Darius Foroux Foroux Feed Feed Darius Darius Foroux Foroux Comments Comments Feed Feed Darius Darius Foroux Foroux Zen Zen Principles Principles To To Live Live By By Comments Comments Feed Feed alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate Darius Darius Foroux Foroux Articles Articles About About Products Products Books Books Courses Courses Learn Learn Podcast Podcast Best Best Articles Articles Reading Reading List List Tools Tools I I Use Use Free Free Guides Guides Reader Reader Stories Stories Free Free Course Course Menu Menu Search Search for for BUTTON BUTTON Search Search Zen Zen Principles Principles To To Live Live By By zen zen min min read read I I love love practical practical advice advice that that you you can can immediately immediately apply apply to to your your life life And And Zen Zen a a school school of of Mahayana Mahayana Buddhism Buddhism is is full full of of practical practical wisdom wisdom When When I I tell tell my my friends friends colleagues colleagues and and people people I I work work with with that that I I like like reading reading about about Zen Zen Buddhism Buddhism they they often often make make remarks remarks like like When When are are you you going going to to grow grow your your hair hair walk walk around around bare bare feet feet and and talk talk about about yoga yoga all all day day That That s s the the hipster hipster way way of of life life Not Not the the Zen Zen way way What What is is Zen Zen actually actually To To be be honest honest I I don don t t know know It It s s not not a a religion religion belief belief or or piece piece of of knowledge knowledge I I started started reading reading more more about about Zen Zen when when I I learned learned that that legendary legendary basketball basketball coach coach Phil Phil Jackson Jackson is is very very into into Zen Zen and and used used the the concepts concepts to to coach coach Michael Michael Jordan Jordan and and Kobe Kobe Bryant Bryant And And especially especially Kobe Kobe a a person person who who I I have have immense immense respect respect for for embraced embraced Zen Zen principles principles When When I I found found out out about about that that I I wanted wanted to to learn learn more more about about Zen Zen Phil Phil Jackson Jackson also also mentions mentions a a Zen Zen quote quote in in his his book book Eleven Eleven Rings Rings which which is is about about the the championship championship runs runs of of the the Chicago Chicago Bulls Bulls and and LA LA Lakers Lakers Before Before enlightenment enlightenment chop chop wood wood and and carry carry water water After After enlightenment enlightenment chop chop wood wood and and carry carry water water Wu Wu Li Li My My interpretation interpretation is is that that no no matter matter what what happens happens in in your your life life you you must must keep keep doing doing your your task task I I live live by by that that philosophy philosophy too too You You can can replace replace enlightenment enlightenment with with any any life life goal goal Nothing Nothing changes changes once once you you achieve achieve something something You You still still have have to to do do what what you you re re meant meant to to do do Over Over the the past past few few years years I I ve ve read read more more about about Zen Zen and and everything everything that that s s related related to to it it What What I I ve ve found found is is that that it it s s not not a a smart smart thing thing to to get get hung hung up up on on definitions definitions movements movements and and groups groups Buddhism Buddhism Taoism Taoism Zen Zen they they share share many many of of the the same same ideas ideas To To be be honest honest I I also also don don t t care care what what is is what what and and who who invented invented certain certain ideas ideas I I ll ll leave leave that that to to the the pseudo pseudo intellectualists intellectualists of of this this world world All All I I know know is is that that many many of of the the Zen Zen teachings teachings are are very very useful useful for for living living a a peaceful peaceful and and happy happy life life So So I I ve ve made made a a list list of of Zen Zen lessons lessons I I ve ve found found practical practical and and easily easily applicable applicable to to modern modern day day life life Here Here we we go go Find Find Your Your Meditation Meditation Technique Technique The The most most important important part part of of a a Zen Zen monk monk s s life life is is meditation meditation I I ve ve tried tried sitting sitting meditation meditation in in the the past past It It s s not not for for me me So So I I ve ve turned turned running running and and strength strength training training into into my my meditation meditation The The most most important important thing thing about about meditation meditation is is this this Practice Practice being being in in the the moment moment I I ve ve found found it it doesn doesn t t matter matter what what type type of of activity activity you you use use Sitting Sitting meditation meditation yoga yoga running running strength strength training training you you can can MAKE MAKE it it work work for for you you Make Make sure sure you you re re one one with with your your body body clear clear your your mind mind and and do do it it regularly regularly One One note note Meditation Meditation doesn doesn t t work work when when you you try try to to do do six six thousand thousand things things at at the the same same time time I I ve ve recently recently learned learned to to do do one one thing thing at at a a time time I I ve ve stopped stopped doing doing things things like like listening listening to to audiobooks audiobooks and and podcasts podcasts when when you you re re working working on on something something important important or or when when you you re re exercising exercising Ever Ever since since I I quit quit that that type type of of multitasking multitasking behavior behavior my my workouts workouts have have improved improved drastically drastically These These days days I I completely completely focus focus on on the the task task at at hand hand Running Running lifting lifting weights weights my my muscles muscles the the way way I I breathe breathe etc etc I I still still like like to to listen listen to to music music because because that that easily easily moves moves to to the the background background You You don don t t have have to to focus focus on on it it Enjoy Enjoy The The Moment Moment This This quote quote from from Thích Thích Nhất Nhất Hạnh Hạnh a a Vietnamese Vietnamese Zen Zen Monk Monk says says it it all all Drink Drink your your tea tea slowly slowly and and reverently reverently as as if if it it is is the the axis axis on on which which the the world world earth earth revolves revolves slowly slowly evenly evenly without without rushing rushing toward toward the the future future Look Look you you don don t t have have to to do do groundbreaking groundbreaking things things to to live live a a meaningful meaningful life life You You don don t t need need to to be be the the youngest youngest person person to to climb climb Everest Everest Actually Actually you you don don t t need need to to be be the the first first person person who who does does anything anything Just Just makes makes sure sure you you enjoy enjoy most most moments moments of of your your day day I I say say most most because because you you re re probably probably way way too too busy busy to to enjoy enjoy every every moment moment That That s s not not realistic realistic unless unless you you re re a a Monk Monk But But stopping stopping for for a a few few seconds seconds a a day day and and enjoying enjoying the the moment moment that that s s something something everyone everyone can can do do No No excuses excuses Happiness Happiness Is Is Closer Closer Than Than You You Think Think We We often often look look at at outside outside sources sources for for happiness happiness Travel Travel a a new new job job moving moving to to a a different different city city or or county county a a new new partner partner more more experiences experiences etc etc But But if if you you re re unhappy unhappy now now you you will will probably probably be be an an unhappy unhappy person person with with new new experiences experiences A A quote quote from from the the Japanese Japanese Zen Zen Master Master Dogen Dogen explains explains it it well well If If you you are are unable unable to to find find the the truth truth right right where where you you are are where where else else do do you you expect expect to to find find it it Don Don t t look look for for happiness happiness in in other other places places Find Find it it right right where where you you are are Once Once you you become become happy happy it it s s easier easier to to stay stay happy happy Focus Focus On On The The Process Process Zen Zen Monks Monks and and Masters Masters don don t t care care about about results results They They focus focus on on habits habits rituals rituals and and processes processes that that support support the the Zen Zen way way of of living living Too Too often often we we stare stare blindly blindly on on the the results results we we want want to to achieve achieve that that we we forget forget why why we we do do something something in in the the first first place place I I don don t t think think there there s s anything anything wrong wrong with with trying trying to to achieve achieve things things You You don don t t have have to to give give up up everything everything and and move move to to a a monastery monastery But But make make sure sure you you develop develop habits habits and and rituals rituals that that support support what what you you re re trying trying to to achieve achieve in in life life When When you you focus focus on on the the process process the the outcome outcome will will follow follow automatically automatically Zen Zen Believes Believes The The Meaning Meaning Of Of Life Life Is Is To To Be Be Alive Alive Alan Alan Watts Watts was was a a British British philosopher philosopher who who was was introduced introduced to to Zen Zen in in when when he he attended attended a a conference conference where where D D T T Suzuki Suzuki spoke spoke Suzuki Suzuki a a Japanese Japanese author author singlehandedly singlehandedly influenced influenced the the spreading spreading of of Zen Zen in in the the West West And And ever ever since since that that moment moment Watts Watts years years old old at at the the time time was was fascinated fascinated with with Zen Zen He He wrote wrote many many books books One One of of the the most most popular popular books books is is Way Way of of Zen Zen Watts Watts also also built built a a large large following following in in the the West West And And I I have have to to say say that that I I like like his his work work a a lot lot Especially Especially his his perspective perspective on on the the meaning meaning of of life life He He said said The The meaning meaning of of life life is is just just to to be be alive alive It It is is so so plain plain and and so so obvious obvious and and so so simple simple And And yet yet everybody everybody rushes rushes around around in in a a great great panic panic as as if if it it were were necessary necessary to to achieve achieve something something beyond beyond themselves themselves This This sounds sounds obvious obvious but but I I m m going going to to say say it it anyway anyway Instead Instead of of thinking thinking spend spend your your life life living living Make Make yourself yourself useful useful solve solve problems problems add add value value and and most most importantly importantly Enjoy Enjoy it it Don Don t t rush rush life life Before Before you you know know it it will will all all be be over over To To me me that that s s the the true true Zen Zen way way of of living living Read Read Next Next December December positive positive affirmations affirmations Positive Positive Affirmations Affirmations For For People People Who Who Don Don t t Like Like Affirmations Affirmations January January uptrend uptrend downtrend downtrend Uptrend Uptrend vs vs Downtrend Downtrend Why Why Everything Everything is is Directional Directional June June stay stay a a student student Why Why Successful Successful People People Always Always Stay Stay A A Student Student Archive Archive Members Members Privacy Privacy Community Community Contact Contact Darius Darius Foroux Foroux Close Close Menu