My Zen has got up and went!

Thursday Cat Thoughts

My Zen has got up and went!

by Mr. Bailey

I won’t tell Miss Mattie this but somedays my Zen gets up and goes!

I am not sure where it goes, but since I am getting older, it’s hard to find it, never mind try to catch it.

The other day, I was sitting on my pillow of contentment enjoying the view outside the window. It was a pleasant day. The trees were swaying with the wind and I was listening to the birds. I was relaxed, purring my way through the present moment, and then all of a sudden my cat mind started over thinking.

Before I knew it, my Zen was carried away by all of my thoughts. (Or maybe the bird took it!)

I started to feel frustrated because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it back.

This happened last week too.

I was overthinking Miss Mattie’s Zen (ninja) training and I started to get discouraged with the un-Zen things she does. That day, my Zen fell out and hit the floor. I am lucky Miss Mattie was in another room because she would have been clobbered by the falling Zen or she would have caught it and taken it away. Who knows what she would have done with it afterwards. I “shutter” to think.

So, today I have decided that I need to find a new clean window of perspective. Perhaps a change of view will be a good thing. (Maybe I will find that bird too!)

Maybe I will take a nap first.

I have realized that when the mind gets thinking too much, or when challenges occurs, that is when Zen gets up and goes.

It is very smart of Zen’s part, but not helpful for us.

Makes no sense huh?

I have learned that I am not perfect; even I suffer with monkey mind. To combat this Monkey or crazy cat mind, I need to try less and be present more.

I can’t look on the outside to anyone, or anything to fix what is on the inside. I can’t search for Zen. Or find Zen in all the wrong places.

Zen doesn’t wave a flag saying “here I am”, so chasing zen makes no sense. (although if you ask Miss Mattie, she would tell you different. sigh)  

I now know I need to be present in just “being” instead of trying to “be” something I am not.

As Kt Cat Paws says….

If you “think” you’re being present in Zen… you’re not”