Abstract: This study is an attempt to rigorously map the psychological effects of Zen meditation
among experienced practitioners. Fifty-nine Zen meditators with at least six years of experience
practiced an hour of traditional Zazen seated meditation. A control group of 24 college students
spent 60 min. silently reading popular magazines. Before relaxation, all participants took the Smith
Relaxation States Inventory (SRSI), the Smith Relaxation Dispositions/Motivations Inventory
(SRD/MI), and the Smith Relaxation Beliefs Inventory (SRBI). After practice, participants again
took the SRSI. Analyses revealed that meditators are less likely to believe in God, more likely to
believe in Inner Wisdom, and more likely to display the relaxation dispositions Mental Quiet,
Mental Relaxation, and Timeless/Boundless/Infinite. Pre- and post-session analyses revealed that
meditators showed greater increments in the relaxation states Mental Quiet, Love and
Thankfulness, and Prayerfulness, as well as reduced Worry. Results support Smith’s ABC
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