Zen Inspiration

Being a very distractible person, I fail to make the best of situations. I get angry and frustrated with my kid. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by small tasks. I stress and worry and wonder why I can't get on top of things.

Since my freshman year of college, I have found peacefulness and calm in Zen practices. Buddhism, though widely considered a "religion," is more about habits than beliefs. It's about the way you train yourself to think and to act. I don't claim to be Buddhist, but I do turn to Buddhism when I am feeling crazy.

Some sources for peace and calm:

Sylvia Boorstein
I heard her on the American Public Media program "Being" on Mother's Day morning, and the timing was perfect. Her outlook on being a mother and being a Buddhist (or in her case, a Jewish Buddhist) made me reflect on my own parenting. One of the most notable things that she said on the program was that everyone has time to cultivate their spiritual side. Even if you're a busy, working mother, it's about doing things lovingly. Even folding the laundry lovingly can be a spiritual practice. She's written tons of books: I downloaded the first chapter of Pay Attention, for Goodness' Sake on my Kindle and plan to download the rest when my class is over. I would love to attend one of her retreats. http://www.sylviaboorstein.com/

The Dalai Lama
I read My Land and My People in college, and now I follow him on Twitter. Seriously. There's something wonderful about receiving a little glimpse of the sublime in between all the goofy stuff.

Yoga
I did yoga when I was pregnant with Jack. Getting ready to start it up again. "Strong mind, strong body."  Jack likes to watch my yoga DVD with me and stretch with "the girls on t.v."

"Lessons from a Zen Mommy."
I just read this in the August 2011 issue of Parents' Magazine. I wish I could link to it, but they don't digitize their entire issue. It's written by Bethany Saltman, a Zen Buddhist and mother of a three-year-old, and she's the real deal: before becoming parents, she and her husband lived in a monastery. She translates traditional Buddhist teachings into "mom" lessons, such as: stop multitasking; take responsibility for yourself and your mess, and teach your child to do the same; limit acquiring too much stuff; don't beat yourself up over things; develop rituals; count your blessings; remember to breathe.

Stephen Batchelor
A Religion Panel in my Honors Program at Clarke College brought me into contact with a woman who was Zen Buddhist. She described Buddhism to me for the first time, in a way that calmed me and made me feel hopeful and joyful in a very depressing year of my life. After listening to her speak, I bought Buddhism Without Beliefs and Verses from the Center by Stephen Batchelor, and these volumes became my crash-course in Buddhism. Admittedly, it has been a long time since I've read them, but I think they are ready to be dusted off.