Aug 2, 2020 - This board has to do all things zen, but mostly gardens. (Learn more about my Books and eBooks here: See more ideas. Vital Proteins Feeling Zen™ is a convenient, plant-based capsule that combines organic ashwagandha root extract, L-Theanine, GABA and magnesium, which are all premium, functional ingredients that promote calmness and relaxation. Feeling Zen™ capsules can be easily incorporated into your daily wellness routine.
What is Zen? It’s both something we are—our true nature expressing itself moment by moment—and something we do—a disciplined practice through which we can realize the joy of being. It is not a belief system to which one converts. There is no dogma or doctrine. Zen is the direct experience of what we might call ultimate reality, or the absolute, yet it is not separate from the ordinary, the relative. This direct experience is our birthright. The practice of zazen—meditation—is a way of realizing the non-dualistic, vibrant, subtle, and interconnected nature of all life.
Free Shipping On All U.S. Orders Vital Proteins Feeling Zen™ is a convenient, plant-based capsule that combines organic ashwagandha root extract, L-Theanine, GABA and magnesium, which are all premium, functional ingredients that promote calmness and relaxation. Prepare the Night Before. You should prepare for your zen-like day the night before. The definition of zen is slang for feeling peaceful and relaxed. An example of zen as an adjective is to have a zen experience, how you feel during a day at the spa.
It was this path toward realization that was shown some 2,500 years ago by the Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama, who came to be known as Shakyamuni Buddha. “Buddha” simply means “awakened one.” His great teaching was that we can all awaken; that fundamentally, we are all buddhas— Jewish buddhas, Christian buddhas, Hindu buddhas, Islamic buddhas, Ashanti buddhas, Haudenasaunee buddhas, secular buddhas.
With this flexible and accommodating attitude toward the various cultures and beliefs it encountered, Buddhism was embraced throughout Asia. In China, it merged with Taoism and evolved into Ch’an, the Chinese word for meditation, which became “Zen” in Japan. Drivers elsa japan. Over the past few decades, it has become very much a part of Western culture. Indeed, the historian Arnold Toynbee said that one of the most significant events of the twentieth century was the movement of Buddhism from East to West.
Through a dedicated and consistent meditation practice, we can realize that self and other are One, that the conditioned and unconditioned are simultaneous, that absolute and relative are identical. Out of this realization flows a natural compassion and wisdom, a peaceful and intuitively appropriate response toward whatever circumstances may arise. We don’t make a big deal about it; we don’t even call it religion. When the Dalai Lama was asked about Buddhism, he simply said, “My religion is kindness.”
So, again, what is Zen? Stop now. Stop trying to get an intellectual lock on something that is vast and boundless, far more than the rational mind can grasp. Just breathe in with full awareness. Taste the breath. Appreciate it fully. Now breathe out, slowly, with equal appreciation. Give it all away; hold onto nothing. Breathe in with gratitude; breathe out with love. Receiving and offering—this is what we are doing each time we inhale and exhale. To do so with conscious awareness, on a regular basis, is the transformative practice we call Zen.
This simple yet profound practice can release us from the shackles of past and future, as well as from the self-imposed and imprisoning barriers we erect around what we erroneously consider our separate and unchanging identities.
Who do we think we are, anyway? When we really look deeply, it becomes the koan “Who am I?” We find that the conditioned views and compulsive traits we have come to call “self” have no fixed substance. We can, through consistent zazen, free ourselves from that imposter self and discover the true self—the being that is open, confident, and unhindered, flowing with all that exists in this very moment. Thus quite naturally we care for the environment, starting with our own actions: not wasting the earth’s precious resources, realizing that every act has consequences. And quite naturally we extend This Mind; we vow to live with attention, integrity, and authenticity; we vow to free all beings from suffering.
Join us for an Introduction To Zen weekend at our mountain monastery, or attend Zazen Intro at our New York City temple.
Meditation and at-desk exercises are helpful methods for writers to stay productive, focused, and healthy. Anyone who has tried to write a book knows how much mental and physical strain it requires!
If you have recently written, you were probably interrupted at least once by racing thoughts of family, friends, or even the passing traffic outside your window. It can be hard to shut our brains down and focus on a singular task at hand in the midst of such busy lives. It can be even harder to stay focused when you’ve been sitting at a desk for so long. By exercising and meditating, authors can keep their brains and bodies strong and ready for focused work.
Keep reading to learn more about how meditation and at-desk exercises can help you!
Meditation for authors
Meditation is an ancient practice used to develop one’s attention and focus, while simultaneously achieving mental clarity. The power and benefits of meditation are numerous – this one act can physically train your brain to better handle stress, develop impulse control, and strengthen your body’s immunity.
Meditation is great for writers because so much of our work takes place in our heads. By learning how to meditate and practicing it, you can silence your brain for a little bit. Think of how your brain is active every moment of every day. A little break from all that business sounds nice, doesn’t it?
The best thing about meditation is that it can be done anywhere. You can do it at your desk, in the shower, while laying in bed, and so on.
While there are many meditation techniques, we want to focus on body scanning, breath awareness, and practicing loving-kindness.
Body scanning
Body scanning is a simple way to learn how your body is feeling in a moment of calm. To do it, go to a quiet room and close your eyes. You can stand or be seated. Slowly move throughout your entire body – beginning with your head and working your way to your toes – and see how you feel. This may be a good way to realize your wrists are sore from writing and that they need a little break.
The Meaning Of Zen
Breath awareness
Breath awareness, much like body scanning, requires a quiet and peaceful space. Close your eyes and breathe in slowly, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. If your mind begins to drift bring it back to your breath. Simply focus on what your breathing is like.
Loving-kindness
Finally, there is loving-kindness. Close your eyes, stand up with your back straight and relax your body. Think of the people you love most in the world. Imagine them sending you warmth and positivity, filling you with joy and a feeling of love.
For more information on types of meditation that are available to you, check out:
- Mindfulness in Plain English by Henepola Gunaratana,
- Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn, and
- 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris.
Exercises for authors
If you’re looking for something to target more of the physically demanding side effects of writing, such as sore wrists, a tight neck, and hip pain from prolonged sitting, simple at-desk exercises may be what you need to alleviate these pains. By mastering and practicing just three moves, you can give your body a break from writing fatigue.
As the name denotes, at-desk exercises can be done… At. Your. Desk. How easy is that?! You can do them sitting down or standing up and (if you work in a busy office like me) they can be done pretty discreetly.
Neck stretches
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To practice your at-desk neck exercise, sit up tall like someone is pulling you by puppet strings. Relax your shoulders and back completely, letting your shoulder blades slide down slightly. From there, tilt your head and neck to the neck and feel a stretch on your right side. Stay here for a bit. After you let gravity do its thing, you can gently stretch your neck further with your hand. Repeat on the other side.
Arm stretches
For your hands/arms, put your left arm out in front of you with one of your palms facing up at the ceiling. With your right hand, grab your left fingers and gently pull them down to stretch your forearm. Hold for thirty seconds, then repeat on the other side. This should feel great after all the writing and typing you’ve been doing!
Feeling Zenekar
Hip stretches
Lastly, a great stretch for your hips/legs is to sit in your chair and slide both of your hands underneath your right thigh. Pull your right knee up into your chest (stop if this feels painful). Hold for thirty seconds. Repeat on the left side.
I recommend watching YouTube videos of similar exercises and stretches to get a clear idea of what the movements look like. Some great options are:
- Desk Exercises To Do At The Office, by Forbes,
- Stretch Breaks at Your Desk, by Renown Health
- Yoga at Your Desk, by Yoga with Adriene.
If you’re a writer who has ever felt physically or mentally fatigued while writing, bringing meditation and gentle stretching exercises into your workspace could be what you need. Are there any techniques you’ve used in the past that have proven to be particularly effective? Let us know!