Jing Zuo - Forms of Meditation

Forms of Meditation

"The Confucian transformation model starts with individual meditation and goes through personal enhancement, self-discipline, personality integrity, family integration, state governance, and reaches the excellence of universal commonwealth" ("Confucianism."). In order to achieve personal mediation, "one must learn to rest the energy (chu chu) in order to be stabilized (ting), be still and calm (ching), reach peace (an) and be mindful (li)" ("Confucianism."). To have mindful energy, one must be "ready to learn the truth and reveal the virtue (te)" ("Confucianism.").

One form of meditation is personal meditation Qigong. Qigong is when 'one sits still and frees their own character in order to get in touch with their true or real self.' ("Confucianism."). Qigong "is a process of training the mind, body, and spirit with the aim of guiding ones thoughts so that they can prepare for further development. It aims to internalize and calm the energy (qi) and to calm the mind, body and spirit" ("Confucianism."). Another component is to desire and "reach a peaceful state so that one can become a thoughtful person to themselves and others" ("Confucianism.") around them through practicing qigong.

Another form of Confucian mediation is called Chou Won. "Chou means to sit and Won means to forget one's self " ("Confucianism."). The person simply sits, "lets go and allows God to work". (Wilson 1991). Chou Wong's main focus is to "detach the character from one's self and reach mental freedom" ("Confucianism."). This form of Confucian mediation is "important because it teaches the practitioner many things to do with one's self: self-awareness, self-enhancement, self-discipline and self-actualization as well as learning how to find the truth and create social change" ("Confucianism.").

The "mental processes aim to rejuvenate internal virtue that leads to the insight of real self-awareness and universal energy interconnection" ("Confucianism."). A main focus of these meditations "aim to incorporate mind, body and spirit for healing with the three main goals; disease prevention, healing, and human capacity development" ("Confucianism."). Confucian meditation is used as "an empowerment tool for the Confucians and their family members by teaching them stress management, personal enhancement, family integration and career development" ("Confucianism.").