Zen Mind: The Zen Feeling - by Charles Freligh, PhD

COURSE

Zen Mind: The Zen Feeling

With Charles Freligh, PhD

Zen is the direct feeling of present moment reality. Here we will experience three classic quotes from the Zen tradition. I will randomly select one quote per session. The randomness allows for spontaneity, which is essential for the Zen mind. In these sessions, I aim to bring the quotes down from the head and into the heart, moving from the mind into the body, where Zen lives. Let's see what happens.


Meet your Teacher

Charles has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and applies much of his time and effort to explaining ancient spiritual traditions in modern everyday language. He has extensive training experience at a Zen monastery and leads retreats on mindfulness, Zen, and the Tao. His work is rooted in the healing power of presence.

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3 Days

2.9k students

4.9 stars

17 min / day

Awakening

English


Lesson 1

Enlightenment Is An Accident

Here we experience the first quote at random. The randomness is essential to this experience, because it allows us to be alive together in the present moment. The quote selected removes some pressure from your practice.

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Lesson 2

Mind Hygiene

Here we discover our second quote. This one is a reference to the everydayness of your practice, and a reminder that there will not come a time when you no longer need to practice. The practice is daily hygiene, like taking a shower. Rinse and repeat.

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Lesson 3

Ordinary Mind

Here we empty the bowl once more and experience our final quote. This one is a practical description of the enlightened mind. There might be an implied assumption that the enlightened mind is something extraordinary. Maybe not?

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Ask your teacher

This course includes 136 community questions and 126 audio replies from Charles Freligh, PhD. The community classroom and teacher audio replies are only available via the app.

136

4.9 (316)

Recent Reviews

Lisa

August 6, 2026

I really enjoyed this! I am new to insight timer, and I don't know if you have done any more of these. They were very meaningful for me and I hope you will do more if you haven't already. Thank you!

Christy

August 1, 2026

Please do more courses like this only longer

Joy

July 30, 2026

Loved this, and I am looking forward to more! Thank you, Charles!🙏💕🙏

Francesca

July 30, 2026

really enjoyed this three-part Zen course. What resonated with me most was Charles authenticity, his way of sharing felt genuine, grounded, and easy to connect with. I also appreciated the thoughtful quotes woven throughout the course. Many of them stayed with me and gave me something meaningful to reflect on beyond the videos themselves. A simple but powerful course from a teacher I truly enjoy.

Audrey

July 25, 2026

Simple, sweet, calming, insightful. I found this after a night full of wretched dreams. It was too early to get up and I was tired and felt wrecked. I watched all 3 and they calmed me down. Emptied my brain of the images and my body of the stress and trauma it was holding. And then I fell back to sleep. I just woke up happy and rested. Thank you.

Lewis

July 25, 2026

As always it has a been a pleasure learning from you. Thank you for sharing wisdom.

Claire

July 24, 2026

AMA ingly refreshing!

Dinah

July 24, 2026

Authentic presence, bringing gratitude.

KatieG

July 11, 2026

a lovely course! I enjoyed the spontaneity of how Charles dipped into the bowl each day and then we all got to participate together in seeing what unfolded. Charles’ loving presence is also felt across time and space. I am grateful! 🙏🏼❤️

Sue

July 10, 2026

Charles is an outstanding Zen teacher

Karen

July 8, 2026

Thank you for this amazing experience. I'm brand new to the Zen mind. This course helped immensely. I love your voice, the sound of the bowl, the rituals, it was enlightening. 111 Here we go!

Scott

July 8, 2026

Thank you Charles. Really enjoyed the video format!

Tara

June 18, 2026

Another excellent creative offering. I appreciated the cadence and spontaneity. For me I would have liked a bit more quiet time, open without words, even though Charles’s words are worth hearing.

LJ

June 15, 2026

Thank you sir. Once again you have provided a wonderful offering. Above the simple yet indepth insights I will not elaborate too much on the content. However, I will say I truly loved the video delivery. I won't speak for others, seeing the nonverbal expressions, gestures, and even fully seeing the singing bowl and incense holder adds so much to the expierence. I kindly ask..please offer additional videos. Off subject: If not too personal, what are your tattoos and their meanings. Thank you!

Carrie

June 15, 2026

I would love a Zen part 2. I have done all your insights timer courses, some twice. It was nice to have a video series. Thank you for doing this. Appreciate you 💕

Sophie

June 12, 2026

I really enjoyed that. It was a great way to use video that enabled us to have a shared experience in the present.

Edwin

June 9, 2026

All that you share is enlightening.

Louise

June 6, 2026

Thank you. It was such a lovely surprise to see you. I enjoyed our sessions. Yes, please do more. Perfect way to begin my day. I also enjoyed your 111 Zen sessions. Thank you.🙏❤️

Peter

June 4, 2026

I am not sure this qualifies as an introduction. At first I missed the background sound of his course, but background became pivotal in the last lesson. I cannot recommend Charles' teaching enough, I really appreciated the video in this case as it helps me to feel the unity. When just listening I can fool myself he is some great Guru above me, while the essence of Zen is that we are all beginners, on this Journey together. Thank you Charles for being real, I am still content to know nothing. You inspired me to go out and buy incense and a holder, I had forgotten that smell is as important as the other senses.

Skankhunt

June 4, 2026

Very moving. I usually do breath work but this solely got me interested in looking elsewhere. Thanks

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