Catching Life As It Flows

“The idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows. There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen. I raise my hand; I take a book from the other side of the desk; I hear the boys playing ball outside my window; I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighboring wood — in all these I am practicing Zen, I am living Zen. No wordy discussion is necessary, nor any explanation… When the sun rises the whole world dances with joy and everybody’s heart is filled with bliss. If Zen is at all conceivable, it must be taken hold of here.”
--D.T. Suzuki

The goal of meditation is not to kill all feelings and become anesthetized to the pain and fear of others, nor our own. Zen frees us to scream loudly and fully when it is time to scream.” —Unknown

"A samurai once asked Zen Master Hakuin where he would go after he died. Hakuin answered, 'How am I supposed to know?'
'How do you know? You're a Zen master!' exclaimed the samurai.
'Yes, but not a dead one,' Hakuin answered."
--Zen Mondo