ZEN spirit and place you can feel it
lifestyle
Sometimes we get frustrated, depressed or upset from small things in our lives. In that case, the idea of “ZEN” will give you some hints to make your mind calm down and help you to live your life as who you are.
Let me introduce about the spirit of “ZEN” simply in this article.
It is famous that Apple founder Steve Jobs was influenced by the idea of “ZEN”. He came to visit Japan many times to practice "ZEN". You must have heard about "ZEN" before as it is getting popular in the United States as a tool for mindfullness. But there seems to be not many people who really knows about the idea of ZEN itself.
The word “ZEN” is Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese “Ch’an,” which means “meditation”. Ch’an came to Japan and became “ZEN” around the 8th century. Today the word “ZEN” is in more general use in the West. It is said that “ZEN is practice, not faith.” Instead of worshiping a specific god, people aim to return to their true self. "ZEN" is basically searching for the truth of who you are.
This time, I’d like to introduce the place where you can feel and learn about “Zen”.
There is a small museum called “Suzuki Daisetsu-kan” in Kanazawa prefecture Japan. It was built to commemorate the life and works of Suzuki Daisetz Teitaro(1870-1966), a prominent Buddhist philosopher.
D.T.Suzuki is a prolific writer who made an effort introducing Japanese Zen philosophy to the West. He wrote mainly about Zen Buddhism and its relation and influence on everyday life.
The museum is not only a place to learn about Suzuki’s life and thinking, but also a place to feel "ZEN" spirit. The building is designed with clean and simple lines. There are some open spaces that make visitors pause and reflect themselves.
The design of the museum pays a role in conveying the serenity that comes with "ZEN" philosophy. Once you step in to the building, you can feel a sense of tranquility from the architecture and interior. The museum is quite small but it is made of three buildings connected with corridors built around a large flat pond at the center. There is also a garden surrounding the building where visitors can enter.
Just putting yourself in a beautiful space with silence seems to be a great experience. Leave your busy life and make time to look back at yourself.
When we can travel again like before, why don’t you come and feel the idea of “ZEN” that has been passed down since ancient times in Japan?
