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Stress Relief and Patience: A Zen Koan is a good lesson in self-discipline and humility. Zen is a form of Buddhism made popular during the fifth and sixth centuries in the Far East, and a Zen koan is a short story, riddle, puzzle or other folklore designed to teach a lesson and to build the intuitive qualities of the mind.

We’ve all heard the Zen koan, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” and, if you ponder the question, over time you, reality and your place in it, will evolve.

One of my favorite koans, and one I consider often when I find myself showing a lack of self-discipline, is about a Zen master who lived in a small cave high in the mountains – away from the world.

It was known throughout the land that this Zen master had the ability to turn lead into gold. One day, a brazen young boy decided to find the Zen master and learn the secret of turning lead into gold. So he set off on foot for a long, long trek through the mountains.

Along the way, kind strangers gave him directions to the Zen master’s cave and after many weeks of walking and climbing, the young boy, winded from the arduous climb, finally arrived at the entrance to the cave.

Carefully, he looked inside and, indeed, he saw an old man sitting by a small fire, deep in concentration. “Old man,” the young boy said brashly, “I have walked many miles and climbed many mountains to come here and learn your secret of turning lead into gold.” The Zen master smiled wisely. “Be seated, young seeker, and I will share my secret with you.”

The boy sat across the small fire from the master, watching every move the old man made. The master took a small block of lead and held it tightly in his ancient hands. He chanted for what seemed like hours, deep in a trance. The boy wrote down every incantation the master spoke. He wrote down everything the master did – all the time thinking of how wealthy he would soon be.

Still writing down the words of the Zen master, the young man watched as the master finally placed the block of lead onto the fire. He covered the lead with some straw from the floor of the cave and spoke one, final incantation. Magically, the ashes blew away and there, in the fire, was a bar of gold where the lead had been placed.

The young man leaped up. “I’m rich. I’m the richest man in the entire world,” he shouted. “I can turn lead into gold. Foolish old man, why would you give away such a secret?” the boy asked as he began to leave the cave to plan his fortune.

The Zen master smiled at the eager boy. “Because the secret only works when you don’t think of a black cat.”

The koan ends here, leaving us to wonder what degree of self-discipline must be required to avoid thinking of a black cat while performing the transformation ceremony.

As students, we learn that the young boy will never receive the endless riches he so eagerly sought, for each time he undertakes the ceremony, he will think of a black cat and the transformation won’t take place. The seed is planted – forever.

This koan has taught me the value of self-discipline and humility – two traits I value greatly.

Now, after hearing this koan, you, too, will come to see self-discipline differently.

However, when pondering this parable, whatever you do, don’t think of a black cat.

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Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Management Expert, Teaches you how to transform stress into success. You will discover how to get twice the results with half the effort and realize how easy it is to relax anytime anywhere. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Do you want to learn more tips and tools for slowing down and going with the flow? Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to find more time to enjoy stress relief? – Split Second Stress Relief

[tags]stress relief, Stress management,patience, Zen master, humility, self-discipline, Buddhism, koan, Cecil McIntosh, technorati[/tags]

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License. Copyright © 2008 – Change Perspective & Empty Your Cup®

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