Today our lives are so full with pressure from work, families, money problems and having to be in two places at the same time, that we give our selves little time to relax and listen to our inner being. We may not even feel part of the planet we live on, traveling through space in our own stress filled bubble, yearning for a different way of life. How can we take control our lives and cope with the stress we suffer in our modern western world with all the complexity of 24/7 lifestyles? Taking inspiration in the way Zen monks live and finding calm, simplicity, concentration and mindfulness in every activity helps. Zen monks devote their lives to being ‘present’ in everything they do, being dedicated to the philosophy of Buddhism and to serving others. (I have taken the following the pages of Leo Babauta's excellent blog "Zenhabits.net" see below).
1. Do one thing at a time.
Zen monks don’t multi-task. Being present in the moment means when you’re pouring water, just pour water. When you’re eating, just eat. When you’re bathing, just bathe. Don’t try to knock off a few tasks while eating or bathing. Zen proverb: “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.”
2. Do it slowly and deliberately.
Take your time, focus on what you are doing and move slowly. Make your actions deliberate, not rushed and random. Enjoy what you are doing. It takes practice, but it helps you focus on the task.
3. Finish what you are doing.
Concentrate your mind completely on the task in hand. Don’t move on to the next task until you’re finished the first task. If, for some reason, you have no choice but to move on to something else, try to at least put away the unfinished task and clean up after yourself. If you prepare a sandwich, don’t start eating it until you’ve cleaned the work top, and washed the utensils used for preparation. Then you can focus completely on eating the sandwich.
4. Try to do less.
A Zen monk doesn’t lead a lazy life: he wakes early and has a day filled with work. However, he doesn’t have an unending task list either — there are certain things he’s going to do today, and no more. If you do less, you can do those things more slowly, more completely and with more concentration. If you fill your day with tasks, you will be rushing from one thing to the next without stopping to think about what you do.
5. Put space between things.
Related to the “Do less” rule, but it’s a way of managing your schedule so that you always have time to complete each task. Don’t schedule things close together; leave room between the things on your schedule. That gives you a more relaxed schedule, and leaves space in case one task takes longer than you planned.
6. Develop rituals.
Zen monks have rituals for many things they do, from eating and cleaning to making tea and meditation. A ‘ritual’ gives something a sense of importance and if it’s important enough to have a ritual, it’s important enough to be given your entire attention, and to be done slowly and correctly, (see the post
1. Do one thing at a time.
Zen monks don’t multi-task. Being present in the moment means when you’re pouring water, just pour water. When you’re eating, just eat. When you’re bathing, just bathe. Don’t try to knock off a few tasks while eating or bathing. Zen proverb: “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.”
2. Do it slowly and deliberately.
Take your time, focus on what you are doing and move slowly. Make your actions deliberate, not rushed and random. Enjoy what you are doing. It takes practice, but it helps you focus on the task.
3. Finish what you are doing.
Concentrate your mind completely on the task in hand. Don’t move on to the next task until you’re finished the first task. If, for some reason, you have no choice but to move on to something else, try to at least put away the unfinished task and clean up after yourself. If you prepare a sandwich, don’t start eating it until you’ve cleaned the work top, and washed the utensils used for preparation. Then you can focus completely on eating the sandwich.
4. Try to do less.
A Zen monk doesn’t lead a lazy life: he wakes early and has a day filled with work. However, he doesn’t have an unending task list either — there are certain things he’s going to do today, and no more. If you do less, you can do those things more slowly, more completely and with more concentration. If you fill your day with tasks, you will be rushing from one thing to the next without stopping to think about what you do.
5. Put space between things.
Related to the “Do less” rule, but it’s a way of managing your schedule so that you always have time to complete each task. Don’t schedule things close together; leave room between the things on your schedule. That gives you a more relaxed schedule, and leaves space in case one task takes longer than you planned.
6. Develop rituals.
Zen monks have rituals for many things they do, from eating and cleaning to making tea and meditation. A ‘ritual’ gives something a sense of importance and if it’s important enough to have a ritual, it’s important enough to be given your entire attention, and to be done slowly and correctly, (see the post
You can create your own rituals, for the preparation of food, for eating, for cleaning, for what you do before you start your work, for what you do when you wake up and before you go to bed, for what you do just before exercise.
7. Designate time for certain things.
There are times in the day of a Zen monk designated for certain activities. A time for getting up, a time for meditation, a time for work, a time for cleaning, a time for eating. This ensures that those things get done regularly. You can designate time for your own activities, whether for work or cleaning or exercise or quiet contemplation. If it’s important enough to do regularly, consider designating a time for it.
8. Devote time to sitting.
Sitting meditation (zazen) is one of the most important parts of a Zen monk’s day. Meditation is really practice for learning to be present in the present. You can devote time for sitting meditation. You can use any activity in the same way, as long as you do it regularly and practice being present.
9. Smile and serve others.
Zen monks spend part of their day in service to others, whether that is for other monks in the monastery or people on the outside world. It teaches them humility, and ensures that their lives are not just selfish, but devoted to others. As a parent, you already spend some time in service to others in your household, and non-parents may already do this too. Smiling (from the heart), and being kind to others can be a great way to improve the lives of those around you. Also consider volunteering for charity work.
10. Make the everyday things you do become meditation.
Aside from sitting meditation (zazen), cooking and cleaning are two of the most exalted parts of a Zen monk’s day. They are both good ways to practice mindfulness, and can be great rituals performed each day. If cooking and cleaning seem like boring chores to you, try doing them as a form of meditation. Put your entire mind into those tasks, concentrate, and do them slowly and completely. It could change your entire day (as well as leave you with a cleaner house).
11. Think about what is necessary.
There is little in a Zen monk’s life that isn’t necessary. He doesn’t have a closet full of shoes, or the latest in trendy clothes. He doesn’t have a refrigerator and cabinets full of junk food. He doesn’t have the latest gadgets, cars, televisions, or iPod. He has basic clothing, basic shelter, basic utensils, basic tools, and the most basic food (they eat simple, vegetarian meals consisting usually of rice, miso soup, vegetables, and pickled vegetables).
12. Live simply.
The corollary of Rule 11 is that if something isn’t necessary, you can probably live without it. And so to live simply is to rid your life of as many of the unnecessary and unessential things as you can, to make room for the essential. Now, what is essential will be different to each person. For me, my family, my writing, my running and my reading are essential. To others, yoga and spending time with close friends might be essential. For others it will be nursing and volunteering and going to church and collecting comic books. There is no law saying what should be essential for you — but you should consider what is most important to your life, and make room for that by eliminating the other less essential things in your life.
7. Designate time for certain things.
There are times in the day of a Zen monk designated for certain activities. A time for getting up, a time for meditation, a time for work, a time for cleaning, a time for eating. This ensures that those things get done regularly. You can designate time for your own activities, whether for work or cleaning or exercise or quiet contemplation. If it’s important enough to do regularly, consider designating a time for it.
8. Devote time to sitting.
Sitting meditation (zazen) is one of the most important parts of a Zen monk’s day. Meditation is really practice for learning to be present in the present. You can devote time for sitting meditation. You can use any activity in the same way, as long as you do it regularly and practice being present.
9. Smile and serve others.
Zen monks spend part of their day in service to others, whether that is for other monks in the monastery or people on the outside world. It teaches them humility, and ensures that their lives are not just selfish, but devoted to others. As a parent, you already spend some time in service to others in your household, and non-parents may already do this too. Smiling (from the heart), and being kind to others can be a great way to improve the lives of those around you. Also consider volunteering for charity work.
10. Make the everyday things you do become meditation.
Aside from sitting meditation (zazen), cooking and cleaning are two of the most exalted parts of a Zen monk’s day. They are both good ways to practice mindfulness, and can be great rituals performed each day. If cooking and cleaning seem like boring chores to you, try doing them as a form of meditation. Put your entire mind into those tasks, concentrate, and do them slowly and completely. It could change your entire day (as well as leave you with a cleaner house).
11. Think about what is necessary.
There is little in a Zen monk’s life that isn’t necessary. He doesn’t have a closet full of shoes, or the latest in trendy clothes. He doesn’t have a refrigerator and cabinets full of junk food. He doesn’t have the latest gadgets, cars, televisions, or iPod. He has basic clothing, basic shelter, basic utensils, basic tools, and the most basic food (they eat simple, vegetarian meals consisting usually of rice, miso soup, vegetables, and pickled vegetables).
12. Live simply.
The corollary of Rule 11 is that if something isn’t necessary, you can probably live without it. And so to live simply is to rid your life of as many of the unnecessary and unessential things as you can, to make room for the essential. Now, what is essential will be different to each person. For me, my family, my writing, my running and my reading are essential. To others, yoga and spending time with close friends might be essential. For others it will be nursing and volunteering and going to church and collecting comic books. There is no law saying what should be essential for you — but you should consider what is most important to your life, and make room for that by eliminating the other less essential things in your life.
(For more of Leo Babauta writing please visit http://zenhabits.net/).
