Explore how Zen Buddhist meditation practices such as zazen or shikantaza (just sitting) offer a path to stillness, presence, and awareness beyond conceptual thinking. Discover how the peaceful experience of being present invites openness, curiosity, and direct contact with the present moment. Through silence and simplicity, the mind can settle naturally, without the need to fix, change, or achieve anything.

This quiet presence is echoed in the spirit of Zen stories, such as the parable of Ryokan and the moon, where the master, having nothing to offer a thief who had broken into his hut, gives away his clothes and then quietly reflects, “I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.” In just sitting, like Ryokan, one learns to rest in the richness of the moment, offering what cannot be stolen—presence, simplicity, and the open sky of awareness.

In silent sitting or while contemplating a Zen parable or haiku, the mind becomes like a still lake, able to receive and reflect beauty without distortion. As stillness deepens, clarity arises naturally. The lake reveals itself as awareness, and the sky as timeless presence. When all effort falls away, even the vastness of the sky is quietly mirrored within.

There is value in sometimes doing nothing. Practicing doing nothing isn’t easy when so much emphasis is placed on being busy, efficient, and productive all the time. Just sitting can be a powerful practice that leads to stillness and insight.

Experience doing nothing at all—free from distractions, goals, and effort—while gently reflecting on the thoughts, sensations, or emotions that arise in stillness. Notice how the quiet, open presence of simply sitting can invite calm, curiosity, and a deeper awareness beyond habitual thinking.

• What occurs when you cease trying to fix or change anything and simply sit with whatever is present?
• How do Zen stories or haiku assist you in experiencing the stillness of just being?

Analyze various stillness practices, evaluate their value in daily life, and implement discerning choices about energy expenditure, recognizing that sometimes the best option is to do nothing.