Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

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Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

Brenda Shoshanna, Phd

312 episodes

1 month ago

We all have the power of decision. We can decide to turn onto a new road and Choose Life, choose strength, aliveness, compassion and the way of healing for all. This choice needs to be made over and over includes many new steps, which we will cover week by week. In the process we will learn how to give up our attachment to anger, revenge, and other ways of destruction, and other ways of feeling strong. This new choice can seem unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but step by step as we embark upon i...

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Religion & Spirituality,

Society & Culture,

All content for Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life is the property of Brenda Shoshanna, Phd and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

We all have the power of decision. We can decide to turn onto a new road and Choose Life, choose strength, aliveness, compassion and the way of healing for all. This choice needs to be made over and over includes many new steps, which we will cover week by week. In the process we will learn how to give up our attachment to anger, revenge, and other ways of destruction, and other ways of feeling strong. This new choice can seem unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but step by step as we embark upon i...

Show more...

Religion & Spirituality,

Society & Culture,

Episodes (20/312)

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

We all have the power of decision. We can decide to turn onto a new road and Choose Life, choose strength, aliveness, compassion and the way of healing for all. This choice needs to be made over and over includes many new steps, which we will cover week by week. In the process we will learn how to give up our attachment to anger, revenge, and other ways of destruction, and other ways of feeling strong. This new choice can seem unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but step by step as we embark upon i...

1 month ago

11 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

LET EACH DAY BE NEW

When the New Year comes, we all wish each other a Happy New Year, or a happy new day or happy new relationship. But how do we truly make the New Year new? Most of the time we live in the past, comparing each event with another in our memory. We can live our lives this way as well. But it isn't difficult to allow our lives to be fresh and new eachmoment. There's actually nothing we need to do. It's already fresh and new each moment. It's just a matter of leaving the past in the past. Staying w...

2 months ago

12 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

RETURN TO THE ROOT

As we return to the root of our lives we embrace all aspects, the present, the past, our time alone and precious relationships with others. This episode includes teachings from both Zen and Jewish practice to explore the ways in which they uplift and enhance one another and help us to be whole. Support the show

2 months ago

14 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

CHANGE IS NOT LOSS

Many of us fear change, because we experience it as loss. We do all we can to keep our world stable, secure, and as we want it to be. Most of our time is guarding against change, fighting and refusing it. But the truth is that life itself is constant change. It is growth, discovery, and the precious unfolding of who we are. Change is the way we learn and ripen. To fight change, to judge ourselves as failures if things don't go our way is a cause of great suffering. A better way is to sa...

1 year ago

16 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING WRONG?

We are driven by the need to be right, not wrong. And many of the conflicts in our relationships are caused by this, as well. When a difference of any kind arises, we immediately insist that we are right, the other is wrong. These labels cover the larger truth of the matter, as we enter into conflict, anger and often loss. There is another way to handle this. Realize that we are all both right and wrong all the time. And that both can also be right at the same time. Give up these l...

1 year ago

14 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

WHAT'S THE REAL QUESTION?

So much of our lives are filled with questions that have no answer. We go around and around in our mind trying to figure everything out. These questions about ourselves, others, what will happen, and what's the best road to take, plague us endlessly. They prevent us from being present for what's going on and fully experiencing our lives. In fact the questions create so much confusion, they actually lead us in the wrong direction. Without doubt, there is another way to receive the clarity and ...

1 year ago

16 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

HOW TO REALIZE THAT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY

No matter what's going on, how we see the event or person, determines what they becomes to us. We can find that which is devastating about them and ties us in knots. Or, we can let go of opposing and rejecting what's going on, and experience each moment fully, just as it is. When we do that we make room for things to change and flow. As we let go, so do others we're in contact with. As we open our minds and hearts to what is happening, we gain a different p...

1 year ago

15 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

THIS STEP WILL NOT COME AGAIN: IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE STUCK

We're all looking for thrills and chills as we go through life. Our ordinary everyday life seems too simple, dull and repetetive. To make life special we feel we have to jazz things up, create dazzling goals, become someone special, receive all kinds of acclaim. Or else we've failed, missed our chance. Zen practice shows us just the opposite. Every day, just as it comes and as it goes, is extremely precious. As we attend to it, stop trying to twist it into something else, and honor the ...

1 year ago

16 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

WATCH, THE SUN IS BREAKING THROUGH

We live most of our lives surrounded by Dire Predictions, a snowstorm is on the way, huge winds, dangerous conditiions. And, then, before we know it, the snow has turned to light rain and the sun begins breaking through. Dire predictions come from all directions regarding most aspects of our lives. When we focus upon them, believe them, guard against them all day long, our lives are tangled in fear and pain. When we stay with things as they are, feel them, enjoy them, become engaged wit...

1 year ago

17 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

ALLOWING YOURSELF TO LIVE FULLY

How many of us can really allow ourselves to really live, feel the sun, hear our neighbor, be present and available to all that arrives. This is actually a great art, and in order to do it, we must learn the great secret of "Allowing". It is rare that we allow anything to happen, just as it does. Immediately, we want to fix it, judge it, take control of it, whether it is an event or a relationship. The problem is that we are simply reacting out of our conditioning, rather than having a l...

1 year ago

14 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

MAYBE IT WILL HAPPEN TOMORROW?

We are always waiting for something to happen to make things right. There's usually something missing in what's going on right now. We want it to turnout differenly and won't stop until it does. There's a picture in our mind of how everything is supposed to go. Most of us refuse to feel satisfied until our picture is fulfilled. Then we'll feel as if we've won, worthwhile. But life has its own ideas about what must happen, and the conflict between our pictures and those that life present...

1 year ago

15 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

FALLING IN LOVE WITH LIFE

We are not aware of how much we reject life. A gap takes place before we are willing to notice, engage with and accept what's going on. Often we just block things we don't like out. Or, our initial response is to judge what's taking place, filter it through our past experiences. Take a few steps away. It is rare to simply to be present for whatever the moment brings. And beyond that it is an act of wonder to learn how to actually fall in love with the life we are living now. Not the life we w...

1 year ago

14 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

WHO YOU ARE SPEAKS SO LOUD I CAN'T HEAR WHAT YOU SAY

True communication comes in many forms. So often we present an image of ourselves, play a role or speak to impress, or influence. This type of interaction causes division, not only within ourselves, but in our relationships. All long for true connection, to be seen, known and heard. And how is that possible, when we are not interacting simply and diretly from the truth of who we are. Yet, no matter what we say, the truth of who we Are, presents itself naturally. When we align our ...

1 year ago

15 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

A TRULY HAPPY DAY

We all wish each other a Happy New Year, and mean it. But what does it mean to be truly happy?? Usually we think it includes lots of laughs and smiles, a happy face and demeanor. Certainly, it is a pleasure to feel that way, but how long does a feeling like that last? It comes and goes due to circumstances. When things go our way, the smiles appear, when a sudden thunder storm comes, our smiles disappear. Yet, there is a way to live a Truly Happy Live, a way to greet whatever arises with a fe...

1 year ago

17 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

FOR THE NEW YEAR TO BE NEW, YOU MUST BE NEW!

Even though everyday is new, we drag the old along with us wherever we go. Then, longing for a new start, we look for it everywhere. Some move to a new neighborhood or relationship, profession, even new haircut.. As we approach the new year, we reflect upon the year gone by and dwell upon how we want things to change. However, one thing we overlook, is that things change every moment. Every breath is fresh, every day is new. It's just us. We're not aware of it, but cling to ...

1 year ago

14 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

NOT YET. ALMOST! IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

We're always waiting for things to be fulfilled, for the job to be over, for good news to arrive, or for our long wait to be over, for our needs to be met. As a Zen Master saw his driven students, pushing and striving for results, he always said to them, "Not Yet." However much they strained and hoped, he always simply shook his head and said, "Not yet." Some took this to mean they were failures, would never make the grade. But that's not it. Th...

1 year ago

15 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

THE SUN IS RIGHT BEHIND THE CLOUD; PAY ATTENTION

Caught in our thoughts we feel that we know what's going on, and respond accordingly. Instead of paying precious attention to what's right in front of us, our attention is caught and trapped by our endless obsessions. What a pity. Our trapped attention hasn't a chance, can't breathe, live or even see the beautiful sun that is just waiting for peek out behind the clouds and warm the entire sky. If we don't see it, how can we receive the light and warmth? When asked what Zen practice truly is, ...

1 year ago

17 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

WHO'S IN CHARGE?

It's so easy to become upset when things don't work out our way. Many feel like failures, that no matter what they do, but life just proceeds as it wishes. Nothing to feel badly about. We do all we can and certainly can bring benefit, but let's take a moment and dwell upon the most significant koan, question of all. Ultimately, Who's In Charge? You are a visitor here and life will continue on in its own way, long after you have departed. What did you come here for? Just focus on t...

1 year ago

13 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

We have so many expectations about what is going to happen, what needs to happen and how to manage everything. So many hours are spent planning how to navigate the twists and turns of life, to be ready for everything. Yet, most of the things we expected, don't happen. And what we don't expect arrives on its own. Our reactions to this dominate our life, anger, upset, immediately trying to change, fix or alter what's going on. We're so busy opposing and altering life as it comes, that we have l...

1 year ago

18 minutes

Zen Wisdom for Your Everyday Life

LETS GIVE THANKS ALL DAY LONG

Thanksiving is here, a yearly time to remember, thank and reach out. But this practice is so powerful and central to our well being, our lives would turn around if we took a day or two each week, (or more) and gave thanks all day long. Normally, our brains are wired to focus upon what is wrong, what's lacking and who did us harm. That seems to be our automatic reaction as we go through our days. And all the while, the opposite is true. There's always an abundance of gifts, warmth, love ...

1 year ago

17 minutes