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Do not learn meditation from a Japanese teacher

There is a confusion between Zen and meditation. Zen practise is to see one's body without meditating so that one can live without the complication of having to decide in each moment. That is why Zen was accepted by Samurai who had no time to meditate before they had to act.

In Europe there was a tradition of meditation and it is better for Europeans to learn meditation from an European teacher. In Japan meditation was introduced by Yoga teachers but it is not good for Japanese people who live in a culture based on Zen practise. There are some Japense people who try to learn meditation but the result is not good because it collides with the Japanese way of living. There was a Japanese man who started meditation seriously and became crazy and end up by killing many people with sarin gas in 1995 in Tokyo. Now sensible Japanese people are not interested in meditation but sometimes try a light version of Zen practise or Zen philosophy.

Doshu (January 2020)