Finding your Zen

This isn’t me trying to be some sort of New Age Guru or blowing smoke out of my arse but the idea of finding one’s Zen is easy to underestimate. Zen as I have grown to understand it is doing something that allows you to exist in the current moment — not allowing your thoughts to drift to the past or the future but allowing yourself to remain in the present. This meditation process (in some places its a lifestyle) allows one to focus more and become more attentive.

Our current model of society has us constantly replying to messages, devouring as much content as we can and always processing information that is available at our finger times — our attention is constantly divided. Think about the last time you went for drinks. Did anyone pull out their smartphone? (I know when I was out we all did at the same time) This has become a part of being alive in 2015 and it isn’t really a great trend. I have been talking to someone (it was down time) and one of us resorted to staring at our phone mid conversation. We (especially Millennials) are constantly dividing our attention because we heard it was great to be able to multi task (hell I have 5 different programs open while I type this and I’m listening to an unrelated podcast so this might not read as well as I’d want it to…horrible disclaimer >.< ). 

To be clear I am not saying that we need to go cold turkey and stop being divided — instead I’m advocating that we find those few activities that we can solely focus on. For myself I realised one moment I’m in my Zen is when I’m in the kitchen (I love to bake and cook — when I’m doing either I don’t answer the phone, just play music and focus on what I’m doing) because I'm present in the activity at hand. Another moment of zen for me is working out because I can either focus on the current moment or simply allow my mind to wander and come up with some rather creative ideas if I do say so myself.

Its important to not be constantly busy and allow yourself to discover who you are. Its easy to say what youtube video like, or keep up with a simple text conversation while viewing Facebook (I prefer Instagram myself); but there is greater value in being left alone with your own thoughts and discovering where you mind will drift off when you aren’t worried about how re-Tweeted you on Twitter. We have embraced social media very readily but I say its crucial we spend some time embracing ourselves.

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