When looking into the definition of zen, there are basically two ways of approaching the concept of zen. First and foremost a form of Buddhism, originally developed in Japan, that emphasizes that religious knowledge is achieved through emptying the mind of thoughts and giving attention to only one thing, rather than by reading religious writings. The more contemporary definition of zen is: relaxed and not worrying about things that you cannot change, the art of being in the present moment.
For me the second one resonates more. An informal way to make my days and myself more relaxed and in tune with what happens. Especially with a pandemic, but also the pressure of social media, careers and your own life expectations, being in the moment is difficult. Getting to a place where I’m in the moment is something I succeed but also fail in on a daily basis. Getting to that place is for some people daily meditations, for others it’s long hikes in nature. The crucial part for me in this is finding your own way to achieve zen.
Over the last year I’ve been recovering from burnout. As part of the recovery I had to find a sustainable way to work. I had to build in moments throughout my day to get back to a relaxed and non-stressed level, my zen moments. I have struggled finding these moments, because I had painted a picture in my mind of what zen moments should be. I saw colleagues who were meditating, colleagues who love to run, and both felt not natural to me. Nobody can prescribe you your zen moments, you can only search for them yourself.
What moments in your day make you feel completely at ease. In tune with yourself and everything happening around you. For me drinking a cup tea and reading a book at the start of my workday help me to slow down my mind. Writing down my thoughts with all kinds of colorful pens is another. Maybe for you it’s doing meditations or going for a run.
The importance of slowing down and becoming more zen is to become more and more sustainable with yourself. This way you can enjoy your life to the fullest.