Zen Koans For Everyday Clarity: Teachings To Calm The Mind - by Jason Buonomo

COURSE

Zen Koans For Everyday Clarity: Teachings To Calm The Mind

With Jason Buonomo

In this short course, you’ll explore five classic Zen koans—simple yet profound teachings that open the mind and quiet the heart. Each lesson is just three to five minutes long, offering a brief story, gentle reflection, and a practical way to bring awareness into your daily life. You’ll learn how to pause between thoughts, find peace in ordinary moments, and let go of the need for answers. Grounded in mindfulness and supported by soothing original music, these five sessions will help you return to clarity and calm, one breath at a time.


Meet your Teacher

Jason Buonomo is a veteran and certified mindfulness and meditation teacher who blends traditional Eastern teachings with modern approaches to mental clarity and calm. After more than two decades of military service, he founded Quiet Summit Mindfulness to help others manage stress and cultivate peace through simple, accessible practices. His work combines contemplative teachings, original ambient music, and grounded mindfulness to make ancient wisdom feel approachable in everyday life.

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5 Days

3.6k students

4.9 stars

4 min / day

Anxiety

English


Lesson 1

The Sound Of One Hand Clapping

This lesson explores the classic Zen koan, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” — an invitation to move beyond logical thought and rest in direct experience. Through simple reflection and mindful listening, you’ll learn to quiet the mind, release the need for answers, and touch the spacious awareness that exists beneath all thinking.

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Lesson 2

The Tenzo And The Radish

This lesson explores how mindfulness lives within ordinary tasks. Through the story of a Zen cook and his simple act of preparing food, you’ll discover how presence transforms even the smallest moments into sacred practice. It’s a reminder that peace isn’t found in what we do, but in how we do it.

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Lesson 3

If You Meet The Buddha On The Road

In this lesson, we explore one of Zen’s most famous and misunderstood teachings: “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” It’s a call to release perfectionism, rigid beliefs, and the endless search for something outside yourself. Freedom begins when you let go of the image of how things should be, and begin to meet life as it truly is.

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Lesson 4

The Cypress Tree In The Courtyard

This koan reminds us that enlightenment isn’t hidden or far away — it’s right here, in the ordinary beauty of the present moment. By pausing and truly seeing what’s in front of you, even a tree becomes a teacher. This lesson helps you reconnect with simplicity and rediscover stillness in daily life.

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Lesson 5

The Empty Cup

In our final lesson, you’ll hear the classic story of the overflowing tea cup — a gentle reminder to let go of what you think you know. By emptying the mind, you make space for new insight and calm awareness. This simple act of releasing brings clarity, creativity, and ease to your day.

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4.9 (642)

Recent Reviews

Josefina

September 13, 2026

This a very short , beautiful and beyond powerful course. It was perfect timing for me

Stella

September 7, 2026

I really love this. Thank you. I enjoy the briefness amd simplicity, yet profoundness of these short stories/lessons. Easy to recall later. 🙏🏻

Robert

September 4, 2026

Short hits. Calming voice and pace.

Mary

August 26, 2026

Powerful lessons! Almost makes me want to tattoo a small radish on my body as a reminder to “just cut the radish.” Thank you, Jason.

Alana

August 23, 2026

Amazing and simple nice course

Johannes

August 16, 2026

Really enjoyed this course of short but insightful mediations explaining koans in a very pedagogical and practical way, that makes them easy to understand and applicate into your own life.

Sally

August 11, 2026

This story/lesson couldn’t be more perfectly timed, coinciding with a long recovery and an impactful long visit with family and friends who I haven’t seen in years. An empty cup is calming. I shall empty mine regularly with your wonderful meditations.

Jan

August 8, 2026

Enjoyed the course. Thoughtful zen stories with great explanations

Karen

August 4, 2026

What a lovely course! I really enjoyed this. Thank you!

Penny

July 31, 2026

Short but powerful. Very soothing & encouraging voice. I wish this course was longer. May 108 Days.

Eli

July 30, 2026

O

Kim

July 25, 2026

Amazing 💫 I loved each lesson, thank you 🙏

Natasha

July 19, 2026

A series of simple but powerful and enlightening zen teachings. Thank you for sharing wisdom 🙏

Jeffrey

July 19, 2026

Refreshing

Connie

July 13, 2026

Thank you❤️

Taylor

July 13, 2026

Short and to the point, such beautiful food for thought, thank you.🙏

Leslie

July 13, 2026

This is great! They are short and I could listen to all at once. I prefer however to listen to one a day and reflect on it.

Bernadette

July 12, 2026

Probably the best meditation series I have done. It was the shortest strangely enough.

Joanne

July 11, 2026

Beautifully simple, yet complex. Thank you. ✌🏽🩵🫶🏽

Julie

July 7, 2026

This was great. These simple lessons soothe my overwhelmed mind. Thank you.

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