Published By: Urbee Sarkar

Essential Rules To Live Like A Zen Monk

“We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize.” ThichNhat Hanh

Zen monks live an inspiring life. Their way of life is simple and yet enlightening. They find peace and calm in their lives by being mindful of their activities, keeping their life simple and through extraordinary concentration. Living your life with the principles of a Zen monk could take away the chaos and stress from your life. You will find yourself being more concentrated in your daily tasks, find more dedication along with a purpose as well as peace and calm of mind. You will appreciate the simplicity of life and the wisdom that the world has in store for you. Here are a few essential rules that you must follow to live like a Zen monk.

Simplify Your Life Down To Essentials

As we grow up, we get more and more attracted to material and non-material things that add no value to our lives. These possessions are unimportant and useless for us no matter how much we may want it. The monastic way of life teaches you discard everything that is unessential to our living. After all, all we need is physical nourishment, a community, a place to rest and a practice. While this might seem a little extreme, the main principle behind it is to leave the desire for material things that do not bring joy to us. Remove things from your life that are not necessary for your well being and the well being of people around you.

Devote Time To Sitting

The Zen monks follow a ritual of sitting meditation called zazen that is a daily part of their days. Each day, a specific amount of time is dedicated to just sitting. The philosophy behind this activity is that it teaches you to be in the present. In our fast pacing lives we hardly find the opportunity to sit with our thought and simply be in the present. Devoting some time to sitting with yourself and collecting your thoughts would help you be in the present and appreciate life as it is.

Be Focused Entirely To An Activity

The Zen way of living means putting every aspect of your spirit into whatever you are doing at the moment. Be entirely focused with all your being into the action you are doing. Be present bodily and mentally instead of doing a task half-heartedly.