Profile
Photos
Comments
Do not pursue the outer conditions nor dwell in the inner void.
Rest yourself in oneness with things
and all barriers will disappear
- Seng Ts�an (526-606)https://www.dailyzen.com/default.asp
Top 10 Instant Moments of Zen
“We can all use a little piece of Zen in our lives…”
Webster’s defines Zen as a Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that
aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation. The
online Urban Dictionary gives this definition: “One way to think of zen
is this: a total state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness
of body and mind.”
Zen is a way of being. It also is a state of mind.
Zen involves dropping illusion and seeing things without the
distortion created by your own thoughts. I submit that we (Westerners)
are often so distracted in our multi-task-driven lives that we barely
have time to breathe, let alone find anything near the aim of the
Mahayana Buddhists.
We can all use a little piece of Zen in our lives, if only for a
moment. And while these suggestions may only be baby steps, they are
hopefully steps in the right direction.
1. Zen through your eyes: Simply close your eyes.
It’s amazing how much we can take in and how much we can wear out our
poor pupils, especially sitting in front of computer screens all day.
Give your lids a rest and close them - if only for a minute of solitude.
2. A zenful breath: Ujjayi is a yoga breathing
technique used to try and center one’s focus away from all the many
distractions in our daily life. The simplest way to describe the Ujjayi
technique is to pretend you are holding a mirror in front of you and
exhale and inhale deeply towards that imaginary mirror as though you
were trying to fog it up. Now close your mouth, breathe through your
nose as you remain aware of that same quality of breath (a Darth
Vader-like breath, similar to the sound of the ocean). This sound is
continued through a slight closing off of the back of the throat during
both your inhales and exhales. Try breathing as deeply as you can using
this technique for 20 full breaths to see what its effects are for your
body.
3. The sound of Zen: Play a mix of your favorite
calming tunes. Try sacred or classical music if you prefer something
purely instrumental, or new age artists like TJ Rehmi and Enya for
slightly more upbeat - yet meditative in their own way.
4. A sip of Zen: The benefits of green tea are many
including lowering of “bad” cholesterol (LDL), helping to prevent
cancer, reducing high blood pressure, lowering blood sugar and
destroying the bacteria that forms plaque. Try a cup of Tazo’s Zen
green tea when you need a meditative moment, with a side of
health-minded benefits.
5. The scent of Zen: Use aromatherapy lotions or
oil sprays (diluted oils in a spray bottle) at your desk, home or even
in your car to surround yourself with the instant soothing scent of
lavender or bergamot, the comforting aroma of vanilla, chamomile’s
relaxing benefits or meditative effect of sandalwood.
6. The beauty of Zen: Take a moment to create
something expressive…write a poem, song lyrics, a quick sketch or
collage…something fun, creative and artistic. It’s during these moments
of creativity that we can find peace and rejuvenation.
7. The path to Zen: It’s simple, it’s comfy, it’s a
toasty pair of clean socks. That’s right, something as easy as changing
into a new pair of socks during the middle or end of your day can give
you a newfound rejuvenation.
8. Understand Zen: If stress is piling up around
you at work or home, take a few minutes to bring your awareness to the
greater meaning of it all. Here are a few sites with inspirational
quotes and zenful stories to bookmark on your computer:
9. Sharing Zen: We send out mass emails, forwards
and e-cards, and rarely see personalized mail anymore. Pass on a bit of
Zen through the unexpected personalized email or letter to a friend or
family member - just because.
10. Healing touch of Zen: Aches and pains distract
us from fully focusing on the present moment or task at hand. Help
relieve the distractive tension by throwing a warm heating pad on those
sore shoulders, neck or lower back.