A Day of Stillness: What Zen Teaches Us

Faithfully Explore! with Laura

A calm, mindful journey for kids ages 5–12 and their grown-ups

Episode Overview

What if an adventure didn’t involve rushing, noise, or doing more — but instead invited us to slow down and be still?

In this gentle and grounding episode of Faithfully Explore!, Laura guides listeners into the world of Zen, a tradition within Buddhism that teaches mindfulness, compassion, simplicity, and acceptance. Through storytelling, imagination, movement, breathing, and play, kids learn that stillness itself can be a powerful adventure — and a skill they can use anytime life feels loud.

What We Explore in This Episode

What Is Zen?

1. A kid-friendly introduction to Zen and its roots in Buddhism
2. The story of Bodhidharma, the monk who brought Zen (Chan Buddhism) from India to China
3. How Zen later traveled to Japan and developed into two main schools:
4. Rinzai Zen (koans & riddles)
5. Sōtō Zen (quiet sitting meditation)

Life in a Zen Monastery

1. What a typical Zen day looks like: meditation, work, study, and rest
2. Zen gardens, bells, cushions, and teachers called Zen Masters
3. A reminder that Zen can be serious and joyful — humor and warmth included

Zen Around the World

1. How Zen and mindfulness are practiced today across the globe
2. A spotlight on modern Zen teacher Thích Nhất Hạnh and his teaching: “Peace in every step”
3. Why simplicity and presence matter in a busy world

Guided Imagination: A Zen Mountain Temple

Listeners are invited to imagine:

1. Walking barefoot into a quiet Japanese temple
2. Moving gently like bamboo in the wind
3. Sitting in stillness as a bell fades into silence
4. Discovering a calm place they can return to anytime with one breath

Friendship Bridge: Zen & Other Traditions

We cross our Friendship Bridge to discover how stillness and reflection appear in many belief systems:

1. Christianity – contemplative prayer
2. Islam – dhikr (remembrance)
3. Hinduism – meditation and yoga
4. Judaism – quiet, personal prayer and reflection

Different paths, shared values — a core message of Faithfully Explore!

Game Time: The Stillness Switch

A brand-new interactive game that helps kids:

1. Feel the difference between powerful breaths and gentle natural breathing
2. Practice switching from busy thoughts to calm awareness
3. Learn they can “turn on” calm anytime, anywhere

Zen superpower unlocked!

Weekly Challenge: The Zen Minute

For the next 7 days:

1. Sit in stillness for just one minute a day
2. Breathe slowly, notice thoughts, and practice pausing
3. Optional level-up: try two minutes by the end of the week

Belief Backpack Takeaways

Three treasures we pack from our day of Zen:

1. Mindfulness – Be present in the moment
2. Compassion – Be kind to others and yourself
3. Acceptance – Let life be, without clinging or rushing

Story Time: The Zen Farmer

A beloved Zen parable (“Good Luck, Bad Luck — Who Knows?”) that teaches:

1. Life is always changing
2. What feels bad may lead to good (and vice versa)
3. Staying calm and flexible helps us weather every season

Final Reflection

Zen isn’t just something from a far-away temple — it’s something we can practice every day:

1. One slow breath instead of yelling
2. One moment of noticing beauty
3. One act of kindness

Listeners leave with calm hearts, curious minds, and a little more peace packed safely in their Belief Backpack.

Perfect for:

Parents • Educators • Homeschoolers • Classrooms • Bedtime listening • Mindfulness moments

Available wherever you listen to podcasts

Until our next adventure — stay curious, stay kind, and may your mind be like water: clear and calm.

Hello and welcome explorers!

2

A fresh moment is beginning

here on Faithfully Explore!

3

I'm your guide, Laura, and I'm inviting

you on an adventure into stillness.

4

Now that might sound curious.

5

An adventure without rushing,

without noise, without doing more.

6

Just stay with me.

7

Settle in, let your shoulders

soften, take a slow breath in,

8

and an even slower breath out.

9

We're about to discover how

stillness itself can be an adventure.

10

Picture this, we're standing in a

Zen garden just as morning wakes up.

11

The ground is cool beneath your feet.

12

Somewhere nearby a temple bell rings-

gong- deep, gentle, and steady.

13

You breathe in the cool morning air,

you breathe out and everything feels

14

a little lighter, a little calmer.

15

This is the feeling of Zen.

16

Faithfully Explore! Intro:

17

faithfully Explore!

18

is the name.

19

Learning together is our aim.

20

Beliefs around the globe we'll track,

filling up our Belief Backpack.

21

Laura: Before we jump into stories and

play, let's explore what Zen actually is.

22

To do that, we travel back in

time about 1,500 years ago.

23

Picture ancient China.

24

Winding rivers, tall mountains, and

monks in robes carrying scrolls.

25

Zen is a special kind of Buddhism that

started in China around the sixth century.

26

How did Zen start?

27

According to legend, a Buddhist

monk from India named Bodhiharma

28

brought his teachings to China.

29

He taught a new way of practicing

Buddhism that focused on meditation

30

and personal experience instead

of lots of scripture or rituals.

31

The word Zen simply means meditation.

32

At its heart, zen is the practice

of sitting very still and quiet.

33

To help our minds feel clear

and our hearts feel kind.

34

Zen is part of the Mahayana

Buddhism common in East Asia, and it

35

emphasizes direct experience through

meditation, often guided by a teacher.

36

Bodhiharma, remember him?

37

He arrives in China around the year 520.

38

Legend says that he was very determined.

39

It is said Bodhiharma, once

meditated, facing a wall for

40

nine years without speaking.

41

Can you imagine?

42

Nine years is longer than

all of elementary school.

43

I can't even sit still for nine

minutes without scratching my nose!

44

This legendary dedication shows how much

patience and focus Zen monks aimed for.

45

Bodhidharma's teachings took

root in China as Chan Buddhism.

46

Then Zen travels to Japan.

47

It became popular around the 1200s.

48

In Japan, two schools of Zen took shape.

49

Rinzai Zen and Soto Zen.

50

Here's a simple way to remember them.

51

Rinzai is known for riddles,

and Soto is known for sitting.

52

Rinzai monks use koans, which

are those tricky riddles or

53

puzzles with no easy answer.

54

Have you heard the famous one?

55

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

56

Go ahead.

57

Try to clap with one hand.

58

Not much sound, huh?

59

Koans like this are meant

to surprise your mind.

60

Soto focuses on zaZen,

which means sitting quietly.

61

In Soto, the idea is just to sit quietly,

usually facing a wall, and let thoughts

62

come and go without chasing them.

63

They believe if you just sit

consistently, enlightenment will

64

come when the time is right.

65

Okay, so history aside, what does

it feel like to practice Zen?

66

Let's step into a Zen monastery, a place

where monks or nuns live and practice Zen.

67

You might be picturing a peaceful temple

building with curved roofs and maybe

68

a garden of raked sand and stones.

69

Those are Zen rock gardens, which

show a love for simplicity and design.

70

A day in a Zen monastery

has a special rhythm.

71

Usually monks wake up very early.

72

Often before dawn when

the sky is still dark.

73

A bell might ring to signal

the start of the day.

74

They do a lot of meditation sessions

sitting quietly on cushions.

75

Discipline is important too.

76

The schedule is strict.

77

Meditation, work, study, rest, repeat.

78

And there are teachers called

Zen Masters who guide students.

79

Sometimes in Zen, a student will go for

a private talk with a master to discuss

80

their meditation or maybe answer a koan.

81

The riddle might be, show me your

original face before you were born.

82

Whoa.

83

What does that mean?

84

And guess what?

85

Monks and nuns laugh and smile too.

86

People sometimes think

Zen is super serious.

87

While it's true, they

practice a lot of silence.

88

Zen folks also appreciate humor and

seeing the joy in simple things.

89

Zen isn't only in Asia now.

90

In the last a hundred years or so, Zen

spread to Europe, America, and beyond.

91

Nowadays, you can find Zen

meditation centers in many cities.

92

Have you heard of mindfulness classes

or maybe even seen a meditation app?

93

At its core, Zen teaches us to be mindful,

fully present in the here and now.

94

Let's try that for a second.

95

Wherever you are, take a gentle

breath in through your nose.

96

Now let it out through your mouth.

97

What do you feel maybe your chest rising?

98

That simple feeling of

I am here, I am alive.

99

That's a bit of Zen.

100

Zen is a way of closely looking

at our life and the world so we

101

can share love and compassion with

everyone and everything around us.

102

Being present helps us notice the beauty

of a tree or even notice our own feelings

103

so we don't get overwhelmed by them.

104

Zen also puts a big

emphasis on compassion.

105

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is

someone who wants to wake up and

106

also help others wake up too.

107

It's a fancy way of saying

they want to help everyone.

108

One very famous, modern Zen teacher,

was Thích Nhất Hạnh from Vietnam.

109

He taught mindfulness and

kindness all around the world.

110

One of his quotes is

"Peace in every step".

111

I love that.

112

It means every step you take can be an

act of peace if you do it mindfully.

113

How about simplicity?

114

Zen often reminds us that we don't

need lots of stuff to be happy.

115

If you ever visit a Zen temple,

you might notice it's pretty bare.

116

Maybe just some woven straw mats on the

floor, plain walls, and one flower in a

117

vase, or a single scroll of calligraphy.

118

This minimalist style is intentional.

119

It helps the mind stay uncluttered.

120

Simple doesn't mean empty or boring.

121

It can be beautiful in its own way.

122

Zen teaches that when we simplify

the outside, less clutter, fewer

123

distractions, our inside our

mind can become clearer too.

124

Imagine with me

125

Imagine we've traveled high

into the mountains of Japan.

126

It's late afternoon.

127

The sky is warm and golden in

front of you as a small Zen temple.

128

Simple wood paper doors, very quiet.

129

We take off our shoes and step inside.

130

Notice the cool floor beneath your feet.

131

Before we go further, let's

become very still like bamboo.

132

Whether you're standing, sitting, or

just imagining, let your spine grow

133

tall as if you're rooted into the earth.

134

Take a slow breath in, and as

you breathe out, gently sway

135

just a little to one side.

136

Now back through center and

softly to the other side.

137

No rush.

138

Bamboo bends, but it doesn't break.

139

One more breath in.

140

This time, a tiny sway forward.

141

A tiny sway back then return to center.

142

Still grounded, calm.

143

Now we walk slowly into the temple garden.

144

White gravel rests beneath our feet,

145

smoothed into gentle lines.

146

A single leaf falls.

147

You lift it away without hurrying.

148

Nearby koi fish glide through

a small pond, orange shapes

149

moving quietly through water.

150

Everything feels unhurried here.

151

A bell rings softly inviting us inside.

152

We sit on a cushion in

the meditation hall.

153

Your back is tall but relaxed.

154

Shoulders soft.

155

A singing bowl sounds the sound

fading, fading until it disappears.

156

For a few breaths, we sit in silence.

157

If a thought appears, you

notice it and let it drift away.

158

The bell sounds once more.

159

Meditation is finished.

160

Notice how your body feels now.

161

Maybe calm.

162

Maybe quiet.

163

Maybe simply here.

164

. We bow in thanks and step back outside.

165

The sun is setting.

166

Cool mountain air brushes your face.

167

For a moment, everything feels just right.

168

That calm place you visited.

169

You can return there any time with

one breath and a moment of stillness.

170

let's cross our Friendship Bridge.

171

Now it's time to cross our Friendship

Bridge, the place where we connect

172

what we've learned about Zen with other

beliefs and traditions around the world.

173

Zen is one beautiful path to peace

and wisdom, but it's not the only one.

174

One of my favorite parts of making

this podcast is discovering how many

175

different traditions, stories, and

beliefs quietly share the same big ideas.

176

Zen teaches us to slow down, notice

the moment, and sit in stillness.

177

Guess what?

178

Many other traditions also make

space for quiet reflection and calm.

179

In Christianity, some monks and

believers practice contemplative prayer.

180

They sit in silence gently

repeating a sacred word or simply

181

opening their hearts to God.

182

Not rushing, not asking,

just being present.

183

In Islam, daily prayers

include words and movement.

184

There's also a practice called

Dhikr, which means remembrance.

185

This can be a soft, repeated saying

of God's names done slowly and

186

peacefully to help the heart feel

centered and close to the divine.

187

In Hinduism, meditation and yoga bring

the mind and body together through

188

breath, focus, and gentle movement.

189

Helping people feel

balanced and connected.

190

In Judaism, some people practice a

quiet, personal kind of prayer or

191

meditation, often done alone in nature.

192

Where they speak honestly from their

heart or sit silently with their thoughts.

193

So our Friendship Bridge

shows us something powerful.

194

Zen values appear again and again

across many faiths and philosophies.

195

So even when beliefs look different

on the outside, many of them teach us

196

the same quiet wisdom on the inside.

197

It's game time.

198

Explorers, we're gonna play a brand new

Zen game called the Stillness Switch

199

Round One Breath Switch.

200

We are going to feel what it's like

when breathing is big and powerful.

201

And then when it becomes soft and natural.

202

Breathe in through your nose, then

breathe out strong and long through your

203

mouth like a dragon blowing warm air.

204

Again, in through your

nose and out like a dragon.

205

In through your nose

and out like a dragon.

206

Now we flip the switch.

207

Let your mouth close gently.

208

Let your breath move

in and out on its own.

209

No pushing, no forcing.

210

Just notice the air coming in.

211

And going out.

212

Did your breath slow down all by itself?

213

Did your body feel different

after the big breaths?

214

Round two thought switch.

215

We're going to try this stillness

switch with our thoughts.

216

Thoughts can be loud and busy

just like our breath was a

217

minute ago, and that's okay.

218

For a moment, let your mind

be extra busy on purpose.

219

What things are bothering you?

220

What do you need to do now?

221

Flip the switch.

222

Imagine each thought

flowing away on a cloud.

223

Now stop imagining anything at all.

224

If a thought comes, let it come.

225

If it goes, let it go.

226

We're just resting here.

227

Did your thoughts slow down on their own

or did they just feel a little softer?

228

If your thoughts didn't

slow down, that's okay.

229

Noticing them as a part

of the practice too.

230

You just practiced

turning calm on purpose.

231

That's a Zen superpower.

232

Knowing you can slow

down anytime, anywhere.

233

Let's tuck the Stillness Switch into our

Belief Backpack so when life feels loud or

234

busy, we remember, we can always flip it.

235

This week's challenge is

236

Here's the challenge, the Zen Minute.

237

Each day for the next seven days,

take one minute of stillness.

238

Just one minute.

239

Sounds easy, right?

240

But you might be surprised.

241

How to do your Zen Minute.

242

Pick a time each day.

243

Find a quiet spot.

244

And set a timer for 60 seconds.

245

Close your eyes.

246

Take slow, deep breaths.

247

Your goal is just to sit and do

nothing but breathe for one minute.

248

If thoughts pop up, that's okay.

249

Imagine them floating by like clouds.

250

When the minute is up,

notice how you feel.

251

Maybe more calm, maybe antsy.

252

There's no wrong result.

253

The point is to practice pausing.

254

Try this every day.

255

If one minute becomes easy peasy,

try two minutes later in the week.

256

I can't wait for you

to try your Zen minute.

257

Good luck young Zen seekers!

258

What's inside our belief

backpack this week?

259

From our day of Zen.

260

Let's choose three simple treasures.

261

First, mindfulness- being here.

262

Zen reminds us to take

life one moment at a time.

263

When you breathe, just breathe.

264

When you listen, really listen.

265

If your mind feels busy or worried,

you can pause and notice something

266

simple like your breath or the

feeling of your feet on the ground.

267

Being present helps life

feel calmer and clearer.

268

Second, compassion- being kind.

269

Zen teaches care for all beings, including

ourselves, kindness towards friends,

270

family, animals, and even someone who

feels left out as part of the practice.

271

And self-kindness matters too.

272

When you make a mistake, take

a gentle breath and remember,

273

learning is part of growing.

274

Third, acceptance- letting life be.

275

Zen reminds us we don't

need a lot to feel content.

276

Doing one thing at a time can be more

peaceful than doing many things at once.

277

And when things don't go the way we

hoped we can practice staying steady.

278

These are the three treasures

we pack today, mindfulness,

279

compassion, and acceptance.

280

You don't have to use them all at once.

281

Sometimes one slow breath is enough.

282

Sometimes choosing kindness

is the answer, and sometimes

283

letting go brings the most peace.

284

Your Belief Backpack is always with you

ready, whenever life feels a little loud.

285

Now it's time for my

favorite part of the podcast.

286

It's story time.

287

I wonder what story

we're gonna hear today.

288

I have a special treat,

a traditional Zen story.

289

Zen Buddhists love teaching

through short stories or parables.

290

These stories often have a hidden

lesson, kind of like fables.

291

The one I've chosen is often

called Good Luck, Bad Luck.

292

Who Knows?

293

Or the Story of the Zen Farmer.

294

It's one of my favorites because it

carries a beautiful message about

295

staying calm no matter what happens.

296

Once upon a time, there was a

farmer who lived in a small village.

297

This farmer was known for being

very wise and very, very calm.

298

He had a modest farm and one trusty

horse that helped him plow the fields.

299

One day, the farmer's horse, his

only horse, broke through the

300

fence and ran away into the hills.

301

The farmer searched,

but the horse was gone.

302

When the villagers heard, they

came to the farmer and exclaimed.

303

villager: Oh no, your horse ran away.

304

What?

305

Terrible luck.

306

This is how will you work your farm now?

307

Laura: The farmer seeing their concern

simply shrugged gently and said,

308

farmer: Bad luck.

309

Good luck.

310

Who knows?

311

Laura: The villagers were puzzled.

312

They thought,

313

villager 2: He lost his only horse.

314

Surely that's bad.

315

Laura: feeling a bit

confused by his answer.

316

They went about their way.

317

A week later, the farmer is

out tilling the soil by hand.

318

When he looks up and sees a stunning

sight, his horse is trotting back home

319

and five wild horses are following.

320

It turns out the horse found a herd

in the hills and brought them back.

321

Suddenly the farmer has not

one, but six horses on his farm.

322

When the villagers see this,

they rush over excitedly.

323

villager 3: Wow, now you have six horses.

324

What?

325

Wonderful luck.

326

Laura: They cheered.

327

The farmer smiled as he corralled

the new horses and replied calmly.

328

farmer: Bad luck.

329

Good luck.

330

Who knows?

331

Laura: Again the villagers

scratched their heads.

332

villager 4: Why is he saying bad

luck when something good happened?

333

Strange guy, that farmer.

334

Laura: Now, the farmer had

a son, a strong young man.

335

The son decided to help his father

train these new wild horses.

336

As he was trying to ride one of

the wild horses, he was thrown

337

off and broke his leg badly.

338

The son would have to

stay in bed for weeks.

339

He couldn't help on the

farm now and was in pain.

340

The villagers visited and moaned.

341

villager 5: Oh, you poor guys.

342

Your son broke his leg.

343

Such awful luck.

344

Laura: The father gave his

son a comforting pat and

345

told the villagers once more.

346

farmer: Bad luck.

347

Good luck.

348

Who knows?

349

Laura: The villagers were flabbergasted.

350

How could a broken leg

possibly be good luck?

351

They suspected the farmer was a bit too

Zen and maybe not thinking straight,

352

but he had that serene little smile.

353

So they left him be.

354

A month later something

happened in the country.

355

A war had began in the land.

356

They were forcing all the

boys and men to join the army.

357

The soldiers took sons from

many families in the villages.

358

When they reached the farmer's

house, they saw the son with his

359

leg in a cast still hobbling around.

360

Soldier: No good.

361

This one can't fight.

362

Laura: And they moved on leaving

the farmer's son at home.

363

While many other young men

were marched off to war.

364

The villagers were amazed.

365

Many of their sons had been taken

away, but the farmer's son was

366

spared because of the broken leg.

367

They came to the farmer

crying tears of joy for him.

368

villager 6: How amazing

your son gets to stay.

369

What?

370

Good luck that he broke

his leg when he did.

371

Laura: And do you know what

the farmer said smiling gently?

372

Can you guess?

373

He said,

374

farmer: Bad luck.

375

Good luck.

376

Who knows?

377

Laura: and at this point, the

villagers didn't even argue.

378

They finally got it.

379

Life has twists and turns, and

it's hard to know in the moment

380

if something is truly bad or good.

381

That's the end of the

story of the Zen farmer.

382

It's simple, but so deep, right?

383

The farmer wasn't unhappy when his horse

ran away or happy when he got more horses.

384

He just stayed calm and accepting.

385

He understood that life can change in

unexpected ways, so he didn't get too

386

swept up in the highs or the lows.

387

So what can we learn from it?

388

Maybe that when something bad

happens, it might lead to something

389

good that you can't see yet.

390

When something good happens, that

too will bring its own challenges.

391

Life is a mix always changing.

392

Zen wisdom tells us don't cling too

tightly to good times or bad times.

393

They both pass.

394

Instead, try to face changes with

a calm heart and a flexible mind.

395

Like bamboo in the wind,

bending but not breaking.

396

And now we conclude our day of stillness.

397

I feel calmer and wiser.

398

How about you?

399

We learned that Zen isn't just

something from a far away temple.

400

It's something we can

practice anytime, anywhere.

401

By being present, kind, and calm.

402

I wanna give you a big virtual high five.

403

You did awesome.

404

Remember, every time you take a

slow breath instead of yelling when

405

you're angry, or every time you

notice a little beautiful thing,

406

you are walking the Zen path.

407

Even if just a few steps.

408

On Faithfully Explore!

409

we believe that exploring other

faiths and ideas makes our hearts

410

bigger and our minds brighter.

411

You added a bit of Zen wisdom to

your Belief Backpack today, and I

412

hope it helps you find stillness

and happiness in this busy world.

413

Thank you for practicing

stillness with me today.

414

Until our next adventure, this

is Laura reminding you to stay

415

curious, stay kind, and may your

mind be like water clear and calm.

416

Maybe let's finish with one

more deep breath together.

417

Ready?

418

Breath in and out.

419

Faithfully Explore! Outro:

420

Faithfully Explore!

421

is about you.

422

Let's grow kinder together it's true!