Question
Would you kindly explain briefly to beginners like me how to cultivate presence—being fully engaged in what we are doing—in daily life outside zazen? Are there little tips, attitudes, or exercises for getting the mind used to this kind of practice? Should we say to ourselves, I’ll try ten minutes a day in this or that setting, and so on? Thank you for your kindness.
Anonymous
Master Kosen’s answer
Only love and joy make us present. Love means feeling with the soul. Soul, heart, and mind are the same thing: shin in Japanese.
Kosen