For those interested in Zazen.

What in heaven's name or (WTF) is Zen? Zen is the Japanese word and version of the Chinese word Chan and the Hindu/sanskrit word Dhyana or simply in English means Sitting Meditation. This is how and why Buddhism came to the West, to spread the teachings of the Buddha about meditation; the rest are details. Buddha's way is about simplicity, to make life as simple as possible and what can be more simple than just 'Sitting'? Sitting is midway between the act of laying down and standing up, it is the most restful state without falling asleep. In sitting Zazen there is much more than just quieting the mind, there is the alignment of the physical body and the management of the flow of energy throughout within and without. Sitting also helps to readjust the state of mind and body from one action into another by simply focussing on the breath especially when waking up or going to sleep. It is an unwinding of sorts so as to go to bed clear headed and to start a new day with the same and if you do this often enough you will find clarity all that you are confronted with as you take on life day to day.

In Soto Zen or the Zen of Dogen Zenji, you are constantly in a state of meditation even when you are off the zafu or cushion and carrying out your daily chores or running a consortium, working on your painting or trimming the hedges. The spillover from your sitting consciousness is carried into your next activity and your next, you are doing 'Zazen' with no end or beginning. It can be said the same of most meditational practices to achieve such similar state of perpetual meditative state throughout one's life and not just when one chooses to sit at special times. However it is wise to follow a session or two of a Zen practice period in order to acquire a good and thorough understanding of what Zazen is all about. Living in a Zen Community and observing the precepts and rituals of Zen practice is a prerequisite towards becoming a wholesome being, an awakened being. 

Joining a Zen center in America is like joining a country club with a few serious runners and the rest are mostly window shoppers and thrill seekers for the soul or weekend Dharma warriors. However little amount of time you sit and for whatever reason, it is still worth more than not having done it at all at least consciously.

What does tafakkur mean?

Question: What is the importance of tafakkur in Islam? ANSWERTafakkur is an important act of worship in Islam. Tafakkur is to meditate over your sins, creation, yourself and to take lessons from the things Allahu ta’âlâ has created. When the good people are praised in the Qur’ân al-karîm, it is declared as follows: (They always remember Allah while they are standing, sitting, lying on their sides, and they meditate over the creation of the heavens and earth. They say, “O our Lord! You did not create them in vain. You are far from it [from creating useless, meaningless things]. Protect us from the torment of Hell.”) [Sûrat-u Âl-i ‘Imrân, 191] It is stated in hadîth-i sharîfs: (A momentary meditation on Allahu ta’âlâ’s Grandeur, Paradise, and Hell is better than spending a night in worship.) [Abûshshaikh] (Tafakkur is half the ibâdah.) [I. Ghazâlî] (No other act of worship is so valuable as meditation.) [Ibni Hibbân] (Meditating for a while is more valuable than one year’s [supererogatory] worship.) [K. Sa’âdat] From - My Religion Islam.com

When the great Indian sage Bodhidharma arrived in China he brought with the essence of the Buddha's teaching and that is Dhyana;

Definition - What does Dhyana mean?

Dhyana is a Sanskrit word meaning "meditation." It is derived from the root words, dhi, meaning “receptacle” or “the mind”; and yana, meaning “moving” or “going.” An alternate root word, dhyai, means "to think of."

In Hindu traditions that are derived from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, dhyana is a refined meditative practice that requires deep mental concentration. This kind of meditation is taken up only after engaging in preparatory exercises.

Bodhidharma transferred his teaching through what is known as the direct transmission whereby knowledge and wisdom is transmitted between two individuals without the benefit of utilizing words; one may call it telepathic. In order for this to happen both the giver and the receiver's mind has to be empty of any thoughts, it is a spontaneous and synchronized effort on both parties. As most probably the Indian Sage did not speak Chinese much less deliver the essence of the Buddha's doctrines, the direct transmission technique made sense for Mahayana Buddhist tradition to be expounded in  China initially. Chinese sages of the time were already great meditators in their own tradition before the encounter between the Indian and the Chinese masters.