Zen
Life can change in the blink of an eye. For some, this is a source of stress, but for others, this uncertainty as well as the strong emotions that come with it, are merely one drop of water in a babbling brook. Whether they know it, the latter have adopted Zen into the experience. Zen is most often associated with Buddhism, but stands alone in its execution. It is a marriage of concentration, contemplation, and dynamic stillness that can diffuse stress and ease suffering. It is individualistic, yet encompasses both one's self and the universe. It brings inner peace but does not turn away from pain. Zen is a means of re-examining ideas about yourself, your desires, and your relationship with the world in such a way as to separate your sense of satisfaction and dissatisfaction from situations you cannot control.
In practicing Zen, which may include sitting zazen (silent meditation) but can also be a part of your everyday life, there is no reality outside of what exists from moment to moment. Heights of emotion cannot be avoided, but the Zen mind does not grip those feelings and refuse to let them go. Zen acknowledges that all states are impermanent. Like the drop of water in the brook, each moment is carried away with the current. Freeing yourself from the burden of old hurts and even old joys opens up a whole new world untainted by assumption or unreasonable expectation. Each day will necessarily be unlike the one that preceded it. The Zen mind is also aware that being and doing are intertwined. The mind and body, the outside and inside, and the self and the other are all one.
Because Zen emphasizes the impermanence of all things, every facet of one's life can be affected by embracing it. One's ideas of fulfillment change, as does how one views one's career and relationships with others. It is a natural guard against disappointment and stress, the fear of failure (as all moments have worth), and suffering. To adopt Zen into your own life, it is best to begin by knowing thyself, living in the moment, taking time to simply exist, and to avoid attachments to possessions. But trust that you will not have to make time for Zen - once accepted; it will be with you all the time.
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