Dissolving Hurt the Zen Way

January 14, 2014 Nicole Hemmer

A Korean monk I talked with told me that whenever you feel hurt by something someone said or did, you can say to your hurt:
You are important.
You are kind.
You are happy.

Dissolve the hurt you feel with loving kindness.
Allow for the hurt you experience to melt away.

Simplicity + Beauty + Zen

January 9, 2014 Nicole Hemmer

I just got back from another weekend staying at a Zen Temple here in Korea. It was a beautiful, peaceful and quiet weekend. Some of the highlights: waking up at 4am both days and meditating with the monks, hiking, wandering in nature, eating healthy temple meals, having tea every night with a young monk, lying on the Earth and soaking up the sun, going to sleep every night hearing only the crickets, and hearing the birds singing in the morning...an authentic Zen experience.

There’s something so refreshing about the SIMPLE life. Simplicity is beautiful in its pureness.

How much do we really need to live?

Sunlight is beautiful. Clean air is beautiful. Stillness is beautiful. Silence is beautiful.

Some of the most beautiful things in life are intrinsic to the Earth.

I’m feeling rejuvenated, peaceful and clear. Before I left the temple today, I found out that the head monk of the temple along with two of the youngest monks will be travelling to Japan at the end of the month to meet the Dalai Lama.

"We can make this a more peaceful century if we cherish non-violence and concern for others’ well-being. It is possible. If the individual is happier, his or her family is happier; if families are happy, neighbourhoods and nations will be happy. By transforming ourselves we can change our human way of life and make this a century of compassion." -Dalai Lama