Zen and the Art of Painting Skulls

Zen and the Art of Painting Skulls

Anger comes from dwelling on the past.  And fear comes from worrying about the future.  A future that may never come, and most probably won't happen the way you imagine.  The present is where peace and happiness are.  This blog post is how I learned to focus on the present and Live In The Now :)

My name is Sam. About two years ago, I found myself laying on the floor.  My back had just gave out trying to move a broken window unit air conditioner. 

There I was, face on a dirty wooden floor in my crappy apartment, the TV blasting a terrible commercial the ridiculous volume that advertisers use to get your attention.  I felt the cold of my dog's nose on my eye socket as he came to sniff me out.  

Laying there, my back spasming, unable to move.   I began thinking how did I get here.  How did my life become this way.  I was broke.  I mean broke in every possible way.   Financially, physically, socially, spiritually broke.     

I had no job, very few friends, no girlfriend, my health had gone to shit, and I live crappy apartment that smelled like the cheap generic cigarettes of which I was smoking two packs a day.

That was it for me, bottom as they say.  I decided things needed to change.  

Within a year, I had doubled my income, quit the cigarettes, started exercising and began a consistent morning meditation routine.  Started playing the guitar again, and started dating regularly.  

How?  I could say that I read this book or that book and watched videos by motivational speakers. I did read lots of books and watch videos, but it was one thing that really got me to start living....    Death. 

Death is coming for us all. Rich or poor, male or female. No matter who we are, only one thing is certain in life and that is, it will end.  Don't waste a moment being angry about the past or being fearful of the future.  Pay attention to every moment of the present.

In the Vatican City.  There is a chapel for Capuchin monks completely decorated with bones of dead monks and there is an inscription that says

What you all are, they once were.
What they are, you will be.

  

This knowledge was liberating for me.  I began practicing mindfulness every moment of my life.  Trying to give full attention to everything I was doing.  

I starting painting miniature skulls as a morning meditation and putting them around my house. I call it ZenSkulls.

ZenSkulls are colorful reminders of our mortality.   In order to truly appreciate life, one must be aware that it ends and to live every moment to the fullest.

They are not morbid but instead ZenSkulls are reminder to live in the present;

not to waste time regretting the past or worrying about the future; appreciate the moment.  Hopefully when I catch myself starting to watch some sitcom re-run I've seen three times before,  I may see a ZenSkull and turn-off the TV and make the most out of Life.

The past is gone, and the future is just an illusion. Live in the now.