Your version of what “Zen” is will vary from others’ version, but will generally follow the same theme: relaxed, chill, in control, steady, patient, mindful, peaceful, at peace, etc. You may have a sense of its roots in Japanese Buddhism, or it’s general Asiatic origins. In any case, you have an idea of what Zen means to you… and that’s the important starting place.
A Zen life is all that and more – and not all of it is “chill”.
At its most basic, a Zen life is a state of acceptance, or, more aptly, a state of learning to accept. No one just starts living a Zen life. They learn to live one. Over and over, situation after situation, sometimes repeating the same lessons until… until they truly accept them.
The same lessons can appear in different clothing. Life is tricky like that.
So becoming apt at learning acceptance (in all its forms), is how you begin living a Zen life. Becoming comfortable with learning acceptance is the best first step towards living a Zen life.
There is a well-worn saying that goes something like,
Life is 10% “what happens” and 90% “how you react to it”.
… and it couldn’t be more true.
In that simple equation lies the secret, the seed to forming a life of Zen.
This site is about life – living and accepting it well. I hope you find it useful.