”The real miracle isn’t to walk on water. The real miracle is to walk right here on Earth” according to Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. In this episode a short guided meditation is followed by a teaching, emphasizing shifting from busyness to being more focused, engaged, and spacious. The practice of spaciousnes is essential in today’s complex world. The Zen puzzler is based on a traditional Zen koan -- Is the flag moving, the wind moving, or is it your mind that is moving?

Marc and Dr. Dan Siegel discuss the deep inner work of awareness, the power of belonging, and the illusion of the self and shifting from me to ”we.” Dan shares a meditation practice that he calls the ”Wheel of Awareness.”

What surprises you about your life right now? For me, the answer is ”everything!” Enjoy this short talk and meditation on the power of surprise, a guided meditation, followed by a puzzler. Today’s puzzler is: A statement made by Zen teacher Dogen, from the 13th century: To study yourself is to go beyond yourself” -- exploring what that means and how it can support your wellbeing.

Marc and Peter explore Peter’s story of how he came to his acting path, as well as his path to Zen practice. They talk about ”precise forms for a flexible mind” vs. ”flexible forms for a precise mind”, meditation, the power of ritual, the liberating effect of mask work, as well as bringing Zen practice into everyday life.

Marc begins with a guided meditation, followed by a short talk on impermanence as a path toward joy. ”The evanescence of things is the reason why you enjoy your life” according to the Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki. Recognizing and embodying the fleeting nature of our lives is a way to practice with finding more appreciation and joy in everything we experience. The episode closes with a bi-weekly Zen Puzzler: Where is the place where there is no hot and no cold?

In today’s episode, Marc sits down with his friend Leo Babauta. Leo is the founder of one of the most interesting and successful blogs on the internet called Zen Habits. He’s also the author of several books, including The Power Of Less. Marc and Leo talk about meaning and meaningful work and the question how Zen practice can be integrated with, and support, our work and our lives. Leo also offers some powerful practices, especially around finding grounding in the body in the midst of uncertainty.

Today Marc is speaking with Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey, a cultural anthropologist, and the first female fellow and Polynesian explorer of the National Geographic Society. Marc and Elizabeth discuss the importance of being your authentic self, and the path and power of wayfinding. They also talk about a favorite saying of one of Elizabeth’s indigenous mentors: “we have lots of clocks but little time.” Elizabeth offers a song/prayer of healing.

Welcome to ZenBones: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times, with Marc Lesser.