The Zen Definition Trap Trying to find out the meaning of Zen is like trying to describe the smell of a rose. It will be an exercise in frustration. We can describe the sensory organ but not the sensorial experience – the nose is an instrument for smelling but it will be tough to describe […]
NOW: The magic of the present moment Try to answer this question. How often your mind is in the present moment where your body is and what it is doing? For example, while you are driving, brushing your teeth, cutting the grass, eating, etc…. The answer: Almost never. Apart from exceptions such as working, our […]
Managing our restless moody mind It is mainly our moods as much as anything else that determine our quality of life. As we wander through many daily moods, it is important to remember that each mood positive and negative involves a choice. We have the choice to assume responsibility for the genesis and content of […]
Right speech or the use of proper language With right action, and right livelihood, right speech is a component of Proper Ethical conduct which is one of the 3 pillars of the 4th Noble true or the Noble 8thfold path. The other 2 pillars are Proper Wisdom ( right view and right […]
In Zen Buddhism, the concept of Awareness also known as mindfulness is the central diamond of Zen. Without its practice, there is no Zen, no right view, no serenity, no equanimity, and no Awakening / Enlightenment. The meaning of Awareness in Zen does not mean to know this and that. It is not cognitive. Awareness […]
#1 Human condition Our #1 human condition: being lost in our non-stop compulsory thinking. We are thinking zombies: estimation 80 to 120,000 thoughts/ 24/7 from FMRI. Most of us spend our entire life imprisoned within the net of our own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of self that is conditioned […]
RIGHT VIEW: Component of the 4th NobleTruth also called the eightfold path For 50 years the Buddha taught about the 4 Noble Truths. Noble truths can be interpreted as the genuine and factual realities of life. 1st Truth: Life is full of suffering that I will call our negativities. 2nd “ The […]
How many triangles do you see in this picture? Unless you’re being cheeky, you’d probably say five. Now imagine that you take one of the small outer triangles - say, the one on the top - and slide it away from the group. You move that triangle somewhere else: When you did that, what happened […]
What Is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is paying attention purposefully without analysis, judgment, feeling, and decision, of what is happening in your mind, body, and environment in the present moment. Mindfulness is both a mind-body state and the practice of active awareness where and when you want for the purpose of just being aware. The best analogy […]
We will start this dharma talk with a one-minute exercise. For the next one minute, you are welcome to do anything…sit, move, keep your eyes closed or open. But only one condition, you shall not speak. How did people feel after the exercise? Everyone made at least 2 choices. The choice to not speak out […]
