Soft Butter Meditation is a visualization technique that helps the meditators revive their spirits, while healing their exhausted body and mind(1).

Introduction

Soft Butter Meditation was introduced by the famous Zen Master, Hakuin (1686-1768)(2). It is a popular method that is believed to be very useful for the novice meditators(3) and experienced practitioners alike. Hakuin taught this technique as a process to energize the entire body, from the crown to the feet. He believed that this meditation can cure diseases and remove tension(3).  

It is believed that the Soft Butter Meditation technique has the ability to harmonize the meditators’ body and mind in peace(1). Continuous practice of this method can help anyone feel better and healthier than a 20-year-old. With Soft Butter Meditation, one can cure any illness, attain any virtue, and attain any level of sagehood(1). However, it can take anywhere from days to an entire lifetime or beyond to attain the result. It depends on the spiritual evolution of the practitioner’s soul.  

History/Origins

Soft Butter Meditation is also known as Nanso No Ho(3). In his writings, Hakuin informs that he was once suffering from a grave illness caused by the tension and severity of his meditation practice(3). He named this condition the “Zen Sickness(2)”. 

The illness could not be cured by doctors and he was told that there was no solution for it. That is when he had met a mysterious cave-dweller hermit named Hakuyu(3). The sage prescribed several techniques to Hakuin that helped him eventually recover from the serious disease. One of these practices was Soft Butter Meditation(2). Hakuin’s meditation techniques became a part of the Rinzai lineages, and Soft Butter Meditation is still practiced today by many(3). 

Benefits of Soft Butter Meditation

According to a research article published in Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought(4), visualization-based meditation techniques have multiple health benefits. They can successfully decrease anxiety and increase self-awareness, while improving overall health. Another study(5) suggests that such meditation methods can effectively reduce work related stress, too. Thus, you can achieve good health with continuous practice of Soft Butter Meditation. 

 

References

  1. Shambhala | Wild Ivy: The Spiritual Autobiography of Zen Master Hakuin by Hakuin Ekaku
  2. Shambhala | Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Jan Chozen Bays
  3. Shambhala | The Rinzai Zen Way: A Guide to Practice by Meido Moore
  4. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought | Volume 30, Issue 3 | Wellness Through a Creative Lens: Meditation and Visualization by Indrani Margolin, Joanna Pierce, and Aislinn Wiley 
  5. Issues in Mental Health Nursing | Volume 14, Issue 1 | Effects of Relaxation Training, Combining Imagery, and Meditation on the Stress Level of Chinese Nurses Working in Modern Hospitals in Taiwan by Sing-Ling Tsai and Mary Swanson Crockett