tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64309945005489779542024-03-13T06:49:16.793-07:00Pen of ZenSmall things to help you live a more peaceful life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-30661492708701932712018-07-12T10:32:00.000-07:002018-07-12T10:32:09.872-07:00Don't complicate your life, the world will do it for you.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Don't complicate your life, the world will do it for you.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-58948596701943164122016-04-30T18:52:00.000-07:002016-04-30T18:52:00.166-07:00The Thief of Joy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W7djjM4rtL0/VwMaLiysOEI/AAAAAAAAXYM/jCa9kBkiX-s_8KUpvKHOd8PSRuwsSX4vg/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-04-04%2Bat%2B8.50.35%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="78" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W7djjM4rtL0/VwMaLiysOEI/AAAAAAAAXYM/jCa9kBkiX-s_8KUpvKHOd8PSRuwsSX4vg/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-04-04%2Bat%2B8.50.35%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Comparison is the thief of joy. - Theodore Roosevelt</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-57611022057471096432016-04-23T11:16:00.000-07:002018-07-11T09:59:30.489-07:00Simplicity (Brancusi)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eZd4fKLekeY/VvbSITXLN3I/AAAAAAAAXXk/ZfhvCU9BuBIiGIGk7iThJpNQzV2sen8uw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.16.37%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eZd4fKLekeY/VvbSITXLN3I/AAAAAAAAXXk/ZfhvCU9BuBIiGIGk7iThJpNQzV2sen8uw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.16.37%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-54139736352025088032016-04-16T11:13:00.000-07:002016-04-16T11:13:01.775-07:00To be happy...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OBF5PlddsXI/VvbRZLnu8EI/AAAAAAAAXXc/VZonaqEk2Qw_QXCoD9001mMwOhnfQQVAw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.13.45%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OBF5PlddsXI/VvbRZLnu8EI/AAAAAAAAXXc/VZonaqEk2Qw_QXCoD9001mMwOhnfQQVAw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.13.45%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-77510921470909208032016-04-14T10:08:00.001-07:002016-04-14T10:08:22.444-07:00Simplicity (Lao Tzu)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Manifest plainness</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">embrace simplicity</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">reduce selfishness</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">have few desires.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">- Lao Tzu</span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-67907044183993606232016-04-09T11:11:00.000-07:002016-04-09T11:11:00.368-07:00Start Where You Are<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A4YDHQW3qUg/VvbQ71MSzrI/AAAAAAAAXXU/_gslz1OsI3gbvfLOVoNtkKfiX5MPUgKEA/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.11.32%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A4YDHQW3qUg/VvbQ71MSzrI/AAAAAAAAXXU/_gslz1OsI3gbvfLOVoNtkKfiX5MPUgKEA/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.11.32%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-88472883830965675252016-04-04T04:00:00.000-07:002016-04-04T04:00:32.415-07:00A Koan: Muddy Road<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.<br /><br />Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.<br /><br />“Come on, girl,” said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.<br /><br />Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. “We monks don’t go near females,” he told Tanzan, “especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?”<br /><br />“I left the girl there,” said Tanzan. “Are you still carrying her?”</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-8088217729420527702016-04-02T11:10:00.000-07:002016-04-02T11:10:00.647-07:00Directions for Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lp_5izVQMSc/VvbQN2yXF0I/AAAAAAAAXXQ/u7LEF2CxlTE51PPIx4oRIBmXUBOU191UA/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.08.36%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lp_5izVQMSc/VvbQN2yXF0I/AAAAAAAAXXQ/u7LEF2CxlTE51PPIx4oRIBmXUBOU191UA/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B1.08.36%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
source: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/520QMyALFz/?taken-by=lightbycoco" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Light by Coco</a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-58606007287000781342016-03-28T04:00:00.000-07:002016-03-28T04:00:12.310-07:00A Koan: Thirty Years<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />A fellow went to a Zen master and said, “If I work very hard, how soon can I be enlightened?”<br /><br />The Zen master looked him up and down and said, “Ten years.”<br /><br />The fellow said, “No, listen, I mean if I really work at it, how long—”<br /><br />The Zen master cut him off. “I’m sorry. I misjudged. Twenty years.”<br /><br />”Wait!” Said the young man, “You don’t understand! I’m—”<br /><br />“Thirty years,” said the Zen master.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-12235921275245774062016-03-26T11:00:00.000-07:002016-03-26T11:00:00.663-07:00Less Stuff<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cK1nYRhPFWo/VvbN1rW0mJI/AAAAAAAAXXE/fZCAADKO9c830863azSiKE3LEU2w-DAFw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B12.58.23%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cK1nYRhPFWo/VvbN1rW0mJI/AAAAAAAAXXE/fZCAADKO9c830863azSiKE3LEU2w-DAFw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-26%2Bat%2B12.58.23%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
source: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCgXKfoALC0/?taken-by=lightbycoco" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Light by Coco</a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-18042191821591122182016-03-25T12:12:00.002-07:002016-03-25T12:13:32.221-07:00Learning How to Meditate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W3LKTrFLzDQ/VvWNVtPiyhI/AAAAAAAAXWg/Kc75RAoYuLkg0bFbSAQ5QOggoPJdCOLCA/s400/meditation.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit <a href="http://fitlife.tv/meditation-for-beginners/">fitlife.tv</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"I’d like this to be a gateway drug to a regular meditation practice, but regardless of whether it becomes that, I’ve decided that twice a day, I’m simply going to count out 50 breaths. Try it yourself: Start with ten, even. Make sure they’re good, deep breaths. Do it on the subway or in the car or bathroom, if you have to. It helps. Breathing is the cornerstone of “real” meditation, after all."</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you have tried to meditate before and didn't enjoy it, check out this article from nymag.com: </span></div>
<a href="http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/03/bad-at-meditation-try-meditation-lite.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Bad at Meditation? Try Meditation-Lite</span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430994500548977954.post-71724174673935361862016-03-23T18:36:00.001-07:002016-03-24T08:41:09.679-07:00Your Happiness is Yours, Live Like It<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReIEvGxXZz4/VvNEVZlvY5I/AAAAAAAAXWM/Vhjt9LBbJYo-oFMkaFqGNlI66MZhemKFQ/s1600/dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ReIEvGxXZz4/VvNEVZlvY5I/AAAAAAAAXWM/Vhjt9LBbJYo-oFMkaFqGNlI66MZhemKFQ/s400/dog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Your Happiness is Yours, Live Like It" - By that, I mean you have control over your happiness. Nothing in this universe has more control over your happiness than you do. It is your choice to be happy, even in difficult times.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Next time you feel upset about a situation, breathe deeply and know that you can choose to not be upset. It is your choice.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com