Knife snicks through ripe skin

blade slices thin fruit slivers,

crisp autumn apples

In the zen-kitchen, we aren’t as concerned with the end results of our cooking endeavors, as we are with the process of preparing the recipe itself. The end result of our efforts, according to ancient wisdom, comes of its own accord from the conditions we co-create. We place our attention on each action, keeping a small portion of awareness rooted in the body, noticing what’s happening physically, and with our emotions. A sense of ease flows into everything we do. Within the present moment, we enjoy the experience of well-being. We feel an interconnection between the energy we put into our work, and the energy inherent in the unfolding of the task itself. Some people call this flow “being in the zone”. In fact, it is the true practice of zen-cuisine. 

As the fall harvest is gathered in around and for us, we appreciate the gift of food from the earth and the labour of many beings. To celebrate the season, join me in a simple guided meditation. Relax into the steady rhythm of the breath, and ground awareness in the present moment. Imagine you are planning an afternoon snack of apple slices, and about to cut the crisp fall fruit. Sense insdie your body; calm your thoughts. As you look deeply at the apple you are holding, notice a feeling of ease arises within the steady movement of the breath. Sense the perfection of the moment and rest in this feeling of contentment. Imagine yourself mindfully being present as you wash, and dry the fruit. Take a moment to be aware of the apples and their beauty, acknowledging their flavor and life-sustaining nutrition.

As you begin to slice the apple, realize that enjoying the experience is not dependent on the end result of your actions. You don't need be done to enjoy a sense of fulfillment. You are satisfied with the process of slicing the fruit, no longer leaning into the future, focused on the finished plate of apples slices. You are enjoying the preparation without being attached to the end result.  You may slice the apples in thin, uniform slices with skill and efficiency, or perhaps you are still learning to handle a chef’s knife well and cut the slices a little awkwardly with random thickness. Whether you create perfect or imperfect slice, it does not change your inner awareness, or the joy you feel while making the apple snack. Relax, and become deeply in tune with the experience of slicing crisp autumn apples.

When you are in touch with the fullness of the moment, either in a simple meditation or when actually slicing apples, you taste the true reality underlying your life experiences.  As you fully enter into what is happening now, a playful, joyous energy arises.  It flows effortlessly through you and what you are doing in the kitchen. This is the bliss of the reality of the present moment. In his book The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle says that when this occurs, you have “found the life underneath your life situation.”

Now think about sensations that arose when you cut apple slices in this imaginative meditation. Be aware of your deep feeling of contentment and ease. The next time you are in the kitchen to cut an apple, remember this feeling. Try this simple zen-cuisine practice. Honour the experience unfolding in the present. Call to mind the process of the apple’s growth, and the people and circumstances that produced the fruit and made it available to you. Touch the wholeness of the moment. Notice the abundant flow of life force between the energy of the apples and the energy of yourself. This sense of oneness is a this deeper dimension of interconnectedness that opens you into spaciousness. You are part of the unfolding of this activity, and the endless possibilities it offers to explore the present moment. Your experience of slicing apples is whole and complete, free from expectations of failure or success. It simply is ‘slicing apples’, and the experience is vibrant with life and the joy of living.