
The practice of zazen-meditation-is a way of realizing the non-dualistic, vibrant, subtle, and interconnected nature of all life. This direct experience is our birthright. Zen is the direct experience of what we might call ultimate reality, or the absolute, yet it is not separate from the ordinary, the relative. It is not a belief system to which one converts. Once you're feeling Zen, snooze off for a great night's sleep.What is Zen? It’s both something we are-our true nature expressing itself moment by moment-and something we do-a disciplined practice through which we can realize the joy of being. Imagine inhaling in light and energy, and exhaling out anything that's weighing you down. Then take a few minutes to do some more deep breathing. Share the good.īedtime: Power down all the electronics at least an hour before bed. If you're with others, ask what they're grateful for or what the best moments of their days were. Really settle in and make the most of your time by learning or just chilling out to some good tunes.ĭinner: As you sit down to eat, take a minute to be grateful for the food on your plate and all that you have. If you get stuck in traffic, don't feel like it's wasted time. On the commute home: Pop on a feel-good playlist or an inspirational podcast. You can even do a few squats and jumping jacks. If you can't nap or don't want to, go for a quick walk - even if it's just around the block or up a set of stairs. Late afternoon: Now is the time that the munchies hit or you're ready to take a snooze or grab another cup of coffee. Bonus if you can get outside and get some sunshine, too! Lunch: Instead of rushing through lunch at your desk, find some Zen on your plate with these tips. This is also a good thing to do before checking a text or social media site or even every time you pick up a piece of laundry to fold or dish to clean. If you think this will take you a lot of time, you might be surprised at how much it centers you and actually allows you to respond faster and in a more focused manner. Inhale for three counts, and exhale for five. Mid-morning: Every time before you open a new email, take one deep breath.

It can be as simple as "be happy," "every day is an opportunity" or simply "I rock." Then, give yourself just a couple of minutes to stretch in bed and set an intention for the day. Instead choose a calming sound (like nature sounds or chimes-most phones have some relaxing options) to wake you up.

Morning: First, ditch the loud annoying alarm clock. Because, honestly, most of us don't have time to sit and meditate for 15 minutes-or we choose to do something else.Ĭheck out these easy ways to add a little more mindfulness and calm into your morning, lunch, afternoon and evening.

Everyone should be able to work a little Zen into every part of their day. The site is dedicated to helping real people add more happiness and peace to their lives in simple and easy ways. See? We all need a little more Zen in our lives, which is exactly why Fit Bottomed Girls decided to add a fourth site to its line-up. And don't even get me started on the piles of laundry, the grocery store run you've been putting off and organizing the house-it never ends!Īhem, I digress.
I need some zen time full#
These days, weeks are full of rushing from one appointment or meeting to another while also trying to check your email, text back your friend about weekend plans and respond to all the social media dings going off.

We could all use a little more Zen in our lives, right? A little more time to relax and peacefully zone out? A second to forget the to-do list? A moment to just be? Get full nutrition info for every recipe and track with one click! Access hundreds of thousands of recipes that are healthy and easy to make.
