Excerpted from the introduction to Zen 24/7: All
Zen/All the Time, a HarperSanFrancisco publication,
by Philip Toshio Sudo. Order
your copy of the book here.
Any and every action can be a source of insight--even enlightenment--whether it's tooth brushing, going to the bathroom,
or opening a can of beer. That's the promise of zen. No matter what we do or where we go, zen is available
to us 24/7: twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It never goes
away, no matter how routine the day may seem. The most mundane details
of life contain zen's profound truths, if we're of the mind to look
for them.
It's easy to find significance in those days that rise
above the ordinary--a graduation, perhaps, some great athletic or career
triumph, a wedding, the birth of a child. But what about all the days
in between? The aim of Zen 24/7 is to look at the everyday,
ordinary parts of our lives and see the meaning in them, too; to become
so absorbed in the commonplace that we come to know a deeper reality.
In so doing, we make today--plain old today--a truly special day.
Zen teaches that our approach to today determines our
whole approach to life. The Japanese call this attitude ichi-nichi
issho: "Each day is a lifetime." We arise in the morning
newly born. As we pass through the day, we age and gain experience.
When we tire at day's end, we "die" and take our rest. That
one arc serves as a miniature of our entire life. In that sense, what
we do during a single day--and how we do it--becomes the foundation
of our whole lifetime. For what is life but the sum of our days?
This very day can be a life's turning point. In a single
moment, we can decide to walk the path that has no end.
Starting now.
Let the day begin.
Zen 24/7: Table of Contents
Introduction
I. Zen Sun
zen rise and shine
alarm clock
breath
shaving
brushing teeth
zen breakfast
doughnut
cup of coffee
corn flakes
morning news
zen getting dressed
clothes
make-up
hairstyle
mirror
smile
zen out the door
wristwatch
wallet
keys
door
staircase
good morning
zen job
commute
work
computer
phone ring
calendar
meeting
business card
handshake
II. Zen Noon
zen driving
car
seat belt
roadmap
air conditioner
fuzzy dice
passenger
stop sign
zen lunch
drive-thru
big mac
7 up
zen errands
to-do list
dry cleaning
atm
mall
shopping
credit card
signature
groceries
zen workout
exercise
stretching
sit-ups
bicycle
jogging
water bottle
shower
toilet
munchies
zen walk in the park
strolling
cherry blossom
park bench
cloud
rain
puddle
III. Zen Moon
zen dinner
kitchen
kitchen knife
cooking
dinner table
candle
dessert
zen chores
dishwashing
garbage
laundry
sweeping
zen downtime
living room
beer
tv
movie
music
reading
zen bedtime
moonlight
crickets
laughing
sex
bed
sleep
dream
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