The Art of Caring: Zen Stories

Zen teachings originated many thousands of years ago with the man known as the Buddha although he claimed such knowledge went back tens of thousands of years before his time. It has since spread around the world. Since Zen isn't a religion—there is no deity worship—it is fully compatible with major religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and others. The Buddha resides as comfortably in the sacrament as in the atheist.

Zen practice consists of stilling the mind by a method known as right thinking. One doesn't have to be sitting in a meditation hall to practice Zen. A person can practice stilling the mind while at work or while at play. Often times, I find stories arise as a result of my practice. While these stories may not be related to Zen in the traditional Western sense of the word they seem oddly apt when taken for what they are: A glimpse inside the mind of a man who has spent a goodly part of his adult life deep in meditation.

It has taken a long time to get these stories right though as the years go by the impact they have on me seems to change along with my perspective of the world and my place in it. Or perhaps it is I who changes. If you buy my book—or if you borrow it, it's free to Kindle Prime members—I would love to hear your thoughts.