones inner self.
Zen Buddhism in America, therefore, developed as a result of influence from Japanese
Zen Buddhist teachers. The view of Zen Buddhism in Japan is however slightly different as
compared to America where most Americans view Zen Buddhism as a philosophy rather than
a practice. This is mainly attributed to the 1893 World Parliament where the leaders
introduced Zen Buddhism as a rational tradition and a philosophy. This is unlike traditional
Zen Buddhism which indeed has doctrines, ethics, and sectarian developments. Their
attempts to extend their practices to America were not entirely successful as most of the
traditional teachings remained in Japan. Buddhism has also been mistaken by some youth as
a selfish practice which is contrary to its teachings of compassion and caring. This has led to
the exploitation of Zen Buddhism exotic appeal in the United States which has negatively
influenced the practice. This has resulted in the development of the spiritual but not
religious contemporary phenomenon which has led to a different interpretation of Zen
Buddhism in modern America.
Analysis of the Theories and Zen Buddhism
Causality can basically be defined as the interrelation between the cause factors and
their respective effects or rather how events happen, how they relate and the manner in which
change occurs. Causality is imperative to Buddhism in that it has been greatly associated with
the dharma that refers to the teachings of Buddha that majorly stem from the causality
doctrine. According to McGuire (2008, p28), religion has the capability to provide an
individual with a sense of both belonging and meaning in life hence greatly significant in the
conversion process. The Zen Buddhist center in San Diego is one that welcomes all people of
different ages, socio-economic backgrounds, gender, ethnicity and other different
backgrounds. This dynamic ability of the center has increased its popularity among the
different cultures in the entire country. Conversion means a transformation of ones self
concurrent with a transformation of ones basic meaning system (McGuire 2008, p73).
The sociological perspective holds much of the contemporary thoughts on conversion
that stems from the field of sociology. The step model by Lofland and Stark gives various
steps that follow each other in a sequence that ultimately leads to religious conversion (Snow
& Phillips 1980, p431). These steps have been divided into two, one which outlines the
intrapsychic prerequisites of any given convert while the second group contains the
situational factors, one of which could be a divine encounter by an individual before
conversion. Pitt (1991, p172) carried out a research study that combined the psychological
causal model and the Lofland and Stark model which is a sociological model with an aim of
proving that the structural constraints that a group places on an individual and individual
agency to convert both plays an important role when it comes to conversion. An individual is
first established to be a candidate for conversion to another religious belief or more
specifically to Zen Buddhism depending on their religious socialization.
The six conversion motifs according to Lofland include mystical, experimental,
Affectional, revivalist, coercive and intellectual. Lewis Rambo attempts to find out what
exactly changes in an individual once they convert to a new religion. He developed his
process theory of 7 stages which are interaction, consequences, commitment, context,
encounter, quest and crisis (Schwartz 2000, p7). Social and kinship networks; an important
aspect of the sociological causal model are imperative to ensuring successful conversion to
Buddhism. This is determined by the contact levels with individuals from the Zen Buddhism
religion. It is noteworthy that influence from people creates a demonstrable example and
commitment to a particular religious practice. Thus, religious conversion can be summarized
as being a product of a successful match between a particular religion, its social context, and
an individual. The time of conversion is not also specific or rather cannot be said to be
specific because some individuals convert to Zen Buddhism long before they have an
encounter. In such a case, their ultimate conversion to Buddhism is more of a homecoming as
their thought process is usually already aligned to the religion of choice or more specifically
for this case, Buddhism.
Focusing on the conversion motifs by Lofland, the intellectual motif is one that
includes extensive research into books, literature and other religious material where social
pressure is able to stand over inclusion in the community. The mystical motif is one that
occurs suddenly to an individual without prior planning. It has also been referred to as the
road to damascus as it is often associated with a vision or a dream. The Experimental motif
is usually based on the need for a person to change religion where they try a couple of other
religions before settling on a specific one. This conversion process is often lengthy as a result
of the extensive mastery of the Buddhist teaching and meditation practices which take a long
time.
The motif strategy is usually one that involves a kind of cleansing of the mind and
soul where a person is able to completely change their ways based on the religious movement
that they intend to join. In most times, the conversion process to Zen Buddhism is one that
involves self-searching and requires an adequate amount of time before conversion. The Zen
Buddhist center in San Diego is a dynamic one that is able to accommodate many different
backgrounds which make the conversion process easier. The teachers are able to guide them
into a successful conversion where they are able to learn the proper ways of meditation
practice and other socialist ways that are expected of Zen Buddhists. During the conversion
process, the center is able to offer introductory meetings, training, workshops and also
additional face to face meetings with the Zen Buddhist masters of the center. It serves the
purpose of allowing the individuals to know themselves, maintain their built precepts and
practice their service to others.
Another inter-relationship with the sociological causal models is that contact with a
particular religious group creates interpersonal ties which are in turn valued by the individual
in question and creates group relations that ultimately bring about psychological imbalance.
As a result, the individual seeks to meet the need created by converting to another religion.
The already existing social ties with other people act as sources of information about the
particular religion (Zen Buddhism) which creates interest and a zeal to encounter a new
religion hence conversion (McGuire 2008, p187). The research was carried out to determine
the impact that social ties have on a persons conversion tendencies. Findings indicated that
people with strong relationship ties within the Zen Buddhist group and weak relationship ties
with people outside the group are more likely to be pushed into converting to Zen Buddhism.
One approach was able to conclude that the socialization that one has with other people is
able to open one persons mind to alternative views which can change their subjective reality
thus allowing the conversion process. The conversion process is therefore determined by; the
relationship between the in-group, out-group ties and the strength of these relationships.
The aspect of belief orthodoxy of the particular group is another aspect of the
sociological causal model which has an impact on the universal thoughts of the Zen center.
Belief orthodoxy has been defined as the doctrines and teachings which relate to a certain
traditional religion or practice. The Zen center has been able to adopt different practices
which are unlike those practiced by the traditional Japanese Zen other Zen centers. This led to
the development of a theory that the greater the belief-orthodoxy belief a person possesses,
the more likely that the person is able to be involved in the religious activities. This has led to
some confusions regarding if the religious beliefs influence participation or vice versa. In
most situations, when group influence is usually primarily cognitive, the sociological causal
model suggests that the intentions of the group are to maintain the belief and the commitment
by the group. The sociological causal model also suggests that when the group influence is
normative, the group is able to install sanctions which are able to influence the interpersonal
relationships of the group (McGuire & Kantor 1988, p434). There have been studies that
have sought to determine the influence of group involvement and belief orthodoxy towards
religious movements. The findings have indicated that group involvement has a bigger
impact towards religious movement as compared to belief orthodoxy. This has been adopted
by the Zen center which has shifted its focus towards building the faith and belief of its
members. Group involvement, therefore, has an indirect influence on the behavior while also
having a direct involvement in the belief.
The sociological causal model also focuses on the measurement of commitment to the
Zen Buddhist practice. The cognitive dimension is inclusive of the religious practices while
the affective dimension is inclusive of commitment. Commitment is a measure of the
prominence that a certain religious practice has in one persons life. The utility of
commitment is able to provide a sound explanation for the poor association that is usually
found between behavior and the belief. One is therefore allowed to believing a certain
practice, but the change in behavior only occurs when one is truly committed to a particular
practice. Commitment is therefore heavily dependent on the strength of the societal
relationships that one has with a particular societal group.
Socialization of an individual is also an internal dynamic that has affected the
structural changes in the development of the San Diego Zen center. The three main areas that
influence ones socialization in most religious sects include the family, the religious center
and the peers. It is from this, that we are able to find that the family is the principal
socialization agent while the peers and the religious sect are secondary agents. The family
therefore in most cases is the basic unit that determines the religious practices that will be
adopted by a certain individual. In the wider literature on sociology, it has been discovered
that the transfer of the social status between different generations usually results in the
similarity between the child and the parent which is primarily developed from the
psychosocial influence of the certain individuals. Parental socialization has been defined as
the successful intergenerational transmission of class, race, religious affiliation, marital
status, and other prominent social statuses that structure life experience and mold social
attitudes (Schaefer & Zellner 2010, p78).
Research conducted by Himmelfarb on religious socialization has also suggested that
the parents usually influence the societal ties of their children by engaging them in activities,
institutions or people who will reaffirm the teachings that they have been given by their
parents. In most cases, these influences further develop into the adult life of the individuals
who are able to continue with the teachings and transfer them to other future generations.
This, therefore, led to the conclusion that the socialization of an individual which is inclusive
of the peers, family and religious sect has an influence on the persons beliefs as well as the
commitment of the individual on the particular practice.
The demographic composition in a particular region has an influence on the behavior
of the particular religious sect. The test deprivation theory suggests that religion is usually
due to the need for social compensation by an individual as a result of economic and also
social deprivation. This is also supported by the statement that the social class, economic
status, and the occupation is different according to the different religious groups. The theory
further concludes by stating that these demographic statistics have been changing with time
and will continuously evolve with the emergence of different practices. It has been
determined that demographic statistics have no direct effect on the religious behavior shown
by a person rather, the demographics are able to explain the variance and thus having an
indirect effect on the religious behaviors and beliefs of an individual.
There has been an assumption that the demographic characteristics are used to reflect
the social structure of an individual where this has a direct impact on the religious sect that
one is involved in. one example was provided where there was an assumption that the lower
class people were more privately religious while the upper class people were more publicly
religious. These are examples of the traditional beliefs that have been held and accepted for
years by other traditional Zen groups. Social relationships have also had an influence on the
marriages, friendships, education and the area of residence of an individual. The impact of
the demographic characteristics is therefore indirect as it influences the community societal
relationships rather than directly influencing the religious behavior and beliefs.
Gender and education have a direct influence on the causalities towards a certain
religious practice even after control has been done on the other factors. Gender has been
found especially dominant even after control of religious socialization, group involvement,
belief orthodoxy, demographic characteristics and other expected variables. While the gender
effect has been found to be important, it is not particularly large and can be easily monitored.
Education has been found to have a positive influence on the sociological causal model
analysis on Zen Buddhism in America.
In the modern pluralistic societies, religious sects have been found to hold a primary
function regarding the influence of religious behavior, commitment, and belief by a particular
group of people. Lenski, a researcher, stated that the sub community is an important
instrument for extending the influence of religious groups in the life of the
community (Schwartz 2000, p7) and The survival of traditional commitment in modern
America is explained by the survival of particular types of moral communities, and by the
integration of individuals into those communities (Schaefer & Zellner 2010, p183).
The Zen center has been able to uphold some of the traditional rituals while also
breaking some of the barriers and incorporating their own beliefs and practices into their
center. This has been able to appeal to the majority of the people who have been able to
convert and commit to the center.
The Zen center of San Diego is uniquely defiant of the demographic characteristics
results that have been stated by previous theories. The theory suggests that people are
inclined to a certain religious sect based on their economic, social and political status. This is
not the case in this Zen center as they are inclusive of all the various backgrounds thus
breaching the former religious barriers. The center is open to all cultures, ethnicities, and
genders which has appealed to the diverse population in the United States.
The sociocultural functions of Zen Buddhism have an influence on the conversion
process of Zen Buddhism in the USA. Through the various activities and practices in the
community, there is a tendency for the development of social cohesion which is the
belongingness created by the individuals in the given community. The practice of
mindfulness by the members has allowed the people to be more aware and receptive to other
peoples needs in Zen Buddhism practice. The people are able to achieve sociological insight
through their continuous efforts into interacting with other people. The practice of zazen has
allowed continuous meditation where the people are able to reflect on their various activities
and contributions to the society. This has allowed them to work together thus building their
social cohesion. This need for an identity or relation with a certain group of people has
increased the number of people who are increasingly converting to Zen Buddhism as a
preferred practice.
The Zen Center at San Diego is more different compared to other Zen centers in
America like the Zen center at Los Angeles. It has evolved into a religion like center that is
inclusive of all the different diverse cultures in the United States. This has led to a creation of
a unique kind of religion that is dynamic and allows people to learn about Zen meditation and
also practice it in a relaxed environment. Using the sociological causal model, it is possible to
analyze the causes, internal dynamics and the sociological functions that make this Zen center
unique and relatable to the people on the United States. Sociology is highly related to Zen
Buddhism as it offers a relation to insights in to the current worlds social injustices which
have the possibility of causing destruction. One sociologist, Piririm Sorokin stated that Zen
Buddhism provides great ethical systems, extraordinary insights into the highest and
therefore deepest states of self (Preston & Preston 1988, p63) which can be further
reinforced by science in the West and East. Vipassana which is also known as insightful
meditation is practiced in the Los Angeles Zen center where the connections with sociology
arise from the daily vipassana meditation, dharma talks, Zen Center interview, translation of
the Buddhist readings and other Buddhist teachings. Zen Buddhism in America has been
continuously shaped into a religion in regions like Los Angeles which has enabled it to alter
from the original radical reflexivity that was based in doctrines that are sustained using
illusions. The Zen center observes a daily schedule that is inclusive of zazen, Buddhist
additional services, and a comprehensive work practice.
Conclusion
According to Elizabeth Hamilton, The Zen center of San Diego is one that has
evolved from a traditional Zen center like the Japanese Zen centers to a modern one that is
tailored to fit the Western culture (Interviewed on May 26th, 2018). The sociological causal
model is able to identify the causes and the internal dynamics that have resulted in the
massive conversion of people to joining particularly the Zen center. It has been able to adopt
the practices of building spirituality which is inclusive of harmony, unity, peace, and
centeredness. The teachings in the Zen Buddhist center are able to educate people to accept
suffering which should be considered as a way of life. Their teachings encourage the people
to accept suffering and use it as a springboard towards accepting life. This has been coupled
with personal growth which has been widely accepted by people who are from different
backgrounds.
Conclusively, the contemporary conversion causal models do not put into
consideration the experiences of the existing modern converts to new Buddhism, a religion
that is considered a minority in most parts of the world. It, therefore, goes that the relevance
of the current models is dependent on the gathered evidence as opposed to evidence that was
used in the past. There are several factors that are inclusive of the demographic characteristic,
belief orthodoxy and socialization among others have contributed towards explaining the
sociological causal model relation to Zen Buddhism in America. The Zen Buddhism center in
San Diego especially has been able to incorporate the modern culture by accommodating the
diverse population in the United States which is unique to the other Zen Buddhist centers
across the world. The results of contemporary studies can be utilized to modify the existing
models through surveys with the members of the Buddhist religion, including the other
minority Buddhist religious groups.
Work Cited
Dumoulin, H.
2005. Zen Buddhism: Japan (Vol. 2). World Wisdom, Inc.
Kok, N.
2016. Religious Conversion Compared (Master’s thesis).
McGuire, M. B.
2008. Religion: The social context. Waveland Press.
McGuire, M. B., & Kantor, D.
1988. Ritual healing in suburban America. Rutgers University Press.
Needleman, J.
2009. The new religions. Penguin.
Paloutzian, R. F.
2014. Psychology of religious conversion and spiritual transformation. In The Oxford
handbook of religious conversion.
Pitt, J. E.
1991. Why people convert: A balance theoretical approach to religious
conversion. Pastoral Psychology, 39(3), 171-183.
Preston, D., & Preston, D. L.
1988. The social organization of Zen practice: Constructing transcultural reality.
Cambridge University Press.
Schaefer, R. T., & Zellner, W. W.
2010. Extraordinary groups: An examination of unconventional lifestyles. Macmillan.
Schwartz, A.J.
2000. The nature of spiritual transformation: A review of the literature.
Snow, D. A., & Phillips, C. L.
1980. The Lofland-Stark conversion model: A critical reassessment. Social
problems, 27(4), 430-447.
Young-Eisendrath, P., & Muramoto, S. (Eds.).
2003. Awakening and insight: Zen Buddhism and psychotherapy. Routledge.
Appendix
Interview: Zen Center of San Diego
I conducted the interview with Elizabeth Hamilton who is a teacher at the Zen Center
in Santiago, Bob, and Jack who introduced the whole session on Zen Buddhism at the center.
It is part of the White Plum Zen Lineage and has no affiliation with any religious group. It
accommodates diverse groups of people from various cultural, religious and traditional
backgrounds as is later confirmed by Elizabeth Hamilton. This center has a mission to
support all participants in practicing awareness or rather awakening so that individuals
become more aware of their surrounding and live with lots of appreciation, compassion, and
kindness as was explained by Bob and Jack at the introductory phases of the interview. It
brings the real essence of Zen Buddhism to life which is to achieve enlightenment through an
individuals mind devoid the use of any intellect. In other words, it is referred to as being
completely alive and in the moment. The center generally provides a conducive environment
or people to learn about Zen meditation and practice it. Meditation which is a major practice
facilitated at the center is valued because it gives one the much needed break from high speed
interaction and confusion from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
During the interview, we had a number of short meditations which emphasized
qualities like perseverance, stillness, willingness, loving kindness and clear seeing. It
sometimes seemed paradoxical and it required a lot of discipline which ultimately results in
spontaneity and a feeling of being free. It is, in other words, a way of looking inside ourselves
for the answers we seek. It is for the principle that the answers can come from the same place
they are from. It basically encourages human beings to philosophize and apply rational
thought as opposed to what most religious people do; searching for the answers in scripture
or performing several worship rituals and rites. To effectively meditate. I learned that we have
to literally control our minds and alt all the other activities we would normally do involving
our minds and body, while at the same time ensuring that logical thinking is suspended for
the period of meditation.
According to Elizabeth Hamilton, awakening, which is the ultimate goal of the whole
Zen meditation, is not an all at once result of meditation. There is the roadmap used to
discover what we encounter which is the mental, the physical, emotional, full-and-empty and
lastly the open dimensions. Integrating all these enables us to face our own crossroads that we
may definitely come across in the life journey in the most effective way. The physical
dimension entails objects, senses, energy and bodily sensations. The mental dimension
focuses on the functions of the mind while the emotional dimension focuses on the states of
our mind, reactions to occurring events like political issues and the weather; lastly the effects
these events have on the state of mind. She gave several examples in her life when Zen
meditation was of help and great significance to her thus further bringing out the value of this
practice to the overall wellbeing of individuals in instances when they face a crisis. She puts
an emphasis on the importance of going into a problem rather than avoiding it or getting busy
to forget about it. Zen meditation enables an individual to focus on their inner self and
retrieve the answers to their problems from within. When asked of the difference between the
Zen Center of San Diego and the other Zen Centers from elsewhere, Elizabeth Hamilton
articulated that the major aim of this center is to be more universal as opposed to being
American. Also, the center serves a diverse group of people in that it is not fully Buddhist but
rather contains practicing jews, and other religious groups while focusing on issues that are
open and true to everyone regardless of their background. Zen is dynamic; depending on the
location it is being practiced. There are instances where it is more formal but in America,
there is an addition of the American aspect to make it fit for the people around so they derive
the most out of it.
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We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
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That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.
You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.
Read moreEach paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.
Read moreThanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.
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