ZEN THE ART OF SIMPLE LIVING By SHUNMYO MASUNO by Surekha Chandrasekhar

For Zen lovers 🙂

· Make a delicious cup of coffee.

First, you out into the woods and collect firewood. You make a fire and boil water. As you grind the coffee beans, you look up at the sky and say ‘What a beautiful day ‘

· Arrange your room simply.

If you wish to simplify your inner self, arrange your rooms sparely. A lifestyle of simplicity is what is beautiful. That is the spirit of Zen.

· Try going barefoot.

It is thought that the area between your big toe and your second toe I where various pressure points related to your internal organs and brain are connected. When you wear thong sandals, the straps stimulate these points. Go barefoot at home, and wear thong sandals when you go out.

· Make time to be alone.

Reading while listening to the sounds of birds and the rush of water. Enjoying a drink of sake while gazing at the moon’s reflection on your glass. A few moments of seclusion can illuminate the path forward. Consider putting into practice the concept of ‘seclusion in the city’.

· Don’t let things go to waste.

Take the leaves of a daikon radish: most people just toss them in the bin. But if you pickle them they make a delicious dish.

· Be grateful for every day, even the most ordinary.

To breathe in and out, to do our work, to sleep well. Ordinary and unremarkable as it may seem, this is actually what makes it all the more amazing.

· Seek not what you lack

What might now seem useless can turn out to be auspicious. Not a single effort goes to waste when you work hard in the present moment.

· Wake up fifteen minutes earlier.

Waking up fifteen minutes earlier magically liberates you from busyness.

· Do not neglect your meals.

When you drink a cup of tea , focus only on drinking the tea. When you eat a meal , focus only on eating the meal. As you enjoy the dish , think about the people who cooked it. Visualize the field where the vegetables were grown. Feel a sense of gratitude for the bounty of nature.

· Discover another you.

Find your inner protagonist. Your protagonist has boundless potential.There is another you within yourself. This version of you is freer than the self you think you know and rich with potential.Do your best to awaken this other-self.

· Wait for the right opportunity.

When work or interpersonal relationships aren’t going well , throwing yourself into findinga solution is one possibility. But there are times when waiting for the right moment can be better.

Loved the book Zen The Art Of living very much and love to keep it near me always to get a quick read.

The link for this wonderful Zen Wisdom is <a href="https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07GRD7224/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8