Zen is about being in the "now', creating a total togetherness of mind and body.
Buddha "Health for both mind and body comes from not mourning over the past, not worrying about the future, but to live the present moment wisely."
You don't have to enjoy the present moment, sometimes the moment is painful, sometimes it is unpleasant, but you do have to be fully in the moment.
In our everyday world it is easy to fall into the trap of being somewhere else, inside your head, and this is expressed in the words that you say and your actions. Creating a barrier to mind, body togetherness
“Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.” ― Zhuangzi, Nan-Hua-Ch'en-Ching, or, the Treatise of the transcendent master from Nan-Hua
Bringing mindfulness into each moment gives an appreciation of life. Living with cats I see them masters of mindfulness. The other night I watched Aurora kneading the blanket in front of the heater. She was totally focussed on the incredibally slow and deliberate motion of kneading the blanket. Then there was a point when the action she had been undertaking was sufficient, she folded herself down and went to sleep.
As Eckhart Tolle said in The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
“I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.”
Image: Still Life With CAts
