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balancing on on each each other other How How to to live live a a life life of of Zen Zen in in a a modern modern world world In In Insight Insight and and Experience Experience by by christine christine stonerOctober stonerOctober Leave Leave a a Comment Comment This This article article gives gives tips tips on on how how to to live live a a life life of of Zen Zen in in a a modern modern world world The The author author gives gives great great insights insights on on how how this this ancient ancient philosophy philosophy can can benefit benefit you you in in your your everyday everyday life life Serious Serious students students of of Zen Zen spend spend many many years years in in rigorous rigorous training training in in monasteries monasteries However However it it is is possible possible to to take take what what we we want want from from this this way way of of life life and and use use it it to to our our advantage advantage in in today today s s world world Our Our constant constant struggle struggle to to survive survive gets gets in in the the way way of of the the harmony harmony so so necessary necessary for for our our spirit spirit in in this this mad mad whirlpool whirlpool which which is is modern modern life life Zen Zen principles principles in in their their absolute absolute simplicity simplicity may may appear appear archaic archaic but but surprisingly surprisingly they they are are modern modern in in function function and and can can have have real real meaning meaning for for us us Most Most of of us us could could do do with with a a little little more more tranquillity tranquillity and and peace peace our our lives lives and and if if that that takes takes mindfulness mindfulness and and a a little little concentration concentration why why not not Here Here are are tips tips highlighting highlighting how how you you can can benefit benefit by by embracing embracing a a Zen Zen philosophy philosophy within within your your busy busy daily daily life life Deliberately Deliberately being being mindful mindful Mindfulness Mindfulness is is being being present present in in everything everything you you do do concentrating concentrating on on that that task task alone alone Staying Staying present present keeps keeps us us in in the the moment moment and and shuts shuts out out the the jumble jumble of of thoughts thoughts which which constantly constantly attacks attacks us us In In this this quiet quiet present present moment moment space space we we are are open open to to receiving receiving greater greater creative creative insights insights This This is is the the peaceful peaceful space space of of problem problem solving solving and and lateral lateral thinking thinking Gently Gently strive strive for for simplicity simplicity concentration concentration and and mindfulness mindfulness in in every every activity activity Single Single task task only only multi multi tasking tasking is is not not in in the the Zen Zen vocabulary vocabulary If If you you re re watching watching TV TV just just watch watch it it if if you you re re bathing bathing just just bathe bathe If If you you re re eating eating just just eat eat eating eating while while working working is is totally totally against against Zen Zen philosophy philosophy Do Do one one task task at at a a time time focus focus and and be be deliberate deliberate with with it it Giving Giving yourself yourself the the hurry hurry up up Try Try to to catch catch yourself yourself when when you you are are rushing rushing Rushing Rushing tasks tasks is is stressful stressful and and actually actually takes takes longer longer How How many many times times have have you you knocked knocked things things over over lost lost keys keys or or tripped tripped yourself yourself up up in in some some way way when when you you have have been been stressed stressed from from rushing rushing Mundane Mundane tasks tasks such such as as housework housework laundry laundry and and meal meal preparation preparation are are best best not not done done in in a a rushed rushed and and stressed stressed state state of of mind mind These These tasks tasks are are not not actually actually boring boring they they are are the the meditative meditative time time we we all all need need Actions Actions are are best best performed performed deliberately deliberately rather rather than than rushed rushed and and random random This This takes takes practice practice because because we we have have become become conditioned conditioned to to rushing rushing and and doing doing tasks tasks by by the the clock clock The The key key is is to to allow allow yourself yourself enough enough time time between between tasks tasks so so you you can can relax relax in in the the process process of of life life Why Why you you ask ask Slow Slow and and deliberate deliberate helps helps us us stay stay present present and and remain remain focused focused on on the the task task This This again again leaves leaves space space for for our our minds minds to to rest rest and and enable enable creative creative insight insight a a huge huge bonus bonus to to every every creative creative and and non non creative creative person person alike alike And And that that helps helps us us to to solve solve problems problems too too If If all all fails fails do do it it another another time time To To do do the the task task completely completely is is the the way way of of Zen Zen This This means means to to complete complete each each task task before before moving moving on on to to something something else else It It is is best best to to move move onto onto the the next next task task when when everything everything is is tidied tidied up up and and put put away away from from the the first first task task For For example example if if you you are are making making a a sandwich sandwich try try to to clean clean up up the the utensils utensils used used to to make make it it and and wipe wipe down down the the bench bench before before you you commence commence eating eating This This allows allows you you to to focus focus completely completely on on the the next next task task which which is is of of course course eating eating your your lunch lunch If If you you are are cleaning cleaning the the car car it it is is best best to to put put the the cleaning cleaning products products and and vacuum vacuum cleaner cleaner away away before before you you even even think think about about the the next next task task If If for for some some reason reason you you cannot cannot complete complete the the task task and and must must move move on on to to something something else else clean clean up up the the unfinished unfinished task task ready ready to to tackle tackle it it another another time time Leaving Leaving time time between between tasks tasks allows allows you you to to take take a a little little longer longer with with some some jobs jobs if if you you need need to to This This way way your your day day remains remains stress stress free free without without worrying worrying about about running running out out of of time time for for the the next next task task The The schedule schedule of of overcrowdedness overcrowdedness A A Zen Zen monk monk does does not not completely completely fill fill his his days days with with tasks tasks In In other other words words he he is is not not stressed stressed out out by by the the amount amount of of work work he he has has ahead ahead of of him him each each day day He He is is not not lazy lazy he he rises rises early early and and has has a a day day filled filled with with work work He He has has a a certain certain number number of of things things he he wants wants to to do do this this day day and and no no more more By By doing doing less less he he can can concentrate concentrate and and do do the the tasks tasks more more slowly slowly His His goal goal is is to to be be deliberate deliberate with with his his tasks tasks not not to to do do as as much much as as he he can can in in the the shortest shortest time time He He leaves leaves space space between between tasks tasks in in case case one one task task takes takes longer longer than than he he planned planned That That way way he he doesn doesn t t struggle struggle with with an an overcrowded overcrowded schedule schedule And And why why does does he he wish wish to to be be deliberate deliberate and and mindful mindful with with his his tasks tasks The The answer answer is is to to free free his his restless restless mind mind from from activity activity By By experiencing experiencing moments moments of of restfulness restfulness in in his his mind mind he he escapes escapes time time He He is is in in a a timeless timeless formless formless place place conserving conserving energy energy by by not not thinking thinking This This frees frees up up his his energy energy to to create create other other things things The The unrealised unrealised power power of of ritual ritual Zen Zen monks monks have have rituals rituals or or rites rites for for many many things things they they do do including including bathing bathing cleaning cleaning meditating meditating etc etc Creating Creating rituals rituals for for yourself yourself gives gives things things a a sense sense of of importance importance If If something something has has a a sense sense of of importance importance it it is is worth worth doing doing slowly slowly deliberately deliberately and and correctly correctly It It deserves deserves your your entire entire attention attention Think Think hard hard and and recognise recognise the the rituals rituals you you are are already already performing performing and and pay pay attention attention to to them them They They are are important important to to you you even even if if you you don don t t realise realise it it Otherwise Otherwise why why would would they they be be done done each each day day usually usually at at the the same same time time and and in in the the same same way way Rituals Rituals are are sacred sacred times times and and need need to to be be treated treated as as such such A A Zen Zen monk monk likes likes to to do do things things regularly regularly so so he he designates designates time time for for them them He He has has a a set set time time for for eating eating bathing bathing working working cleaning cleaning and and so so on on You You can can designate designate time time for for your your various various activities activities such such as as work work exercise exercise eating eating and and quiet quiet contemplation contemplation If If the the task task is is an an important important one one and and is is done done regularly regularly it it deserves deserves to to have have a a specific specific time time designated designated for for it it Our Our daily daily activities activities A A Zen Zen monk monk always always makes makes time time each each day day for for sitting sitting meditation meditation called called Zazen Zazen This This is is one one of of the the most most important important times times in in his his day day By By quietening quietening his his mind mind he he remains remains present present and and this this takes takes his his focus focus off off past past and and future future thinking thinking Activities Activities such such as as gardening gardening cycling cycling running running painting painting knitting knitting housework housework bathing bathing and and walking walking are are a a luxuriously luxuriously easy easy way way to to remain remain present present Ideally Ideally the the stilled stilled mind mind doesn doesn t t process process it it just just reflects reflects like like a a mirror mirror Christine Christine Stoner Stoner is is an an accomplished accomplished artist artist and and the the creator creator of of Zen Zen School School for for Creative Creative People People Her Her work work is is held held in in private private collections collections in in Australia Australia and and internationally internationally She She also also writes writes about about Zen Zen and and creativity creativity online online and and conducts conducts workshops workshops with with this this theme theme Christine Christine has has a a Diploma Diploma in in Visual Visual Arts Arts is is a a teacher teacher in in Brisbane Brisbane and and is is also also a a qualified qualified yoga yoga teacher teacher and and counsellor counsellor Christine Christine may may be be contacted contacted at at christine christine zenschool zenschool com com au au Share Share this this post post Leave Leave a a Comment Comment Cancel Cancel reply reply Comment Comment Name Name Email Email Website Website Submit Submit Search Search Wai Wai Lana Lana Yoga Yoga MREC MREC noni noni juice juice green green footer footer 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