Zen habits 12 Essential Rules to Live More Like a Zen Monk I’m not a Zen monk, nor will I ever become one. However You probably don’t want to become a Zen monk either, but you can live your life in a more Zen-like manner by following a few simple rules. Why live more like a Zen monk? Because who among us can’t use , and mindfulness in our lives? Because Zen monks for hundreds of years have devoted their lives to One of my favorite Zen monks, Thich Nhat Hanh, simplified the rules in ve discovered to work very well in my experiments with Zen-like living. I am no Zen master … I am not even a Zen Buddhist. However, I’ve found that there “Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on follow) will be familiar to long-time Zen Habits readers. It’s part of my philosophy ’s also a part of the life of a Zen monk: single-task, don’t multi while eating or bathing. Zen proverb: “When walking, walk. When 4. Do less. A Zen monk doesn’t lead a lazy life: he . 6. Develop rituals. Zen monks have rituals for many things they do, from . You don’t have to learn the Zen monk rituals — you can create your own, There are certain times in the day of a Zen monk designated for certain activities. A time for for time to sitting. In the life of a Zen monk, sitting meditation (zaZen) is one 9. Smile and serve others. Zen monks spend part of their day in service to others and cooking become meditation. Aside from the zaZen mentioned above, cooking and cleaning are two of the most exalted parts of a Zen monk’s day. They are both great ways what is necessary. There is little in a Zen monk’s life that isn’t necessary. ’m not saying you should live exactly like a Zen monk — I certainly don’t. But I’m Leo Babauta, founder of Zen Habits. I transformed my life about 15 years ago from Zen Habits: