Does Zen Practice Cultivate Graceful People?

Why did I start talking about "Zen" in the first place? Well, at the end of last year, while searching online for books to read during the New Year holidays, I happened upon a book titled "Zen Teaches the Basics of Graceful Conduct That Creates Beautiful People" by Toshiaki Masuno (Gentoshya). Intrigued by the title, "What does it mean for Zen practice to create graceful people?" I bought it. And as I turned the pages of the book that arrived, I was astonished! The book contained things I had experienced and felt, thoughts like "I want to live this way" or "I want to become someone who can think like this," all written as Zen teachings!

I had never read a book about Zen before, but does this mean I was unknowingly aiming for the "way of Zen" (to put it grandly)...? While I was thinking about confirming this, I ended up buying six Zen books, as shown in the photo (though I ended up reading them all before the New Year).

My Aspirations and What's Written in Zen Books

By the way, you can probably tell how much I've aspired to a Zen-like way of life by reading the past articles in this series below, or my recent books.
'12.4 "As I Pursued Curvy Fitness, I Found Myself Drawn to Those Who Eat Simply and Lightly!"
'12.6 "Change Your Life with a Morning Routine!"
'12.8 "Heal Wounds and Detoxify with Fasting!"
'13.6 "Thinking About a Simple Lifestyle Through 'Food'"
'14.1 "Meditation: The Ultimate Anti-Aging Secret?!"
'14.3 "Giving Up Alcohol, Anti-Glycation, and Wishes: Which Comes True?"
'14.5 "Holistic Beauty for the Radiant Adult Woman"
'14.8 "Boost Anti-Aging and Happiness with 'Serotonin Breathing'!"
Book: "Beautiful Mornings Change Your Life" (Gentoshya)
Book: "Adult Women Shine Like This" (KK Best Sellers)
Book: "Where Beauty Resides" (Gentoshya)

And here are some similar themes written in the six Zen books I purchased:
• Wake up early and start the day auspiciously.
• Don't eat until you're completely full.
• Proper breathing starts with "exhaling completely."
• Don't be used by time; use time.
• Become free by discarding what you don't need.
• Why sit?—Towards a state of "not expecting results."
• Before using social media, ask yourself, "Is this truly necessary?"
• Your room is a mirror of your mind.
• Focus on the other person's strengths.
• Make it a habit not to worry at night.

In Zen, it's "First Cleaning, Second Faith."

I used to think of "Zen" as something special, but after reading these books, I learned that Zen teaches fundamental, universal principles for being human. What particularly impressed me was the part about "cleaning." In Zen, it's said that diligently engaging in daily cleaning is more valuable than any other practice, as in "First Cleaning, Second Faith." Furthermore, it teaches the importance of cleaning "hidden places."

—When cleaning, consider "places people dislike" or "places unseen by others" as reflections of your own mind, and clean with intention. As you continue this practice diligently, this mindset should naturally extend to all your actions, not just cleaning.
From "Zen Teaches True Life Force, Starting with Wiping"Excerpt

I Finally Understood What "Cleaning" Truly Means!

I happened to read this part around the time I started my year-end cleaning. As I was cleaning areas I usually skip, thinking, "I can probably skip this," the phrase "especially the unseen places" came to mind. "Yes, yes, that's important," I told myself, and finished cleaning, treating the unseen and seen areas with the same care. When I looked around the entire room... it felt different from usual! If I had to put it into words, I'd say "a serene atmosphere permeated the space." I myself felt refreshed just looking at it. It was then that I felt I finally understood, even just a little, what "cleaning" truly means. Since then, whenever the thought "I can skip this" arises, I counter it with the phrase "especially the unseen places" and diligently clean.

There was one more thing I thought, "I want to make this a habit!" It was "eating beautifully."

—Zen practice encompasses all aspects of life: walking (行), staying (住), sitting (座), and sleeping (臥). In other words, every action in daily life, every gesture, is considered practice. Naturally, preparing food and eating are also practices.
From "Zen and Food: Aligning Your Life"Excerpt

It is precisely because we eat food that sustains life that we can engage in practice. And each ingredient exists before us today thanks to the labor and connections of many people. We are sustained by these connections. When you think about it that way, you feel motivated to prepare meals with heart and to receive them with gratitude. Moreover, when you eat with such a mindset, your eating posture naturally becomes more deliberate and graceful.—

Zen Teachings Can Bring You Closer to Being Satisfied with Simple, Light Meals!

The book also describes specific ways to hold chopsticks beautifully and how to hold bowls. For example, it says that holding a bowl with three fingers—the thumb, index, and middle finger—lends "elegance" to your movements. Indeed, when I hold it this way, my back somehow straightens naturally, which is strange. And when I place my chopsticks down after each bite and chew slowly, as per Zen practice, I feel elegant. Strangely, I also feel a sense of fulfillment. While I might feel fulfilled by the taste itself, to feel fulfilled by the way I eat...!

If eating gracefully can lead to a sense of fulfillment, then it's certainly better to face food properly and savor it deeply. Furthermore, eating this way allows me to feel satisfied even when I've only eaten about 70% of what I normally would. ...This means that by following Zen teachings, I can get closer to the "self that is satisfied with simple, light meals" that I've always aspired to!

My original goal for this year was something else entirely, but due to these circumstances, I've hastily changed it to "The Way of Zen through Cleaning and Eating." The goal I had originally considered seems achievable as a result of pursuing Zen, so I've removed it from the list. For now, I'm struggling to internalize and make it a habit to consciously practice the Zen mind during every cleaning session and every meal (though I forget about two or three times out of every ten).