I often post “Moments of Zen” on Facebook, using roughly thirty seconds of video about something I find peaceful or makes me happy. This action was in response to all the negativity on social media, a time out, so to speak, for myself, that I want to share with the world.
You can see an example by clicking the link here.
Moments of Zen
What I have found amazing is the positive response I’ve gotten from people about the posts. People often tell me how much they enjoy watching them.
That makes me happy. I love that I can do something small that makes another person’s day a little brighter.
One person asked how I find them. That question surprised me, because I don’t know how NOT to find them. This got me thinking about how we all see the world.
How to find your Moments of Zen
For me, there are Moments of Zen everywhere I look. I find them in what my animals are doing, in what’s happening in the natural world, in the weather, and sometimes even on busy city streets. For example, clouds over Manhattan, click the link here.
But that’s, in part, because I’m looking for them. I’ve done that my entire life. If I’m in a crowded city, I look for a tree. On a busy, noisy street, I find the quiet alleyway with the interesting brick wall.
If you’re in the midst of a stressful situation, take a moment to step away and find something, well . . . Zen. Find something beautiful, peaceful, or even funny. Those things are all around.
The Meaning of Zen
Since I’ve been using the expression for quite a while, I thought I should make sure I understood the word, so I recently looked up the meaning of Zen.
It comes from a Buddhist tradition and roughly translates as meditation, but is, of course, much more complicated. I don’t practice Buddhism, nor am I using the term as a teacher or expert in the field.
But it’s also a word that has come into our common vernacular, so that’s the Zen I’m using.
My favorite definition said it’s something a person does. It’s not a concept that can be described in words.
What I liked about that description is it describes how I’ve always felt when I find those little moments of beauty in the world around me. They aren’t something I can describe. They are something I do.
I see, hear, smell, touch, and taste the experience, whether it’s sipping the perfect cappuccino, playing with my horses, or sitting by the river in my backyard.
Writing can be Zen for me, when it’s going well. But the most Zen part of writing has always been when I’m working on the story in my head. I spin out the scenarios, engage with the characters, and imagine what happens next. It always ends up a little different by the time I put those ideas on the page, but that’s exciting too. To see what happens next.
Want to learn a little more about my writing process? Click the link here.
Regardless of the term you use or the way in which it manifests, I hope all of you have your own version of Moments of Zen. I hope you find a way to temporarily disengage from the barrage of challenging and difficult emotional states we see daily.
It’s important to be engaged in the world and know what’s happening around the globe, but it’s also important to know how much you can handle, and use techniques to step out of heightened emotions and appreciate what an amazing world we live in.
Want to see my Moments of Zen posts? Follow me on Facebook by clicking the link here.
I’ve also started a YouTube Channel, you can find that by clicking the link here.
For more photos of animals, art, and nature, you can follow me on Instagram.
I use my Moments of Zen to pull myself out of my busy life. To consider the larger picture and see moments of simple beauty. Time to take a breath and appreciate the incredible world we live in. I hope you enjoy taking those moments with me.
Thank you for visiting.
Header photo by Couleur on Pixabay. Click the link here for more information.
