The great gate is open, but travelers seek everywhere??? - Eshin
In the midst of our lives, hungry, thirsty and often weary, there comes a moment when we stop and wonder, ???Is this all there is? Is there another way to live my life that will bring the joy and contentment that eludes me????
Why Zen? Why Now?
Caught in the patterns of our lives, each of us has an intuition of something beyond the way we are now living. This something has the power to dispel sorrow and transform our lives into one of wholeness and joy. This is what Zen offers. This ancient practice has the power to heal division and offer the strength, compassion and refreshment we all desire.
The truth about Zen is that it is simple, and best practiced right in the midst of our everyday lives. This presents a unique opportunity. We now have the chance to grow like flowers, planted in the soil of our daily concerns.
As we begin to live the Zen way, we develop a new way of knowing and of being in the world. We do not analyze, explain or justify what happens. Rather than try to mold or control our experience, we simply make friends with it, become acquainted, let it instruct us and be our guide.
Finding Zen First Steps
When people find out about Zen they often become excited, feeling as though they have stumbled upon something, which will quickly change their entire lives. Along with this excitement comes a rush of hopes, dreams and demands. We always approach Zen the way we approach the rest of our lives. But Zen turns things upside down and then right side up again. Here are some fundamental pointers which show the new direction your life will take: Pointers and Warnings
These pointers are for beginning students. A student can be considered a ???beginning student??? for the first 50 years or more. Take a deep breath. We are not going anywhere fast. In fact, we are returning ??" back to our original home.
Zen Pointer 1 ??" Stop Looking For A Quick Fix
A great danger in our lives is looking for a quick fix, believing there are all kinds of wise ones around who have the answers for our lives. That is not the point of Zen. What is the point? Do it yourself and find out. No one else can tell you. As they say in Zen, ???Don???t put a head on your head. What???s wrong with your own, anyway????
Zen Pointer 2 ??" Give Up Unnecessary Pressure
Most of the time we create all kinds of goals and drive ourselves crazy to reach them. We measure our progress, compare ourselves to others, judge ourselves relentlessly. This is not the Zen way. Here we focus upon each breath, each day, each moment and experience it totally. One complete breath brings the next. The path is made by walking.
Zen Pointer 3 - Go Back To The Beginning
Many are constantly seeking more and more, exploring new territories, ideas, relationships. They then feel they are advancing and gaining ground. However, many rush forward without really knowing where they are going. Once they arrive, they quickly set a new destination and start rushing to it again.
The Zen way is to return to the beginning. We stop, sit down, look within. We remember where we came from, who we are and where we are headed. We also remember to take care of our simple lives as well as the lives of others along the way.
By returning to our original nature, we remember how to sit, breathe, eat, play and re-claim the excitement, joy and adventure we felt as children, but lost along the way.
???The plum tree of my hut,
It couldn???t be helped,
It bloomed.???
Brenda Shoshanna, Ph.D., author of Living By Zen (Timeless Truths For Everyday Life) http://www.livingbyzen.com, is a psychologist, speaker, and author. Her work integrates Zen and everyday life. She is also author of Zen And The Art Of Falling In Love, (Simon and Schuster) and Zen Miracles (Finding Peace In An Insane World), among other books. Her personal website is http://www.livingbyzen.com. She can be reached at http://www.livingbyzen.com
Mokena prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare"Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as... Read More
Throughout history, what is portrayed in all religions as being... Read More
Being a Christian does not exempt us from having to... Read More
But my God shall supply all your need according to... Read More
Second Isaiah, so called because his book of prophecy was... Read More
As Christians, we know we need God in every aspect... Read More
Setting boundaries is a common expression that we hear almost... Read More
People rarely live up to a hundred years of age... Read More
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,... Read More
Many of you already own several lucky charms or talismans.... Read More
Iktomi:Another and somewhat longer term correspondent of mine is a... Read More
The Evil Eye has been around since the beginning of... Read More
The more we worry about money, and who's asking for... Read More
Let's take a look at all these aspects. The bible... Read More
It's strange how my life today looks wildly different from... Read More
"I resolve to speak ill of no man?and proper occasions... Read More
Religion is "absolute truth of life" of the physical manifested... Read More
In my yard are quarter-circles of grass growing taller than... Read More
"Everything in the universe is a pitcher brimming with wisdom... Read More
We all know that the best laid plans of mice... Read More
It's the most powerful weapon on Earth. It can turn... Read More
The first hymn of Isha Upanishad says - whatever living... Read More
Those of us, who are familiar with Apostle Paul's sermon... Read More
Over the past number of years, while going through my... Read More
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself... Read More
Mokena Chicago limo O'Hare ..He knew it was going to happen. He wasn't really... Read More
If any man be in Christ, he is a new... Read More
I seemed to have lost my heart. Now this is... Read More
Last week, I sat at my computer and watched the... Read More
Many of us have been taught that it is wrong... Read More
"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the... Read More
The concept of integrity has arisen often in discussions of... Read More
You will become as great as your dominant aspiration...If you... Read More
I am going to remind of some simple, yet important... Read More
Ever wonder what happened to the family dinner hour? Or... Read More
If you've been on a conscious spiritual journey for any... Read More
In the early 90's I had a spontaneous Kundalini Awakening... Read More
As Mother's day is upon us, Iam moved to express... Read More
Mother Nature has this uncanny tendency to turn upon herself... Read More
The "Left Behind" series is inspiring, in that it makes... Read More
Matthew 3:4-6 John Baptizes the People4 Now John wore a... Read More
I don't know of anyone who really liked taking tests... Read More
Do you have a dream, but are waiting for "just... Read More
Lectio divina is a very useful and practical discipline for... Read More
A Nathan type prophet sees with his eyes. A Samuel... Read More
It is no doubt that so many of you are... Read More
Almost every spiritual and religious teaching exhorts its followers to... Read More
"Who being in the very nature God, did not consider... Read More
How did an artist accidently learn healing visualizations and improve... Read More
Inspirational author Vernon Howard wrote, "Would you be worried over... Read More
Spirituality |