Zen Habits Podcast

S1 Ep07 - The Zen of Being

Sep 27, 2023

26:54

Snipd AI

Explore the concept of 'the Zen of being' and its importance in changing our lives. Learn about the layers of doing, thinking, and being, and how they influence our behaviors. Discover expansive ways of being such as joy, love, curiosity, and compassion. Practice working with the layer of being by noticing, sitting with it, and choosing a more desired way of being. Get updates on Leo's writing project and his next purpose project involving Zen sewing.

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Quick takeaways

Our ways of being greatly influence our ability to accomplish what we want; by recognizing and working with these ways of being, we can choose more expansive states such as joy and love.

The Zen practice of being present and relaxed in the moment allows us to let go of the layers of doing and thinking, and experience peace and fulfillment.

Deep dives

The Importance of Ways of Being

The podcast episode explores the concept of 'ways of being' and emphasizes its significance in our lives. The host explains that there are different layers to our actions, including the doing layer, where we focus on our actions, and the thinking layer, where we tend to get caught up in our thoughts. However, the most crucial layer often goes unnoticed, which is the layer of being. The host highlights that our ways of being, such as fear, judgment, and emotions, greatly impact our ability to accomplish what we want. By becoming aware of our ways of being and practicing being present with them, we can create shifts and choose more expansive ways of being, such as joy, curiosity, and love. The host also touches on the Zen practice of being, where we let go of the doing and thinking layers and focus on simply being present.

Introduction

4min

Gratitude and Ways of Being

6min

Contraction and Expansion: Exploring the Emotional Layers

11min

The Zen of Being and the Update on the Book Project

4min

Letting Go Workshop and Further Engagement

2min

There's a layer underneath doing and thinking that most people have very little awareness of, and so they can't do much about it if they're stuck.

In this episode, Leo looks at the ways of being, and how it's probably the most important thing when it comes to changing our lives.

Topics Covered

Leo's reflection on the of podcasting process, and how he’s learning
The collaborative effort behind the podcast, including the music composed by members of the Fearless Mastery program, contributions from Leo's son, Justin, and Amanda's work behind the scenes
Ways of being as a critical layer of our actions and decisions
The layers of doing, thinking, and being, and how they influence our behaviors
The importance of recognizing and working with the layer of being to address resistance, fear, and other emotions that hinder progress
Expansive ways of being such as joy, love, curiosity, and compassion
How to practice working with the layer of being: noticing, sitting with it, and choosing a more desired way of being
The Zen of being, emphasizing the practice of being present and relaxed in the moment
Updates on Leo's writing project, a book about his grandmother, and his next purpose project involving Zen sewing