Zen

From : Aaron Chia
Sent : Thursday, August 17, 2006 8:04 PM
Subject : Meaning of Zen

Dear Friends,

I hoped that you have read your short email yesterday, on how you can change your past (by choosing how you view your memories, as the past does not exist, it is all thoughts and memories) and change your future by working on the present. This is one of the greatest secrets of life.

I haven't been practising Zen lately. I might have slipped up during my library duties today (I might have allowed someone to take the wrong EZ-Link card without him showing identification). I remember a story about a Zen student studying under a Zen Master. The student thought that he had learned everything about Zen, but then the master asked him, 'did you put your umbrella to the left of your shoes or the right of your shoes before you came in?' And the student could not answer.

The meaning of Zen, is basically to live life. Fully and focusing on the moment. For example, the secret of Zen is to eat when you are hungry and sleep when you are tired. Many people, when they eat they eat for the sake of eating, and they don't sleep when they are tired. They are full of cares and worries when they sleep, and in the end, even 10 hours may not be enough.

If you truly focus on what you are doing, you really have nothing to worry about. The secret of memory is focus and attention. If you really pay attention to even the smallest details of life, you will remember everything clearly even if it is 2 weeks ago! That is how people can memorise the bible.

But alas, we have too many thoughts. We can eat and watch tv and think about our homework at the same time.

Talk about our quality of life today!

Aaron