33 ISSUE 12 | MARCH-APRIL 2025 wall, with eyes open, you’re still receiving input from the world around you. This act of gentle perception forms the foundation for meaningful engagement with the world beyond the cushion. It’s easy to think of Zazen as purely an internal process, a self-study. But the Japanese Zen Buddhist monk Dogen Zenji reminds us, “To study the way is to study the self.” This “self” isn’t the small, egoic self, but the larger, universal self. “To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by the myriad things.” Zazen is not a path of inward isolation, but of radical interconnectedness. Defining meaningful work So, what is meaningful work from a Zen perspective? It’s not simply a job that feels good or pays well; it’s the ongoing, embodied inquiry into what life is truly about, in the here and now. This is our Genjo Koan—the challenge of actualizing reality in every moment. It asks not just what we do, but how we do it—and why. In this light, even seemingly mundane or challenging tasks can become meaningful if approached with presence, attention, and alignment with our values. Whether raising children, managing spreadsheets, designing for accessibility, or cleaning bathrooms, what matters is how fully we show up and how deeply we align our actions with our practice. Four questions for reflection To help bring the stillness and awareness of Zazen into everyday actions, here are four questions for personal reflection. You might find them helpful too: 1. How do you align your personal values with your professional life? - Can you share an experience when your work felt deeply aligned with your values? 2. What obstacles have you encountered in seeking meaningful work? - How have you addressed them? How do you cope when your work feels purposeless? 3. In what ways can small, everyday actions at work contribute to a greater sense of meaning? - How do small efforts accumulate into a life well-lived? 4. How can our community support each other in finding or sustaining meaningful work? - What would it mean to support each other not just in practice, but in vocation? How Zazen can apply in a work environment ●● Cultivating presence and attention: Zazen trains you to be fully present with what is, without the need to fix or judge it. In this context, multitasking becomes less of a reflex, and single-pointed attention becomes more natural. As the Zen teaching says, “When walking, just walk. When working, just work.” ●● Responding, not reacting: Zazen helps you notice your thoughts and emotions without becoming caught up in them. Rather than reacting out of habit, ego, or fear, you can respond from a grounded, thoughtful place. This shift can transform workplace dynamics. ●● Reducing stress and burnout: Even short periods of Zazen can help regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and reset your mind during a chaotic workday. Over time, this practice rewires your baseline response to stress, helping you carry less emotional weight throughout your day. You return to a still center, again and again. ●● Clarifying values and purpose: Zazen isn’t about escapism; it’s a practice of returning to what truly matters. Over time, it helps clarify your deeper values, aligning them with your work. Even if your job isn’t your “calling,” Zazen helps you approach it with integrity, care, and presence, transforming your experience of it from the inside. Ultimately, Zazen teaches us that there is no separation between spiritual life and working life. Every moment is an opportunity for practice. Zazen doesn’t provide a blueprint for fixing your job or handing you the perfect career. What it does offer is a profound shift in how you show up—openeyed, grounded, and aligned. From this place, everything becomes more workable, even meaningful. As the Zen saying goes, “Everyday life is the way.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxOTY2