The Art of Zen Living

When I moved back to my apartment, there was an ant pile out next to the sidewalk right where my parking space used to be. I found it REALLY irritating. I’d notice it every time I was out there, and I’d kick it over sometimes, or drop water on it if I was adding water to my car, and I didn’t bother watching where I walked unless there were a LOT of ants out, and only then to avoid getting bit myself.

Some days, it would set my mood for the drive, or for the next several hours.

Then I accepted the first precept: I will avoid taking life.

It was actually a few weeks ago that I started trying to practice the precepts. At first, the ants left my awareness all together - I was focusing on the bigger animals to start with. For instance, I’d get up in the morning and say to myself “Today, I will avoid taking a human life!”.  I’d walk out the door confident that I would be able to make it through the entire day without having to take anybody out.  Most days, I made it.  About a week went by, and insects and lizards and other small animals started to register more with me.  With the smaller animals, I’d find myself going out of my way to try not to scare them anymore than I had to - if you’ve ever seen one of our little anole lizards take a header off the second floor balcony, you know why.  It looks like it hurts when they land!

Eventually, I became aware of the ants again. It’s a different awareness. I try to avoid killing any of them if possible.  Sometimes there are a lot, and they’re moving fast, so when I start to put my foot down, the ground is clear, but when my foot gets there, an ant or 2 have run under it.  When that happens, I think a little thought wishing them well on their next rebirth. Rather than an annoyance, they are simply kindred living things, doing their best to make it through their day, as I am trying to make it through mine.

It is a very different way to live and look at the world.  I find that I am happier, more peaceful, and have a better understanding of myself and my world.