Why Chan meditation? What started out as a curiosity ended up becoming part of my daily routine, just like taking a bath.
I confess that sometimes it’s a quick shower, other times it’s an immersion bath.
The benefits range from the practical, such as increased concentration and productivity at work, to the much-desired serenity in a world where I feel constantly overwhelmed by stimuli and information.

As a researcher at a university, I was trained to believe in scientifically proven results. Admittedly, the increased interest in meditation by the scientific community excites me and I believe there is no denying its potential.

What I have found when practicing Chan meditation are very concrete results, especially in self-control. The constant challenge of a monkey mind. Thoughts jumping around and making it difficult to focus on a particular task, or absorbed in ordinary problems, unable to get out of the loop.
These now have a very different dimension and limited relevance in my day-to-day life. Yes, mind control can be my main motivation for practicing meditation. And no, it hasn’t been constant over the eight years since I discovered the “Meditar Lisboa” group.

I can’t think of a better analogy than physical exercise. Like the periods when I join the gym and follow the training faithfully, there are periods of great progress, contrasted with periods of stagnation. There are also some interruptions justified by “I’m really busy, so I can’t afford to stop and meditate now”, or “I’m in such a peaceful phase, why meditate?”, etc, etc.
Retreats are always turning points. They are opportunities for total immersion, to follow the guidance of Buddhist monks and to experience moments of sharing with people with the most varied experiences… And what I always find curious is that the progress may not even be clear during the retreat itself, but is revealed in everyday life.
When I get back to my routine, I’m pleasantly surprised to see that I’m showing greater tolerance, empathy and resilience in various contexts (relationships, career, etc.).

Well, it’s been a long journey: from my initial skepticism about Buddhism, which actually didn’t stop me from progressing for years, to incorporating it into my practice.
Now what? The truth is that in this type of meditation, the motivation isn’t just to keep practicing. The challenge is that there is always a lot of room for improvement…