Coffee and Zen Meditation


Sipping a hot cup of coffee at the Drive-in, a friend of mine and I used to discuss many interesting books and writers and on one of those occasions were talking about the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, one of the best sellers, and were trying to understand what Zen really meant and never ever came to an understanding or an agreement, while the coffee cups used to pile up on our table. It was during one of those sessions we pondered over the question Is there a relationship between Coffee and Zen? If there is, would there be a paradox in comparing Coffee with Zen, especially when the caffeine is strong, addictive, yet soothing and relaxing contrary to Zen which is strong, powerful and yet gentle? . This set us thinking and during the search stumbled upon a wonderful book “ Godel Escher Bach “ by Douglas Hofstadter wherein he discusses Zen Koans and explains as to how to perceive reality outside the normal confines of individual experience and acquiesce to a few paradoxical questions, as we asked ourselves about Coffee and Zen, and by not forming a “ a priori” reasoning, a strategy he terms as “ unasking”.

Like the lithographs and etchings of Escher, a Zen koan, as we explored, has no logical or rational or an easy answer, it is a riddle. Like for instance, if we were to ask why is the football round or for that matter why is the Universe the way it is? There are no easy and immediate answers to them, however if you ruminate over on this over a cup of coffee, the answer may unfold. But as long as you presume you know the answer, understand what is significant in your life, know for sure the right from the wrong, and are certain about what life is all about and what it has to offer, your mind is not calm and peaceful, for it will continue to pursue more options and answers. When you are after something, you never find it, like for instance peace, joy, happiness, love and affection. But when you think you do not know the answers to any of the questions that crop up in your mind, the mind is calm and peaceful and helps you go through an inner experience that leads to intuition, understanding and enlightenment, without any words to describe the experience that you go through.

This we realized is the essence of Zen as we meditated over these questions sipping a cup of coffee high on caffeine . It dawned on us both that our mind seems to be here in the present and yet it is wandering in different locations and directions at the same time and Coffee, like Zen meditation, really helps in gathering our thoughts and focus on our inner selves. Sipping coffee, sitting in a quiet café, and looking inwardly, clears all the cobwebs in our mind, and soothes our senses and the mind. This introspection relaxes and rejuvenates our mind ,is what we began to experience and understand.