After taking a break from corporate life in 1974, Jobs adopted a life-long Buddhist practice. He was a seeker of knowledge who traveled widely to expand his own consciousness. Traversing India sparked Jobs’ conversion to Buddhism. Like the Beatles, Jobs took a spiritual retreat to India and regularly walked around barefoot.
Steve Jobs’ Buddhist Beliefs
Many believe that the inner clarity and conviction that Steve Jobs attained was the result of his deep explorations into his spiritual self. It is well known that Steve was mystified by Eastern philosophies. He wanted to leave his permanent mark on the universe.
Zen Buddhism Influence
Steve Jobs was a Zen Buddhist. His first encounter with Buddhism occurred in the early 1970s when Zen, Buddhist, and Hindu philosophies were becoming popular in California. In 1974 a trip to India sparked in him a lifelong interest in Buddhism. He met Kobun Chino Roshi, a Japanese Zen master living in Santa Cruz, who became his spiritual mentor.
Did Steve Jobs practice meditation?
Jobs gave a huge influence to the people, not by making what people wanted but by making what they will want. He read their future desires and opened up a new digital world. During the initial stages of the Apple company, even in his busy life time, he always meditated an hour every morning before he went to work.
Zen Mindfulness Meditation
What’s less known, though, is that Steve Jobs was a pioneer in what was once a rather esoteric “mind technology”–the use of Zen mindfulness meditation to reduce his stress, gain more clarity, and enhance his creativity.
More and more business leaders in the tech world and beyond are following Jobs’ lead, tapping into their intuition through meditation, a practice that’s been linked to lower stress levels and boosts in cognitive functioning, creativity, productivity, and even empathy.