You Can’t Get Much More Secular Than Breathing — Secular meditation and Budhism, Zen…

ZenFriend
ZenFriend
Jul 23, 2017 · 3 min read

Buddhism continues to confound those who try to categorize it. There is still some debate about whether Buddhism is in fact a religion, a philosophy or just a way of life. But, if one were to strip away the temples and shrines that some Buddhists use for cultivating their inner calm, you will find that at its core Buddhism is the practice of meditation itself, and about breathing and sensations. Even though this philosophical and spiritual debate continues, occasionally popping up with a little controversy in school systems as worried parents attempt to distinguish between religious and self-help practices, one point is abundantly clear; breath is just about as secular as one can get.

There are several definitions of the word secular, though all relate in that they reveal how the word refers to subjects “…or things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred.” In that regard, focusing on the breath, bodily sensations or just the stillness within, could be considered secular acts in and of themselves. Sure, some meditation practices focus on chanting either out loud or in one’s mind, but overall, the vast majority of meditation techniques keep the focus on the breath.

The breath is one of the most important aspects in the life of any being, but especially humans. Through breath comes life, communication and the sense of smell, which links to memory. But in recent years, new discoveries through science reveal just how much of a role breath plays in our lives.

In addition to carrying our words and emotions, which can sometimes be heavy enough, the breath also carries out some of our fat when exercising. A new study tentatively shows how deep breathing exercises impact and calm the brain. It has also been revealed how focusing on the breath during meditation helps alleviate a certain amount of pain. There are many other studies detailing the benefits between deep breathing, meditation, and the body. And while various meditation techniques all have their own health benefits, the fact remains that it all comes back to the breath. But, regardless if one is practicing Shikantaza (“just sitting”) or Ānāpānasati (“mindfulness of breathing”), still there is no deification.

Further still, while this isn’t strictly related to breathing, it doesn’t matter if one considers themselves a practitioner of Theravāda (“school of the elder monks”) or Mahāyāna (“Great Vehicle”), the teachings of the two are closely aligned in that there is no worship.

In the Kalama Sutta, Gautama Buddha essentially states that one should not follow in blind faith for whatever reason. This is, in and of itself, a major difference between Buddhism as a whole and many other religions. Then, as D.T. Suzuki, one of Zen’s chief authorities in the early and mid 1900’s wrote in “An Introduction to Zen Buddhism”:

“Zen has no God to worship, no ceremonial rites to observe, no future abode to which the dead are destined, and … no soul whose welfare is to be looked after by somebody else and whose immortality is a matter of intense concern.”

Perhaps this debate is part of a larger issue with western cultures and societies in general. Please note, this is not a criticism, but rather points to an interesting symptom of the cultures where breath and clearing the mind are not held in as high of a regard. Though, that looks to slowly be changing. As of 2015, 940 schools across the United States offer some form of yoga and/or meditation. Although some minor controversies about introducing mindful practices to schools continue the debate about whether meditation is or is not secular (as seen in the beginning of this post), one thing is certain, the breath is secular.

With gratitude,

ZenFriend

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ZenFriend

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