by: Matthew Krajewski
So I am probably the furthest thing from a Zen monk, but found this blog posting about living more Zen, and thought I would summarize a few points from it, since everyone could use a little Zen, and by association, a little less stress and little more happiness in their lives.
Ecckhart Tolle’s new book, The New Earth, is also cause to write about living more Zen, since most of what he writes about is a distilled spiritualism without identifying with any particular major religion, unlike such sects as Sufism, Kabbalah, and Zen. They are all paths pointing spiritual seekers to the same place: a more fulfilling existence.
So how do you live more Zen?
1. Don’t multi-task
This sounds completely counter to our modern culture, but multi-tasking, even if you can do it and do it well, divides your minds attentions so that your are never fully present in any activity. A key to Zen is to be present in everything that you do, from cleaning the toilet to running a marathon, each activity deserves a fully present mind.
2. Clean it yourself
Zen monks consider cleaning a form of meditation. Even if you have someone to clean your house for you, try cleaning yourself, it is humbling and forces you to think about what you are doing. This will force you to be more present.
3. Keep it simple
This is perhaps one that sounds easy enough, but in practice can become hard to do. Only keep in your life the things you need. Don’t clutter your mind or space with anything that detracts from what you absolutely need to survive. This can be interpreted many ways, but it is up to you to decide what surviving means for you.
For more see the Zen Habits blog posting to bring more Zen into your life.
