Being Zen

BEING, FEELING, KNOWING, DOING – A Wholistic 4-Part Meditation for Busy People

January 7, 2018 Being Zen

This article, a guest post from Eric Santagada, outlines a four-part meditation that combines ancient Indian wisdom with modern science, in a way that is simple and comprehensive. It can be done in as little as 5 minutes, or can be stretched out to an hour or more. I do this first thing every morning, for 20-40 minutes. I learned the basic structure from the great Deepak Chopra. Everyone is talking about meditation. From CEOs to linebackers, from doctors to…

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How the Zen Practice of Gassho Can Add Balance and Meaning to Your Life

October 20, 2017 Being Zen

In 1893, the Western world received the incredible teaching of Zen. It was then that Rinzai Zen master Soyen Shaku, who is recognized as the first Zen Buddhist priest to come to the United States, was invited to and participated in the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. In the decades following that fateful trip, we would have the pleasure of welcoming several great Zen masters from Japan, including D.T. Suzuki and Shunryu Suzuki (no relation), author of Zen Mind,…

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Ten Thousand Flowers In Spring

August 31, 2017 Being Zen

Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life. ~ Wu-men ~ The changing of seasons. Who can’t relate? Here in Boston, I can feel the end of summer creeping in. The sun is going down earlier and the nights are getting longer. That cool, autumn air is starting to poke its head around the corner….

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5 daily recollections according to the Buddha

The Daily Remembrances: 5 Things To Remember Every Day According to The Buddha

July 20, 2017 Being Zen

Many people spend their entire lives asking how we should live: What is the best way? How can we be happy when life is so difficult? How can I accomplish all of my goals? However, most of us never think to ask the important questions. Either that, or we’re too afraid of the answer: What are the rules of the game? What are the truths we need to face in order to realize a fulfilling life? They’re not always pretty,…

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Mondo Zen: Bridging The Gap Between Mindfulness and Psychology

June 3, 2017 Being Zen

By Kristopher Drummond “There is a huge amount of unnecessary suffering in the world—unnecessary because it does not arise directly from our life circumstances, but from the conditioned way in which we react to our own memories, stories and beliefs. From the ego’s perspective, emotions such as anger, shame, depression, and anxiety appear to be involuntary and automatic. We seem to be “at the mercy” of these emotions. But, in fact, they are not just emotions, but reactive forms of…

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You’re Going To Die One Day

April 13, 2017 Being Zen

You’re going to die one day. I’m going to die one day. It’s something I’ve been thinking about lately. Sounds kind of morbid, right? But is it really? Death is the one common denominator. It’s the one thing that no one on this earth can escape. You can be as successful as you want, as wealthy as you want, as beautiful as you want. But still, one day, you’re going to die. And most likely, it won’t be pretty. I…

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My Fellow Gurus: The Other-side of Meditation

March 13, 2017 Being Zen

Contributed by Douglas Boter I’m not your typical guru. To quote Oh from the movie Home, “I don’t fit in. I fit out.” It’s no surprise then that my spiritual path involves creating workarounds. I was desperate to become enlightened, yet the traditional ways of doing it didn’t work for me. So if you too secretly hate meditation, even though wish you liked it, or think you must be doing it wrong, this might help you. If you are desperate…

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Everything That Remains

February 23, 2017 Being Zen

I just read Everything That Remains, a memoir by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus, or “The Minimalists” as they’re more often called. Minimalism is not a new concept, but it seems to be enjoying a cultural moment right now, and the overarching premise is pretty simple: Get rid of stuff you don’t need Stop buying new stuff Focus instead on passions, people, and experiences that are important to you Enjoy a more meaningful, happier life Am I a Minimalist? Whether intentional or…

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I Survived My First Zen Meditation Retreat

July 28, 2016 Being Zen

Well, if we want to be totally accurate, I survived one day of a zen meditation retreat. Many retreats are 7-10 days or longer, and I hope to have that experience some day soon. But the fact is, right now I’m a normal fella with a normal job, and taking off for two weeks of introspection in the woods is easier said than done. So I decided I would start with one day. One day is better than no days. And…

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