Zen and the Art of Coffee

Zazen literally translated from Japanese means “seated meditation” or in other words: Sitting and observing. A common practice is to concentrate one’s attention on a particular object or sensation such as the movement of the breath.  In my own practice I have found a cup of coffee to be the perfect companion for sitting meditationFor many, coffee is nothing more than a black liquid with a bitter taste that makes you feel awake. On one level that can be true but coffee can be much more than that. If we look deeply at the many elements which make up a cup of coffee, we can imagine the journey of water as it moves from droplets within a cloud to finally arriving at the bottom of our cup. We envision the sunlight as it has traveled across space and time in order to provide the coffee plants with the necessary fuel to grow. We see the extensive efforts of the producers and farmers without whom quality coffee would not exist.Coffee is a rich sensory experience and if you pay close attention, it can become a meditative practice worthy of taking a few moments out of your day to pay special attention to.  For me, this is the intersection of coffee and zen. It is something I look forward to every day and I am confident that you will too.