Zen

In Japanese, the character for ‘busy’ is written with the symbols for ‘lose’ and ‘heart’.

not to be swayed by the values of others, not to be troubled by unnecessary concerns, but to live an infinitely simple life, stripped of wasteful things. That is ‘Zen style’.

We are enlivened – we are given life. And for that reason, we must not waste it.
We must see our true selves with an open mind, and when we think of things – when there are things we want to do – we must do them as if our lives depend on it. Time spent out of character is empty time.

The winds of destiny blow for all of us. Whether you are able to make the most of an opportunity will depend upon long-standing dedication and preparedness.

Some among us will be graced with a long life, and others may have only a brief amount of time. There is nothing fair about this.
But Buddhism teaches that a life’s worth is not measured by its duration.
What is important is how we use the life we are given. How will you use your life today?

being alive means we must make the most of the life we are entrusted with. Life is not ours to possess – it is a precious gift that we must treat as if it were placed in our care. And whatever lifespan we are given, we must take the utmost care to give it back.

We have a tendency to compare ourselves to others. We envy the light workload of our neighbour. We see someone who is talented and get depressed. But, ultimately, there is pleasure to be found in the repetition of work that suits you.

There’s no point in envying someone else who has been blessed with a little luck. Nor does it do any good to lament your lack of opportunities. Simply work hard to do today what needs to be done. And fortune will surely come your way.

When you get into bed, let go of whatever happened to you since waking up that morning, and be thankful for having made it through another day.

Whenever you feel a rush of negative emotions, such as anger or anxiety, that is the perfect moment to focus on breathing from your abdomen.