Take a Break: Make it a Zen Day

The “The Daily Show” ends with a short clip preceded by Stewart’s comment, “Your moment of Zen.” So what is Zen? Difficult to put in words it roughly translates from the Indian Sanskrit term “dhyana,” which means mediation. In 528 AD, the Bodhidarma wrote:

Not dependent on the written word,


Transmission apart from the scriptures;


Directly pointing at one’s heart,


Seeing one’s nature, becoming Buddha.

Culturally Zen has come to be calm, quiet, awareness, living in the present etc. So today’s “take a break” is all about creating a Zen Day. Things to try:

• Wake with the sun and unwind with the darkness. Do some stretches facing the east and the rising sun. Set a curfew as night approaches-no TV, electronics, and prepare for bed.

• Do one thing at a time, slowly and deliberately, putting space between things. No attempts at multi tasking.

• Drop and give Zen- Drop comparing, competing, judgment, anger, regrets, worries, blame, guilt and fear. Choose not to let other people or events control your emotions. Beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from the negative.

If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are peace, you are living in the present.” Lao Tzu

• Laugh

• Be in nature.

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional .

• Do what you enjoy most.

Over-thinking ruins you. Ruins the situation, twists things around, makes you worry and just makes everything much worse than it actually is.

• Share what you have with those who express an interest

• Enjoy what you have.

Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself.

• Be yourself

•  Move. Take a walk, exercise, practice yoga 

Where is great doubt, there will be great awakening; small doubt, small awakening, no doubt, no awakening.

• Give thanks

• Make a Zen garden 

• Color a mandala or create one of your own. 

• Light and candle and gaze at it.

If there is light in the soul,

There is beauty in the person,

If there is beauty in the person,

There will be harmony in the house,

If there is harmony in the house,

There will be order in the nation,

If there is order in the nation,

There will be peace in the world.