“Zen is one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world.”
Watt, A. (1989). The Philosophy of the Tao. In The way of zen (pp. 3). story, Vintage Books.
When we talk about Zen almost everyone has heard of it and has some form of preconception on what it means and what practicing Zen entails. This view of Zen has mostly been informed via Hollywood and social media and rarely has shown us what Zen really is.
When we think about Zen usually the first thing that comes to mind is the idea of people meditating in nature. Be it a monk in a monestary or someone in your local park.
The truth is that Zen is nothing of the sort. Zen is instead a way of viewing the world as it is, recognizing our part in the world, and being genuinely honest with ourselves.
Practicing Zen can be something as simple as admiring the flowers in your local super market, to driving home from work in your commute.
The secret is you simply enjoy the moment. Don’t worry about the future or the past. If you are commuting home, don’t think about all the things you have to do when you get home. Instead live in the moment. The feeling of the steering wheel, the sound of the air-conditioning, and the activities of all the drivers around you as you move.
Just like that you see how you are all moving together, every action of everyone around you influences you and you in turn influence them and if you just go along with the movement and drop the frustrations you normally feel suddenly its a weight taken off and you enjoy the drive home.
This is the way of Zen.
