During Zen practice, make yourself free from any desire. When you have the benevolence and strong conviction to liberate yourself from such desire, you will experience real Zen.

You should realize that the Zen state of mind is the tranquil state of mind that will unite universal energy. You must believe deeply that the time spent in Zen practice is your most meaningful time closest to the true worth of your life.

During practice, do not let thoughts interfere; instead, let them flow over and past you, just like water, and let them blown away by exhaling. Even a thought "I should try to think about nothing" is a distraction.

Release all thoughts; release the past, present and future. Finally, you will be free from any distracting thoughts. In the beginning, what you have to do is concentrate on your exhaling and heartbeat, but with further Zen practice, you will eventually be able to empty your   mind completely.