Zazen Meditation at Camden Kempo
Our classes balance fitness training, self-defence techniques and meditation practices. Every session includes a short meditation (known as zazen or chinkon gyo). This part of the session allows participants to clear their minds, focus on their bodies and breathe deeply. When practiced alongside physical self-defence training, regular meditation can help you to become calmer and more mindful, increasing your ability to deal with pressured situations.
What is Zazen?
Zazen is a type of seated meditation that’s all about calming your mind and focusing on your breath. It’s a simple yet powerful way to reduce stress and anxiety, improve your concentration, and boost your self-awareness.
How to get started
Want to try Zazen for yourself? Here’s a quick rundown:
- Find a quiet spot to sit comfortably ideally in the middle of our class
- Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths
- Focus on your breath, feeling the air move in and out of your body
- When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath
- Start with short sessions, like 1-3 minutes, and see how it goes
Why Zazen is awesome for martial artists
We love Zazen because it helps us develop a strong, focused mind. By practicing Zazen, you can:
- Improve your physical technique
- Increase your self-discipline
- Enhance your overall performance
Tips for beginners
- Start small and be consistent
- Be patient with yourself – it’s okay if your mind wanders!
- Try to make Zazen a part of your martial arts routine
Join us – We’d love for you to join us at Camden Kempo and experience the benefits of Zazen meditation for yourself. Let’s work together to cultivate a stronger, more focused mind – and take our martial arts training to the next level!
Another key part of our practice is acupressure massage (seiho). Seiho is a form of restorative massage that works to rebalance joints, muscles and tendons. We teach partner-seiho and self-seiho, enabling you to deal with all the aches and pains of a hard day. We often end our seminars with a training session on seiho.
You can learn much more from practicing in class and reading more in our Philosophy Book.