| Zen Buddhism can allow you to approach life with | | | | world. We experience deeper more meaningful |
| calm and serenity, and meditation is a vital component | | | | relationships, not just with our family but with everyone |
| of developing this ability. By stilling the incessant | | | | we come in touch with. |
| thoughts that are running through our minds all day, we | | | | As you start to live your life with more acceptance |
| can start to perceive the underlying unity of everyone | | | | everyday. We start to gain some perspective on the |
| around us. | | | | everyday events in our life. It's only our interpretation |
| So what is zen? It's a way of looking at, and more | | | | that makes it negative. The whole universe has |
| importantly experiencing life. Sometimes people think | | | | performed a very specific series of events to bring |
| that zen is detached, but it's actually being attached to | | | | about this very moment while you are reading this. If |
| the whole experience of life, not little parts of it. But at | | | | you are resisting it, then you're pushing against the |
| the same time, being completely involved in life. | | | | whole universe. An exercise in futility if there ever was |
| This can be a bit of a subtle distinction, but most of us | | | | one. |
| spend a too much of our time and energy worrying | | | | There's a zen story about a farmer living in a village |
| about things that have little or no real impact on our life. | | | | who has a horse that ran off. The other villagers said |
| What's the point in being concerned about the | | | | what a shame. The farmer just said "It is neither good |
| thousands of things that we have no control over? | | | | nor bad". His horse came back with a whole herd |
| We are bombarded by dis-empowering messages, so | | | | following, and making him very rich. His response was |
| it's easy to be worrying about the state of the | | | | "It is neither good nor bad". Then when he was out |
| economy and not enjoying playing with your kids. | | | | riding one of the new horses, his only son falls to the |
| For hundreds of years zen monks have been using | | | | ground, breaking his leg. The other villagers all gathered |
| meditation as a vital part of their spiritual practice to still | | | | around and commiserated with him, saying what a |
| their minds and get a deeper insight into life. As you | | | | shame. The farmer just said, "It is neither good nor |
| shed the habitual stresses and concerns, you'll become | | | | bad". A week later government troops came to the |
| more present to the moment and what's actually | | | | village conscripting all the young men, except for the |
| happening. You can't affect anything except what's | | | | son of the farmer because of his injury... |
| happening right now. Our lives are a constant series of | | | | This may seem like a simplified way of looking at life, |
| present moments and the more we can become | | | | but it illustrates the way our reaction colors every |
| aware of this, the more we can really live our life. | | | | event, even though we can never know what is about |
| More and more people around the world are finding | | | | to happen and what the end result might be. A less |
| that the consumer lifestyle leaves them feeling empty. | | | | enlightened man would have been in raptures of joy |
| So they embark on a search to find a sense of | | | | and depths of despair at experiencing the exact same |
| purpose. If you can find beauty not only in the sweet | | | | circumstances. This is how most people experience |
| fragrance of a flower on a clear spring day, but also in | | | | life every day. |
| the dark storm clouds, you open up a whole new level | | | | Meditation is an essential component of zen Buddhism, |
| of experience. There is beauty in every moment if we | | | | you could even say that it's the central part of |
| are open and aware. | | | | Buddhist practice. At the end of the day, we always |
| As we go through life, worrying a little less, seeing | | | | have a choice about how we react to any |
| beauty in everything around us, we can't help but feel | | | | circumstance. It may not be easy to see, but we |
| more connected to everything that makes up our | | | | always have a choice. |