Everything we experience,
In every situation,
Whether good,
Bad,
Or indifferent,
Is a chance to enter Zen.
Hey there friends,
Welcome.
Thanks for joining me today.
My name is Anthony V.
Lombardo,
And I hope I can give you some inspiration and wisdom as you go along your path here,
And maybe,
Ultimately,
Help you live a more conscious and meaningful existence.
A young disciple asks his master,
Master,
How do I enter Zen?
The master points to a mountain stream in the distance and says,
Do you hear it?
The disciple strains to listen and says,
Yes.
The master replies,
Well,
Enter Zen from there.
Several minutes later,
The disciple asks,
Master,
If I wasn't able to hear the mountain stream,
What would you have said to me?
The master says,
I would have said,
Enter Zen from there.
This parable tells us the truth about the elusive states of enlightenment and peace and how we can access them.
With that said,
Now is your chance to enter Zen.
That itch on your face,
That harsh email from your co-worker,
The nagging pain in your lower back,
The drama with your ex,
That inconsiderate jerk who cut you off on the highway.
All are chances to enter Zen.
When we think of Zen,
We often imagine serene individuals in lotus positions,
Surrounded by candles and crystals,
Or monks spending years in solitude in caves.
However,
Zen isn't an acquisition,
It's an ever-present access point.
The concept of enter Zen from there,
From that parable,
Originates in Zen Buddhism and various mindfulness teachings.
It emphasizes the direct experience of presence and enlightenment in all moments of life.
It is an invitation to recognize that each moment is a chance to embrace the symphony of life resonating within and around us.
Essentially,
This concept is the essence of any spiritual practice.
We wander and return,
Wander again and return again.
We get lost in the narratives of our minds,
But we come back to the present moment.
So wherever we find ourselves,
That's our nirvana,
That's our haven.
If we are exhausted and feel defeated after a long day,
Enter Zen from there.
If we feel confused and lost about our lives,
Enter Zen from there.
When our minds drift,
We gently steer it back and enter Zen from there.
Wherever you are emotionally,
Mentally or physically,
Embrace it and enter Zen from there.
It's nothing fancy.
We have the power to take a moment to collect ourselves and focus on the life unfolding in the present.
We can bring our attention to our breath,
Our body,
Our surroundings,
Or the sounds in the room.
When we do this,
We cultivate a sense of calm and centeredness that can help us navigate even the most difficult situations with greater clarity and perspective.
So to share with you a little personal story from my own experience.
A few years ago,
I detached my retina in my right eye and faced the possibility of losing my vision.
A year later,
Still with limited vision in my right eye,
It happened again.
The retina in my left eye detached.
I feared going blind.
To avoid surgery and months of blindness,
My doctor performed an experimental in-office procedure that could have my eye as good as new,
But there was no guarantee it would work.
Every day for two weeks,
My eye had to be closely monitored and examined to see if my retina was still attached.
Every morning I woke up so anxious and nervous,
It felt like my world was crumbling.
One of the things that kept me from falling into a sea of fear and self-pity was the simple act of becoming hyper-present.
When my mind wandered,
Imagining a life of blindness,
Or when I felt like bursting into tears,
I'd find stillness and connect with my heart.
This became my sanctuary.
Every day for those two weeks,
I had so much anxiety waiting to hear the news from my doctor if my retina was still attached.
The only way I was able to remain calm and actually bring myself to hear the results was to get quiet and try to listen to my own heartbeat.
I didn't know it at that time,
But I was quote-unquote entering zen from there.
So the golden nugget here behind this concept is simple.
Wherever we are,
Whatever we're doing,
And whatever we are experiencing,
Is the perfect time to find peace,
To be fully alive,
And to savor the essence of our aliveness.
It makes no difference if we're listening to a mountain stream,
Engaged in a heated argument with a loved one,
Or battling a health issue.
This idea of zen is an ever-present quality that we always have access to.
But even more than that,
Zen is the present.
The present moment equals zen.
Of course,
I'm not saying staying anchored in the present is easy,
Especially when you're in the middle of a crisis.
But I firmly believe it is one of the essential life lessons,
Always beckoning us to open our hearts to.
And while it's not a magical solution to all of our problems,
The present moment is our only true refuge.
So I implore you,
This moment is the zenith of your existence.
It's all happening now.
It's all we ever have.
With that said,
I'll say it again.
Now is your chance to enter zen.
Thank you for listening.
I sincerely hope this can help you on your path.
Have a wonderful,
Beautiful,
And highly conscious day.
Much love.
